By Jim den Hollander
Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds bantam youth hockey teams will open their Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA) regular seasons this weekend creating a busy weekend for all three local organizations. Below is a look at all of the action taking place this weekend.
BARABOO/PORTAGE THUNDERBIRDS/BADGER LIGHTNING
Bantam — The oldest group of Thunderbirds will play twice on the weekend, starting out with a 9:30 a.m. game Saturday at the Lake Delton Ice Arena against the Waunakee ‘B’ Wildcats, then moving to Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo for a 10 a.m. contest against the Sauk Prairie bantam ‘B’ Flyers.
RWD CHEAVERS
Bantam – The Bantams were the only team not in action for RWD last weekend, but they make up for it with a full four-game weekend coming up. First up, the Cheavers will entertain the Black River Falls Tigers twice on Saturday, facing off at 9:15 p.m. at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA) and lining up for a rematch at 12:30 p.m. On Sunday, the bantams will entertain the Tomah ‘A’ Timberwolves at 11:30 a.m. and stay close for another game at RACA against Onalaska bantam Tornados at 4:15 p.m.
Peewee A/B — The Peewee ‘A’ Cheavers will play another three games this weekend all on home ice at RACA. On Saturday, the team will face Sauk Prairie Flyers ‘A’ Peewees in a 5:15 p.m. tilt and the Dubuque Fighting Saints Peewee ‘A’ team will pay a visit Sunday for 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. contests.
The Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers, will hit the ice four times at RACA including three on Saturday. After opening with an 11 a.m. game against Waunakee ‘C’ Black, the Cheavers will be right back on at 3:45 p.m. against Sauk Prairie Flyers and wrap up a busy day at 6:45 p.m. against the Dodgeville Ice Wolves. On Sunday, the ‘B’ squad will make a return trip to Dodgeville for a 9:45 a.m. contest against the same Ice Wolves.
Squirt A/B — The Squirt ‘A’ Cheavers will get its first look at the Sauk Prairie ‘A’ Flyers in an 11 a.m. game at RACA Saturday morning and return for a pair Sunday against the Middleton ‘C’ Cardinals at 8:45 a.m. and the Waunakee ‘C’ Wildcats at 3:30 p.m.
The ‘B’ Squirts will play host to the Verona ‘C’ Wildcats 2:15 p.m. Saturday at RACA and play host to Sauk Prairie ‘B’ Flyers on Sunday at 2:45 p.m.
SAUK PRAIRIE FLYERS/MONKEYS
Bantam A/B — After opening on the road the previous weekend, the Bantam ‘A’ Flyers will play its first home game Saturday at 9:30 a.m. against the Janesville Bluebirds at 9:30 a.m. at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC). On Sunday, the bantams will host the Elmbrook Eagles at 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
The Bantam ‘B’ squad will hit the road Saturday morning for a 10:15 a.m. game at the Naga-Waukee Ice Arena in Delafield against the Waukesha Warhawks and return home in time for a 3:15 p.m. match at SPARC against Waunakee. On Sunday, the bantams will be at Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo for a 10 a.m. match against the host Thunderbirds.
14U A/B — The Monkeys 14U ‘A’ team will open its regular season with a pair of games at SPARC against the Beaver Dam Wildfire at 10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
The 14U ‘B’ Monkeys have a 12:15 p.m. contest scheduled for SPARC on Saturday against a still to be determined opponent and on Sunday they will play a home-and-away set with the Rock County Fury, at Janesville Ice Arena at 9:30 a.m. and then back at SPARC at 3:15 p.m.
Peewee A/B — The Peewee ‘A’ Flyers will have some short trips, playing at RACA in Reedsburg against the RWD ‘A’ Cheavers Saturday at 5:15 p.m. and then taking on the Middleton ‘A’ Cardinals Sunday at 3 p.m. at Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo.
The ‘B’ Flyers team is scheduled to open its regular season Friday with an 8:15 p.m. faceoff against the Verona ‘C2’ Wildcats at SPARC and will travel to RACA in Reedsburg to meet the Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers at 3:45 p.m. Sunday.
12U A/B Red/ B White – The 12U ‘A’ Monkeys will hit the road for a pair of games Saturday against the Wisconsin Valley Union at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens Point. The first game will faceoff at noon and the second at 5 p.m.
The ‘B-Red’ Monkeys will go head-to-head with the ‘B-White’ Monkeys at SPARC at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday to kick off their respective seasons and the B-White Monkeys will stay busy, entertaining the Rock County Fury at Baraboo’s Pierce Park Pavilion at 4:30 p.m. The following day, the same two teams will meet in Janesville at 8 a.m.
Squirt A/B — The Squirt ‘A’ Flyers will open its season at RACA in Reedsburg against the RWD ‘A’ Cheavers at 11 a.m. Saturday and plays its first home game at 8 a.m. Sunday at SPARC against the Verona ‘B’ Squirts. At 4:45 p.m. they will wrap up a three-game opening weekend at SPARC against the Waunakee Wildcats.
The ‘B’ Flyers will play a pair of home games Saturday, taking on the Waunakee ‘C’ Wildcats at 8:15 a.m. at SPARC followed by an 11 a.m. contest against the Verona ‘C’ Wildcats. On Sunday the Flyers will make the trek to Reedsburg’s RACA to play the ‘B’ Cheavers at 2:45 p.m.
10U A/B — The 10U ‘A’ Monkeys will be at the Ponds of Brookfield Saturday for 3:55 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. games against the Elmbrook 10U Eagles.
The 10U ‘B’ Monkeys will also start on the road, playing a pair at the Kettle Moraine Ice Center in West Bend against the Washington County Ice at 11 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. On Sunday the Monkeys will hit the road again for an 8:15 a.m. tilt at Hartmeyer Ice Arena in East Madison against the host Patriots.
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