During the weekend of the hockey state tournament, the All-State teams are announced and this year it features three Oahe Capitals players. Dre Berndt was on the First Team All-State as a defenseman and both Ashton Griese and Carter Sanderson were selected to the second team All-State as forwards.
Berndt is just one of two defenseman to be named to the first team All-State as Kaleb Merchen from Rushmore is the other. Berndt scored eight goals in the regular season while having 10 assists. Berndt also scored a goal in the state tournament for the Capitals. However, for as good as he is offensively which certainly has a factor into the All-State team. He’s even better defensively. Head Coach Steve Steele says Berndt deserves to be on the first team…
Sanderson and Griese were part of the top line with Jarron Beck as Sanderson finished with a team high 26 goals this year as an eighth grader, while Griese, the captain of the Capitals in his junior year, finished with the team lead in assists at 30 and the team high in points with 46. Steele says the hard part of the All-State voting is leaving off a line mate because Beck had a great sophomore year and is every bit important to the line. He says Griese has grown a lot over the course of the year as a player and a leader…
For Sanderson, it’s rare for an eighth grader to make an All-State team and Steele says he’s a naturally gifted player…
All three of these players are eligible to return next season and Steele is excited on what the next season can bring…
In addition to the All-State teams, Kieran Duffy and Carter Schulz were both Academic All-State members while Jaden Flor received the Hoby Baker award for the Oahe Capitals this season.
