In five of the last seven seasons the Somerset Spartans have been eliminated from the post-season by the juggernaut from Hudson. This year, they don't have that problem and they finally broke through to the sectional final, a feat that has stymied them in the past.

There they met the plucky 5th seed Menomonie Mustangs, who had already knocked off top seed Baldwin-Woodville.

Menomonie was faster and more aggressive than Somerset, but in the end the Spartans skated away with a 3-2 win.

Jordan Brown opened the scoring for Somerset with an assist from Owen McDonough to take the early lead. The Mustangs got it back at the end of the period while short handed. Kaleb Miller fired a shot on a feed from Zach Demarce, and a Somerset defender knocked it in.

The Spartans retook the lead in the second period with another goal by Jordon Brown. This time with assists from Abe Sirek and Beaudee Smith.

The Spartans took two penalties in the final 30 second of the second period, giving Menomonie a 5-on-3 power play to start the third.

They capitalized on the 2-man advantage on a shot from Kaleb Miller to erase the lead. Claysen Cook and Zach Demarce had the assists.

It remained 2-2 for the next 12 1/2 minutes, before Antonio Gomez lit the lamp on a near breakaway after a beautiful pass from Owen McDonough, giving Somerset the 3-2 lead.

Somerset spent the last three minutes of the game crossing the red line and dumping the puck into the Mustang zone, or flipping the puck high, up and out of the D-zone. The Mustangs never got a chance to pull their goalie.

Menomonie beat West Salem and Baldwin-Woodville to get to the sectional final. Somerset beat Black River Falls and River Falls.

*Full saves have not been entered in the scoresheet at this time.