USA TODAY announced Wednesday that Hermantown's Max Plante will represent the state of Minnesota as a nominee for the national Boys Rising Star of the Year Award. The award recognizes some of the top up-and-coming underclassmen, sophomores and under, from the 2021-22 academic year.
As a sophomore last season, Plante led the Class A State Champion Hawks hockey team in scoring with 71 points in 31 games, which included 18 goals and 53 assists. He ranked 15th overall in the state in points and fourth in assists.
In April, he was one of 23 players selected to take part in USA Hockey's National Team Development Program and named to the men's U.S. National Under-17 Team for the 2022-23 season.
Also up for USA TODAY High School Sports Awards honors is Plante's brother, Zam Plante, who is a nominee for Hockey Player of the Year.
The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards ceremony, hosted by Rob Gronkowski and Vernon Davis, will air on Sunday, July 31, at 7 p.m. CT on the Sports Awards website, the USA TODAY News and Sports streaming channels, YouTube and most smart televisions and devices.