Breck's Grace Zumwinkle is Metro Player of the Year in girls' hockey

Grace Zumwinkle, the middle of three sisters, brought hockey into the home first.

Then a kindergartner, her pioneer spirit endured even after a less-than-promising debut on skates.

"I was the worst one out there, by far," Zumwinkle recalled with a laugh. "The other kids skated circles around me. But when I got off the ice, I told my parents, 'I'm the best one out there!' "

Mike Zumwinkle said he told his daughter, 'Grace, if you think you are then you are.' "

There's no longer a doubt. Zumwinkle capped a five-year varsity career at Breck by being selected the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year. A slapshot clocked upward of 80 miles per hour, strong skating and hockey sense translated into 42 goals and 16 assists and solidified her place as a key figure in the evolution of girls' hockey.

The three-sport star has played in the state golf tournament and won a pair of doubles state titles in tennis. But hockey is her future. Zumwinkle committed to Minnesota.

Her credo — train like you're No. 2, play like you're No. 1 — is as close as she comes to arrogance. Playing for a Class 1A program, Zumwinkle tallied six of her nine hat tricks against Class 2A opponents. Though she could have, she never declared her dominance like she did as a little girl.

In her first two games, her shot was one part Paul Kariya, one part Paul Bunyan. Against Centennial, five total goals, one goalie's mask dented. Against Benilde-St. Margaret's, one goal, a busted shin guard and a broken goalie's skate.

She stayed on a roll. Zumwinkle tallied a hat trick in a loss against Edina, the No. 1 seed in this week's Class 2A state tournament. She later added a goal and an assist when the Mustangs defeated the Hornets in a shootout at the Edina Walser Tournament.

The game counted as a tie, but it served as another example of Zumwinkle playing a key role to keep Breck among the metro area's best teams regardless of class. She emerged as a captain for a young team and carried the Mustangs to a 5-4 section title loss against Blake.

All five of Zumwinkle's five varsity seasons ended the same — a loss to rival Blake with a trip to state on the line. Yet she and senior teammate Kendall Williamson skated over to the elated Bears players and offered encouragement to go defend their state title.