ST. CLOUD, Minn. - While Michigan Tech features a pair of local players in co-captain Tanner Kero from Hancock, and Blake Hietala from Houghton, their opponent on Friday has another local skater in Ben Storm from Laurium.
Storm, a towering skater at 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, is fired up about facing the team he grew up idolizing.
"It's going to be a blast," said Storm. "I have the utmost respect for Michigan Tech and the season they have had so far."
Article Photos
Ben Storm skates for St. Cloud State in a November home game against North Dakota. Storm, a sophomore from Laurium, will be playing against Michigan Tech, a team he grew up watching, in Friday’s NCAA?West?Regional semifinals. (St. Cloud State photo by Brace Hemmelgarn)
He has kept an eye on all that Michigan Tech has accomplished.
"They have some real good players, and we do too," said Storm. "I think we will be ready for them."
He is also well aware this is not the Michigan Tech team he grew up watching.
"I have a few friends on the team and three cousins as well," said Storm. "I know they have a lot of speedy players and should be a challenge to play against, but I believe we will be ready."
Storm, now a sophomore, has really come to enjoy his time at St. Cloud State.
"I have had a great experience at St. Cloud State so far," said Storm. "I had the chance to play for last year's team and learn from guys like Nic Dowd. They really showed great leadership."
This year's iteration has not had the success last season's group had, but they have been playing much stronger of late, earning their way into the NCAA Tournament despite their 19-18-1 record.
"We have kind of been up-and-down through the year," said Storm. "We have able to make a good push at the end here."
St. Cloud has won three of its last four games, including a pair over Nebraska-Omaha and a semifinal win over North Dakota, which it could face again in a regional final if it gets past Tech.
Recently, Storm has been moved up to forward to better utilize his size and strength. Playing on a line with captain Nick Oliver and Brooks Bertsch has worked well.
"It's been great to move back to forward," said Storm. "I have been playing with Nick Oliver and Brooks Bertsch and we have really kind of gelled together. I will play wherever they need me to play."
Not known as an offensive force, Storm has scored two goals and six points in his career. Both goals have come this season.
"It was a relief to finally score," said Storm, whose first career goal came against Union. "I knew it would eventually happen. I believe it was on my last shift of the game."
His second goal would be more memorable if for no other reason than who it came against.
"Playing at the Ralph Englestad is amazing and scoring there is awesome," said Storm.
While he and his teammates have been focusing on winning games and earning their place in Friday afternoon's matchup with Michigan Tech, Storm has also kept an eye on the girls' basketball state finals at the Breslin Center in East Lansing last weekend.
"I got to listen to the quarterfinals and semifinals on the bus," said Storm. "I could not listen to the championship game on Saturday because we were playing in the Frozen Faceoff. One of our equipment managers is Blake Frantti, also from the Calumet area, and he kept me in the loop on what was happening."
Storm is very confident in how prepared he and his teammates will be for Friday.
"I think we have a really good team," said Storm. "I know Michigan Tech does as well, but I think we will beat them."
