Central graduate Will Howard returns home to Augustana to face his father's alma mater – the Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS – Will Howard estimates he played at Ralph Engelstad Arena about 50 times growing up.

He played youth hockey and bantam tournaments there. He won the North Dakota boys state championship with Grand Forks Central at the arena in 2018. But Saturday night's journey will be a little different.

Howard will return to Grand Forks and play for Augustana University in a preseason contest against UND at 6:07 p.m

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” Howard said. “You grow up in Grand Forks and dream of playing at The Ralph. It's a dream come true time.”

Howard is a sophomore at Augustana.

He had four goals and nine points in 25 games last season as the Vikings debuted as a Division I program.

“He’s just a great teammate, first and foremost,” Augustana coach Garrett Raboin said. “He’s only a sophomore, but he’s becoming a leader in our program. This is because of his work ethic. He trains every day – in the weight room, in the classroom, everything. He was a great surprise. We knew it. “We got a damn good leader, but we didn’t know how good he could be.

Howard has previously played with or against several UND players – Jackson Kunz, Dane Montgomery, Ben Strinden and Kaleb Johnson. He won the state championship alongside Johnson in 2018.

Howard also knows UND's coaches quite well.

“I’ve known their staff for as long as I can remember,” Howard said.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Howard's father, Tarek, grew up in Alberta and played against UND coach Brad Berry.

“I grew up in a small town in central Alberta,” Berry said. “He grew up in a small town in southern Alberta. We played against each other through youth hockey, so he wasn’t my favorite person in the world who always clashed until I was a teenager.”

In 1983, Tarek Howard and Berry both attended UND.

“There was no social media back then,” Berry said. “You didn’t really know who was going to come to campus your freshman year. And my parents actually dropped me off at the Walsh Hall ring driveway. I carry my bags to my dorm room and find out that my college roommate is Tarek Howard, which really surprised me, right?”

They accidentally hit it off.

After moving out of the dormitories, they got an apartment together.

“He’s one of my best friends,” Berry said. “I love him. He is a great person. I communicate with him a lot. It’s funny how life goes.”

On Saturday night, Berry will look over at the opposing bench and see Tarek's son, Will.

“It’s great,” Berry said. “It’s a great story that Will grew up here and played at Grand Forks Central, then went on to the junior hockey team and now plays Division I hockey. That says a lot about youth hockey in the state of North Dakota and the players that come here. “I play Division I hockey.

WHO: AND against Augustana
When: 6:07 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Ralph Engelstad Arena.
TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD).
Radio: Cat Country (100.3 FM).

Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the best beat writer for the Herald's circulation department and once as North Dakota Sportswriter of the Year. He lives in Grand Forks. Reach him at [email protected].