Football scholarship in hand, Coshenet has Dodge County hockey team thinking Grand

KASSON — Gabe Coshenet’s Saturdays this autumn are already spoken for—he’ll be in Marshall, Minn., wearing Southwest Minnesota State University’s maroon and gold alongside four fellow Byron High School graduates who have signed on to join the Mustangs’ football program. But before the pads and playbooks take over, the 6-foot senior still has unfinished business on ice.

Coshenet, who briefly contemplated stepping away from hockey after securing his football scholarship, is instead steering the Dodge County Wildcats toward what they hope will be a landmark postseason. Entering Friday night’s contest at Osseo, he tops the Section 1, Class 1A contender in every major offensive category—22 goals, 24 assists, 46 points—and the team has responded by posting a 15-7-1 overall record and a torrid 7-1-1 run since mid-January.

“I thought about hanging the skates up, but this group is special,” Coshenet said. “Hockey is definitely something I’m not ready to let go of yet.”

The Wildcats’ surge was punctuated by a 1-0 road victory over Lourdes on Feb. 5, a win that vaulted Dodge County back into contention for the No. 3 seed when section playoffs open Tuesday. Coshenet’s linemates—sophomore Camryn Koch and record-setting freshman Nolan Steele—supplied the lone goal that night, further evidence of a top-line chemistry that has produced 51 goals and 113 combined points this winter. The trio has also factored in eight power-play goals.

Steele (14-20—34) already owns the program’s freshman scoring mark, while Koch (15-18—33) has emerged as an emotional catalyst.

“Cam’s the guy who pulls us up when we’re trailing; Nolan’s just electric,” Coshenet said. “Knowing I’ve two elite players with me makes everyone better.”

Dodge County last reached the state tournament in 2021 and returns much of the roster that skated in the 2022 section final, a 4-1 loss to Northfield. With defending champion Northfield, Waseca and Lourdes all eyeing the same prize, the path is daunting, yet Coshenet—one of the team’s captains—likes the Wildcats’ trajectory.

“We’re peaking at the right time,” he said. “Every practice, every bus ride, I’m soaking it in. These could be my last hockey games ever, and I want them to last as long as possible.”

Whether the ride ends in the section championship or at Xcel Energy Center, Coshenet’s legacy is secure: a football signee who refused to let winter end without leaving his mark on ice, and a leader who has Dodge County believing the grandest stage is within reach.