Cloquet/Esko/Carlton went 15-13 last season and reached the Section 7A Championship, beating Greenway and Hermantown in the playoffs before losing 3-2 in overtime to Hibbing/Chisholm. The program now faces a major offseason blow: leading scorer Jordy Sewell, who set the pace with 48 points as a freshman, has transferred to Hermantown for 2026-27, the very team CEC beat in last year’s semifinal. The program itself also faces continued uncertainty apart from that loss: Cloquet and Esko have finalized a new cooperative agreement for 2026-27, while Carlton’s status depends on the outcome of a separate school consolidation process that hasn’t been finalized. It isn’t yet clear whether any other players will be affected, but the team’s name, makeup and now its top scoring line could all look different next season.
Players Lost to Graduation
Conor Sullivan was the program’s No. 2 scorer — 17 goals, 22 assists, 39 points, with 5 power-play goals, 7 power-play assists and a short-handed goal. Luca Gentilini added 31 points (15-16), with 6 power-play goals.
Cole Painovich contributed 22 points from the blue line, almost all assists, with 2 power-play goals and 10 power-play assists. Neil Elsmore added 13 points, William Karjala had 8, and MJ Kayser and Jake Hurst round out the departing group.
In net, Jacob Iallonardo graduates after an outstanding season — 15-13, a 1.93 GAA, a .927 save percentage, and 6 shutouts in 28 appearances. That’s one of the better goaltending seasons in the entire section, and replacing it is a real challenge.
Also Departing: Jordy Sewell Transfers to Hermantown
Beyond graduation, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton loses the leading scorer from last season to a transfer rather than the diploma. Jordy Sewell led the entire team, and much of Section 7A, in scoring as a freshman with 28 goals, 20 assists and 48 points, adding 5 power-play goals, 7 power-play assists and 6 game-winners. He has since transferred to Hermantown for 2026-27. His eligibility to play immediately is subject to standard MSHSL transfer review, but regardless of timeline, this is a significant loss for a program that built its offensive identity around him.
Returning Players for 2026-27
With Sewell gone, Brahm Snesrud steps in as the team’s leading returning scorer — 19 points (5 goals, 14 assists) from the blue line, back for his sophomore year. Kaden Willis contributed 10 points, and Davis Snesrud and Mason Robbins each had 9.
Goaltending
This is the most significant open question facing the program. With Jacob Iallonardo gone, no returning name carries comparable varsity experience, and the search for a new starter will be a central storyline given how much the team relied on his play last season.
Who to Watch
Brahm Snesrud is the clearest returning building block, a proven scorer from the blue line entering his sophomore season. Beyond him, the picture is far less settled than it looked a few weeks ago. Losing Jordy Sewell removes the one sure thing this offense had, and how the program’s roster situation resolves with Carlton, plus who steps up in net, will shape the rest of the picture.
What Cloquet/Esko/Carlton Needs to Replace
- Jordy Sewell’s 48-point season, now at Hermantown
- Conor Sullivan’s 39 points
- Luca Gentilini’s 31 points
- Cole Painovich’s 22 points and power-play production from the blue line
- Jacob Iallonardo’s full season in net
2026-27 Outlook
Cloquet/Esko/Carlton reached the section championship game last season, but the offseason has been unkind. The program now needs to replace its leading scorer, its No. 2 and No. 3 scorers, its top goaltender, and navigate an unresolved cooperative situation, all at once. Brahm Snesrud gives the program a real building block, but this is a significantly steeper rebuild than it looked heading into the summer. How CEC responds will be one of the more interesting storylines in Section 7A.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season, the Granite City Showcase, and Section 7A playoffs. This preview reflects the program’s 2026-27 cooperative status with Carlton and Jordy Sewell’s transfer to Hermantown as of this update; both remain subject to further developments.
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