This year the Fargo North boys hockey team is hopeful to recreate the success they have seen in previous seasons, and exceed expectations from fans and opponents alike. The team is led by an experienced, solid group of seniors, many of whom have played together for the Spartans since their freshman year, and consists of an optimistic group of underclassmen who are ready to prove their place on the team. Last year the team graduated two seniors, captain Jack Dorsher and starting goaltender Luke Olson.
The natural chemistry among the team’s group of seniors has developed a true sense of comradery. They are not merely teammates, but best friends who just happen to have a passion for the game of hockey. The seniors participate in many off ice activities.
“As seniors we have movies nights, hit the ODR, street hockey, weekly dinners, order some za, play a lot of Chel, wreck Fossum.” said senior Jesse Stahl, who is the goaltender for the Spartans. Stahl believes that the best thing about the senior class is their work ethic and passion for the game. “We are very passionate and a couple of us want to reach that next level” said Stahl.
Among the seniors is an elite group who specialize in the Electronic Arts sports game “NHL” or more commonly known as “Chel”. The group, consisting of Elijah Fossum, Harrison Astrup, and Stahl, have consecutively won the highest ranked title and were the 934 ranked team in the world out of over 100,000 different teams. Playing video games is a common activity among the seniors, and has built a connection that extends far beyond the ice at the Coliseum.
The team also does many things to keep morale high during on-ice practices.
“We have a lot of inside jokes, like we would put tape on people’s helmets and write something goofy on it.” said senior Robert Ellingson, an alternate captain for the Spartans. Along with that, they respectfully poke fun at their teammates and create an atmosphere where hard work and positive attitudes are built.
“I think we have a really good, competitive team who will drive each other to be better hockey players.” said junior Sam Harr.
During the off season the players really focused on improving in hopes of performing well in the state tournament. The team had early morning camps in the summer that started at 7 a.m., and many participated in the summer weightlifting program hosted by Sanford Health. Another way the team has improved this year is they have more depth and optimism from the first year players.
“Our hard work and dedication during the offseason will carry over to the regular season this winter.” said Harrison Astrup, a forward for the Spartans.
This year the team is looking to defeat their rivals, namely West Fargo, South, and Red River. Last year the games were extremely close, but the Spartans were overcome in all 6 games, both home and away.
“Red River will be an intense game,” said Stahl.
Likewise, West Fargo and South will also be close. Heated matchups are what the Spartans will need to win in order to have a good rank going into the Eastern Conference tournament.

Overall, this year the boys know they can win big games and play to their fullest potential. They would like to see the rowdy crowd packed with student supporters during home games, which is important to a high morale among the players. This season the senior class is taking on a new role of leadership and will lead the team through highs and lows.