For the first time since 2020, the full Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton Patriot Tournament returned to SEAS School in Hastings with 10 teams participating, 8 in tournament play, plus a girls showcase game. The tournament kicked off on Friday night with St. Agnes taking on St. Peters, and St. Agnes got the win to advance to the semifinals. That was then followed by Community of Peace and St. Joe’s of Rosemount who played the best game of the tournament, with the game going to overtime and Community of Peace prevailing 52-50 to take on St. Agnes in the semifinals. The SEAS girls then played, taking on New Life, but unfortunately falling. The final game of the night was the SEAS boys taking on Trinity Lone Oak, and SEAS, led by Liam Bernatz, Tommy Peterson and Brady Hendrickson, dominated to advance to the semis. They would face Concordia Academy, who played Saturday morning in the final quarterfinal contest, holding off North Heights Christian in a tight contest 49-47. The consolation round then followed, with St. Joe’s beating St. Peter’s. North Heights Academy then beat Trinity Lone Oak to advance to the 5th place game. The semifinals then got going, and Concordia used a significant height advantage to dispatch SEAS 55-30 and advance to the championship game. Community of Peace would join them, with a dominant 59-43 win over St. Agnes to punch their ticket. That meant SEAS would play St. Agnes in the third place game, and after North Heights took the 5th place contest from St. Joe’s, SEAS used a hot shooting night and excellent performances again from Bernatz, Peterson and Hendrickson to roll to a 55-30 win. Community of Peace then held off Concordia to win the title. The All-Tournament Team was announced as Justice Antleitner from North Heights, Thomas Plasch and Matt Fischer from St. Agnes, Peterson and Bernatz from SEAS, Ryan Korinek and Lucas Sibley from Concordia, and Kharriel Taylor, Akanni Newton and Pierre Glass from champions Community of Peace.
The tournament was again well run, with the SEAS staff and volunteers doing an excellent job keeping everything running smoothly. It was the 62nd time the tournament had taken place, but the first time in full since 2020. In 2021 the tournament was not held and in 2022 it was limited to a boys and girls showcase game. The community staple that is the SEAS Tourney returned with a bang, and it was better than ever.
