Editor's note: This is the first in a series of articles highlighting the state's top seniors, players who declined opportunities to play elsewhere in favor of staying home and playing with their childhood buddies as they try to reach the state tournament.

Henry Lechner says he’s always known what he wanted out of his senior year of high school.

Playing hockey with his brother at the Academy of Holy Angels and helping to rebuild the Stars, dominant from the late 1990s into the mid-2000s, into a state tournament caliber program was the plan all along.

Home games at the venerable Richfield Ice Arena with classmates, friends and family is pretty great, too. Lo and behold, it has shaped up to be one memorable winter for the Holy Angels star.

Perhaps more importantly, he has helped steer Holy Angels back into not only the state’s top 10 but also the upper tier of the ultra-competitive Section 6AA. He is almost certain to earn Mr. Hockey finalist recognition.

“I like the recognition, but it’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about Holy Angels, and giving us the respect we deserve. The reason I wanted to come here was to help rebuild this program into what it once was.”

Lechner stresses how important it was to him to finish his high school career at Holy Angels, and not someplace else.

“I want to go earn my degree from Holy Angels,” Lechner said. “I’ve put a lot of time and effort toward my education, and it’s pretty important to me to finish it here.”

Lechner, and his brother Teddy, a sophomore defenseman, hadn’t played together before high school. That’s two seasons, and 50-some games that Henry values and cherishes. Playing away from home also has given him an appreciation for Holy Angels game nights in front of a full student section. 

“The kids you have class with are the same kids out here cheering you on, and that’s a surreal feeling,” Lechner said. “Scoring a goal and then banging on the glass (in front of the student section) is such an indescribable feeling. I’ve been blessed to do that here for four years.”

With the section tournament set to begin, Lechner is ready to write his final chapters.

“He wants to get us to a state tournament for the first time in 20 years, and he truly believes he can do it,” Griswold said.

The No. 4-seeded Stars (21-3-1) open section play in a 7 p.m. quarterfinal Thursday against No. 5 seed Blake (18-6-0) at Richfield Ice Arena.

“We’ve got a team that I think can get to the state tournament, and there’s nothing holding us back,” Lechner said. “This is a special group and a special year.”