North Dakota High School Sports Record For 33 Years Broken

There was a longtime high school sports record that was broken over the weekend.

And another record that was nearly broken (It was tied). If you were like me this past weekend, you may have OD'd on high school hockey. The North Dakota State Hockey Tournament took place in Grand Forks.

Not only did the Legacy-Bismarck High Girls Hockey team make history by winning their first ever state title, there were some very entertaining boys games with sub-plots taking place during the games.

Two North Dakota High School Boys records that have been around for 33 years were broken and nearly broken. Both of those records were held by Bismarck High Demons, and one of those is held by one of the most well-known hockey players the state of North Dakota has ever known, Mike Peluso.

Mike Peluso is a former Bismarck High player, a former Bismarck High coach, a college hockey player for Minnesota Duluth, and a former NHL player for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers.

Peluso's record for the most points in a single season in North Dakota has stood the test of time (99 points).

What's equally impressive about Mike Peluso's 99 points during the 1991 and 1992 season is that it was in an era of only 23 games played (no WDA tournament), and Peluso played when periods were only 15 minutes long.

That season, Mike Peluso broke the points record, and Bismarck High had a very impressive strength of schedule. Playing teams like Duluth East, Park Cottage Grove (Twin Cities area) Moorhead, and all the Fargo teams.

The new all-time goal scorer in one season is now Bryce Mattern from West Fargo.

He smashed the record of 53 back in 1991-92 held by Jeremy Ashiem of Bismarck High, a teammate of Mike Peluso that season. Mattern lit the lamp 59 times this season.

Bryce Mattern also tied Bismarck High's Mike Peluso's longtime record of 99 points but also played 27 games compared to Peluso's 23.

What's also interesting is that Mike Peluso, who still coaches various travel teams during his time off from being a fishing guide, coached Mattern this past fall. Peluso told me in a text message that "I'm happy to share the record with him, and Mattern is a lethal player."

Bryce Mattern has verbally committed to playing college hockey at Arizona State.