Circle Pines is one of five communities that feeds into the Centennial school district, along with southeastern Blaine, Centerville, Lexington and Lino Lakes. Thanks to support from their local governments, the stakes on Centennial's first-ever Hockey Day appearance are even higher.
On Dec. 14, at the boys' high school hockey game between Centennial and Blaine, four of the five Centennial-area mayors passed a resolution of support during the first intermission. Not only that, but Bartholomay and Moorhead Mayor Del Rae Williams were each so confident in their teams they were ready to make a bet.
The loser will have to don an opponent's jersey to the next city council meeting after Hockey Day takes place on Jan. 20. With a tempestuous history and exciting rivalry between these two teams, Bartholomay said it will be satisfying to see the loser have to eat crow … even if that turns out to be him.
"They're both highly ranked teams," Bartholomay said. "It should be some very good hockey."
And Bartholomay is no stranger to good hockey.
In 2004, Centennial and Moorhead met in the state championship game. It remains Centennial's only championship appearance in comparison to Moorhead's eight, but Centennial ultimately took the win in a 1-0 victory that Bartholomay loves to remember.
"When we passed a resolution for all five cities that make up the Centennial school district, it had a line in it that said, 'Memories are still fresh from the 2004 victory over the Moorhead Spuds.'
"Apparently they don't think of these memories in Moorhead as quite so fresh as we do," Bartholomay added with a laugh.
It's a testament to the strength of the Minnesotan hockey community that even government officials are as invested in high school boys' hockey games as the players and parents are, Bartholomay said. Thanks to years of Hockey Day Minnesota games taking place in all corners of the state, a wide variety of teams of all levels have been represented on what might be the biggest stage they'll ever have.
"This is a source of pride," Bartholomay said. "But sports is kind of an interesting thing in a community. It gives people a chance to rally around something, be proud of their kids or team. It's something that brings us all together."
That pride made staking a bet an easy decision for Bartholomay. Not only did the mayors declare their resolution of support for the team, but they're also hosting a community rally and breakfast on Saturday -- a week ahead of Hockey Day -- to reaffirm that support.
From there it's only a matter of time until Bartholomay and Williams will learn who's going to make a fashion statement at their next council meeting. Both mayors will be at the game on the shores of Lake George in St. Cloud, jerseys at the ready to foist upon the other.
"She's bringing a contingent of council members along -- I'm not sure if we'll have a fight in the parking lot or something," Bartholomay joked.
Parking lot brawls aside, it's all in good fun for Bartholomay. The most important thing to him is that the game is able to bring Centennial school district together as a well-rounded, unified community. And as long as that happens, no matter the final score on the ice, Hockey Day will be a win for him, he said.
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