Centennial's Harper Searles selected 2024 Class AA Herb Brooks Award winner
Posted: Saturday, March 9, 2024 - 9:25 PM
Centennial senior forward Harper Searles was selected as the Class AA recipient of the Herb Brooks Award on Saturday, March 9 during the Boys Hockey State Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center.
Take a look in the stands during a traveling league hockey game and you will see Centennial senior Harper Searles. Look again and you are likely to see him on the ice helping to coach or instruct a Mite team. Any volunteer opportunities in the community are quickly satisfied when asked in his presence. Giving back is second nature to him.
For his commitment to team, school and the community, Searles was selected as the Class AA recipient of the Herb Brooks Award on Saturday, March 9 during the Minnesota State High School League’s Boys Hockey State Tournament. The annual award is presented to a state tournament participant that strongly represents the values, characteristics and traits that defined Herb Brooks, a St. Paul native who gained international fame as a hockey coach. The award commemorates the unending influence that Brooks had on the sport of hockey, not just in Minnesota, but throughout the world.
“Harper truly loves the game and is constantly giving back to our youth teams,” Centennial head coach Ritch Menne said. “He truly is a special player and an even better kid.”
Searles, a first-line center, had a team-best 23 goals and 40 assists in leading the Cougars to the Section 5AA championship and a fifth appearance in the state tournament. The Cougars finished fifth in the tournament following a 3-2 victory over Elk River/Zimmerman in the consolation final. Searles had a goal and two assists in the season-ending victory.
“Harper embodies the true meaning of being a student-athlete,” Centennial Activities Director Matt St. Martin said. “His commitment to both academics and athletics success is second to none. His leadership and commitment to making his teammates better is respected by his peers and coaches alike. Harper continually represents himself, his family, the Centennial Boys Hockey program and our community with the highest degree of character and integrity on and off the ice.”
Said Menne: “Harper's leadership qualities on and off the ice are off the charts great. Harper is great in the locker room in good times and bad. Harper's words are respected by all who are around. Harper truly makes everyone better just by being there.”
