Northfield boys' hockey captain Carroll wants to get to state

Senior defenseman Andy Carroll is in his second season as a captain for the Northfield boys' hockey team.

The Raiders are 8-5-2 just past the midway point of the 2014-15 season. They are currently unranked in Class 1A.

Here is a closer look at Carroll:

Q What is the best movie you've seen in the last year?

A "Sniper: Legacy."

Q Three songs I never skip on my iPod are …

A … "Lose Yourself" by Eminem; "Take Me to Church" by Hozier; and "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy.

Q Three words or phrases your friends or teammates might use to describe you?

A Energetic, active and athletic.

Q What are your three favorite apps?

A Twitter, Instagram and Hudl.

Q Who do you like to follow the most on Twitter, and why?

A @FollowThePuck. They work very hard to gather large amounts of data on high school hockey for [their] followers to see.

Q What is your favorite meal before a game?

A An omelet with toast and apple juice.

Q What did you work on in the offseason?

A I skate and work out at MAP [Minnesota Advancement Program] south campus, where I develop my skating, shooting, stick handling and strength.

Q What are your goals for the rest of the hockey season?

A To lead my team back to the Section 1 championship and this time finally make it to the state tournament as well as participate in the Great 8 this spring. [The Raiders last reached the section finals in 2012, losing to Rochester Lourdes 4-1.]

Q What is your most memorable moment as a high school athlete?

A Playing in section hockey tournament games at the Rochester Recreation Center.

Q Who is your school's biggest rival, and why?

A The New Prague Trojans. They're always extremely competitive, and they knocked us out of the section playoffs last year before going on to finish third in the state tournament.

Q How do you balance school and sports during the year?

A I try to use my time very wisely, and not let any minute go to waste, whether that may be finishing a math assignment or studying for a test. I try to never procrastinate on any work.

Q If you could change one thing about high school sports, what would it be?

A Balance the boys' spring sports out. With Minnesota weather it would make perfect sense to have golf in the fall and finish the season with time to spare before the winter cold hits, rather than playing in miserable cold and rainy weather all spring. The courses are also in much better condition in the fall, allowing for better scoring and less torture on the courses.

Q Who is your favorite college or pro sports team, and why?

A The Minnesota Golden Gophers, because of their high-tempo play as well as their many offensive defensemen.

Q Do you have a secret talent — and if so, what is it?

A I'm an excellent pingpong player.

Q What is the best sports advice you ever received?

A Every day is a tryout, so play and practice like you are being evaluated.

RON HAGGSTROM