Andover and Irondale rarely contend for the Northwest Suburban Conference title, but that could change this year as both teams have already picked up emphatic victories over perennial league contenders this season. The Huskies and Knights will each make their cases to be league frontrunners this week.
The Knights overcame an early deficit to defeat defending conference champion Maple Grove 8-7 in overtime on April 12. Junior Parker Freiberg scored twice and added an assist in Irondale’s first win over the Crimson in program history, but it was fellow junior Joe Frischman who played the hero. Frischman pieced together an extraordinary scoring run, spinning around two defenders and releasing a game-clinching backhand shot for Irondale.
For many of the Knights' upperclassmen, the win was paydirt for years of development. In 2015, they won just two games and have gradually improved, winning three games in 2016 and eight in 2017. Irondale (2-0, 2-0) then added an 18-4 win over Totino-Grace last Saturday. Ryan Solz and Matt Brooks led the Knights with four goals apiece.
The Huskies (2-0, 2-0) avenged a pair of past losses last week. Tyler Wilson and Parker Blake each scored three goals to lead Andover to an 8-7 decision over Centennial on Tuesday, and the Huskies recorded a 10-9 overtime victory against rival Anoka on Saturday.