DULUTH — Along the prairies in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a burgeoning hockey program is taking shape on the campus of Augustana University.

Helping lay its foundation are a host of Northland natives, including four former Grand Rapids Thunderhawks teammates: Hunter Bischoff, Joey DelGreco, Easton Young, and Garrett Drotts. A fifth, Ben Troumbly, went to nearby Greenway.

Together, they’ve introduced their deep Northern Minnesota hockey roots to the Vikings’ faithful, bolstering an already flourishing hockey community in the process.

“I think it’s just becoming bigger and bigger there, and one thing that’s special is us being all together,” said junior captain Bischoff, who tied for the team lead in points last year with 23.

Nowhere has the growth of the game become more apparent than a

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