The Luverne boys’ hockey team finished the 2019-2020 campaign with a 15-10 overall record. They defeated Marshall 4-3 in the opening round of the section tournament before losing to Hutchison, the eventual section champions, 6-1.
The Cardinals figure to be in store for another solid season when the puck drops in 2021. Luverne will be led by four seniors, Cade Wenninger, Cooper Arends, Carlton Oftedahl and Shaid Shearer.
With the four seniors leading the way, the Cardinals will look to build off the success they had last season.
Cade Wenninger
Wenninger has been playing hockey since he was three years old. He’s been a member of the varsity squad since he was a freshman.
Last season as a junior, Wenninger finished second on the team with 11 goals. He finished the season with 17 points.
“Cade has such a great understanding of the game,” Oftedahl said. “That understanding of the game allows him to be such a great playmaker.”
Wenninger has been playing the game of hockey for 15 years. With all that experience there isn’t a lot that can get Wenninger flummoxed on the ice.
“Cade’s greatest strength would be his leadership,” Shearer said. “He has good composure on and off the ice.”
Last season the Cardinals upset the Marshall Tigers in the opening round of the section tournament. As Wenninger prepares for his senior season, he’s looking forward to seeing how they can build off that success.
“I’m definitely excited to see how far we can make it this season,” Wenninger said. “We want to win as many games as we can.”
Cooper Arends
Arends, like Wenninger, started skating when he was just three years old. He’s been a member of the varsity squad since he was a freshman.
Arends finished last season with seven points (seven assists). Wenninger said that the senior defensemen has a great understanding of the game.
“He’s a student of the game,” Wenninger said. “His greatest strength is his knowledge of the game.”
Shearer echoed that Cooper’s greatest strength is his hockey IQ.
“He has such great hockey sense,” Shearer said. “He can read where people are going and he makes hard plays look easy.”
Carlton Oftedahl
Oftedahl finished last season with three assists. He’s been playing on the varsity squad for the Cardinals since he was a sophomore.
Wenninger said that Oftedahl may have the strongest slap shot on the team.
“His greatest strength is his slap shot,” Wenninger said.
A defenseman has to be willing to throw his body around. Shearer said that Oftedahl is not shy about using his strength to knock opponents off the puck.
“He’s so strong,” Shearer said. “He is a great defenseman. He uses his body to get people off the puck.”
If the Cardinals are going to attain the goals they’ve set for themselves this season, they’ll have to play together as a cohesive unit.
“We need to be more consistent during games,” Oftedahl said. “We need to work together as a unit.”
Shaid Shearer
Shearer has been playing hockey for 12 years and has been playing goalie for eight years.
Last season Shearer finished with a record of 7-6. He recorded 307 saves and had a save percentage of .914.
“He is so good between the pipes,” Oftedahl said. “He makes some unreal saves.”
Arends said that one of Shearer’s greatest strengths is his work ethic and attitude.
“He always puts in a full effort,” Arends said. “He’s such a positive person and a great leader for us.”