Northfield put together one of the best seasons in Section 1A last year, finishing 21-4-1 and rolling through the Section 1A playoffs with a 14-1 quarterfinal win over La Crescent-Hokah and a 3-1 semifinal win over Rochester Lourdes — before running into a buzz saw in the championship. Dodge County upset the Raiders 4-2 in the Section 1A title game, denying Northfield a trip to the state tournament despite the gap in regular-season results between the two teams. It was a tough way to end an outstanding season, and now Northfield graduates a huge senior class that carried much of that success.
Players Lost to Graduation
Northfield graduates 11 seniors, and the group includes the heart of last season’s lineup, both offensively and in net.
Michael Steward (F) led the team and was one of the top scorers in the section with 14 goals and 40 assists for 54 points in 28 games, adding 2 power-play goals and 12 power-play assists. His playmaking will be the single hardest thing to replace.
Bridger Riley (D) was the team’s top offensive defenseman by a wide margin, posting 9 goals and 33 assists for 42 points, with 3 power-play goals and 9 power-play assists — an enormous two-way season from the blue line.
Oliver Benjamin (F) and Christian Whiteman (F) both finished with 33- and 29-point seasons. Benjamin scored 10 goals and added 23 assists with 3 power-play goals and 4 power-play assists, while Whiteman posted 11 goals and 18 assists with 2 power-play goals and 6 power-play assists.
Henry Webber (F) adds 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points, Carter Simon (D) contributes 4 goals and 17 assists for 21 points, and Ashton Pumper (D) chips in 1 goal and 17 assists for 18 points with 6 power-play assists — a trio that gave Northfield real depth on the back end.
Charlie Becker (F) rounds out the senior forward group with 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points, including 4 power-play goals. RJ Wasilowski (F) adds 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points with a game-winner, and Elias Ladd (F) also graduates.
In net, Gavin Winter (G) graduates as the primary starter, posting a 15-4-1 record with a 2.01 GAA, a .909 save percentage and 4 shutouts across 27 appearances — a dominant senior season that won’t be easy to replace outright.
Returning Players for 2026-27
This is where Northfield’s outlook stays bright despite the heavy graduation losses. The team’s No. 2 overall scorer last season is a sophomore-to-be, and the program also returns a goaltender who was nearly as efficient as the graduating starter.
Top Returning Scorers
Miles Kennelly (F), a junior next season, returns as one of the most exciting players in the section, posting 27 goals and 25 assists for 52 points in 28 games — second on the entire team last season as a true sophomore. Kennelly also led the roster with 6 power-play goals, 8 power-play assists and 5 game-winning goals.
Jacob Peters (F), a senior next season, adds 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points, with a power-play goal, 3 power-play assists, a short-handed goal, a short-handed assist and 2 game-winners.
Philip Benjamin (F), a junior next season, returns after a 25-point season (11 goals, 14 assists) that included 6 power-play goals and a power-play assist.
Wade Gilbertson (F), a senior next season, posted 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points, with a power-play goal, a short-handed goal and 2 game-winners.
Among returning defensemen, Levi Schmidt and Walker Sorem both posted 13-point seasons. Schmidt, a junior next season, scored 3 goals and added 10 assists with 3 power-play assists and a game-winner. Sorem, a senior next season, added 2 goals and 11 assists with a game-winner.
Returning Defense Core
With Bridger Riley, Carter Simon and Ashton Pumper all graduating, Northfield’s blue line loses an enormous amount of production. Levi Schmidt and Walker Sorem return as the clear leaders among returning defensemen, having combined for 26 points last season. Max Munoz also returns after posting 6 assists, and Braden Van Sickle adds 3 points from the back end. Replacing the sheer volume that Riley, Simon and Pumper produced together (81 combined points) will be the program’s biggest structural challenge.
Goaltending Situation
Northfield is in an excellent position here. With Gavin Winter graduating, the net belongs to Ryker Landon (G), a junior next season, who was outstanding in a complementary role last season — posting an 8-0 record with a 1.50 GAA, a .919 save percentage and a shutout in 24 appearances. Those efficiency numbers are actually slightly better than Winter’s, even in a smaller sample, which gives Northfield real confidence heading into 2026-27 with Landon as the full-time starter.
Players to Watch
Miles Kennelly is the clear headliner — a 52-point sophomore season puts him among the elite returning players in all of Class A Section 1, and he should be the focal point of the offense going forward. Jacob Peters, Philip Benjamin and Wade Gilbertson give Northfield real scoring depth even after the graduation losses. In net, Ryker Landon’s efficiency numbers suggest the goaltending won’t be a drop-off at all.
Beyond the returning varsity roster, Northfield also has a strong group of bantam players moving up who will compete for varsity spots in 2026-27. Several underclassmen pushing for ice time alongside Kennelly, Peters and Benjamin could give the Raiders even more offensive depth than last season’s numbers alone suggest.
Key Players to Replace
Northfield’s offseason priorities center on:
- Michael Steward’s 54-point season and elite playmaking
- Bridger Riley’s 42-point season and two-way impact from the blue line
- Oliver Benjamin’s and Christian Whiteman’s combined 62 points up front
- Carter Simon’s and Ashton Pumper’s defensive depth and power-play assists
- Gavin Winter’s 15-win, .909 save percentage season in net
2026-27 Outlook
Northfield enters 2026-27 still stinging from a section championship upset loss to Dodge County, but the cupboard is far from bare. Miles Kennelly’s 52-point sophomore season, combined with returning scorers Jacob Peters, Philip Benjamin and Wade Gilbertson, gives the Raiders a legitimate offensive core to build around. Ryker Landon’s strong underlying numbers in net suggest the goaltending transition should be smoother than the loss of an 15-win senior might normally suggest. The defense will need real contributions from Levi Schmidt, Walker Sorem and a new wave of bantam call-ups to replace the massive senior class on the blue line, but with this much returning offensive firepower, Northfield should once again be squarely in the mix for a Section 1A title — and a chance to settle the score with Dodge County.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 1A playoffs as provided.
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