Bruce Plante, who coached Hermantown to three Class 1A state titles in boys' hockey, announced Thursday he is retiring after 28 seasons as the Hawks coach.

Plante had a 547-197-23 career record. The Hawks, who won their second consecutive state title last month, made 14 appearances in the state tournament under Plante.

"It is just the right time," the 68-year-old Plante said. "I can hardly even skate anymore. I am a hazard out there."

This season Hermantown went 29-1-1 and reached the state tournament for an unprecedented (in Class 1A) eighth consecutive year. The Hawks were the Class 1A runners-up from 2010-2015.

"I love the kids, and I love the practices and the games," Plante said. "But all the other stuff, the budget, the scheduling, questions about playing in Class AA or A, all this other stuff you have to deal with all the time wore on me.

"I wanted to leave happy and having fun and enjoying the kids and not being pushed out."

LOREN NELSON

• Rochester John Marshall boys' basketball coach Kirk Thompson is stepping down after five seasons as the Rockets coach, according to published reports in Rochester.

Thompson's record at John Marshall was 113-29; his teams made five consecutive appearances in the Class 4A, Section 1 championship game.

Before taking over the program at John Marshall, Thompson led Plainview-Elgin-Millville to the Class 2A state title in 2012 and had a 159-30 record in six seasons.

Etc.

• Gophers softball pitcher Sara Groenewegen was named a top-10 finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, presented for character and efforts on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. … No. 7 Minnesota (35-3, 8-1 Big Ten) plays Northwestern (3-6, 16-20) at 6 p.m. Friday at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium to open a weekend series.

• The Gophers baseball team (20-8, 6-0 Big Ten) plays at Indiana (17-13-2, 4-4-1) at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Minnesota has an 11-game winning streak.

• Macalester's Cole Chang, a sophomore from Pleasantville, N.Y., was named the National Division III Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. He threw a no-hitter in Friday's 5-0 victory over Augsburg.

• Winona State, with a 5-over 293, held a one-stroke lead over Minnesota State Mankato and St. Cloud State in the NSIC men's golf spring championship in Smithville, Mo. Two Huskies golfers, David Scharenroch and Riley Duncanson, were tied for first with 3-under 69s.