Froese paces Bantam ‘A’ Flyers at Tomah tourney

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

After a lopsided opening win, the Sauk Prairie Bantam ‘A’ Flyers engaged in a pair of close battles on its way to a third place showing at a tournament in Tomah this past weekend.

The Eagles played twice Saturday, collecting a 7-0 shutout win in its opener against Black River Falls Tigers before dropping a heartbreaker in overtime 5-4 against the Sheboygan Lakers.

On Sunday, the Flyers engaged in another close battle, capturing third place honors with a 5-4 win against the La Crescent (MN) Lancers in a game that came down to a shootout.

Flyers 7 Tigers 0

The Flyers carried a 2-0 lead out of the first period against the Tigers, adding three more in the second and two more down the stretch.

Landon Froese led the way in this one, scoring three and adding an assist while Brock Hill notched two and added an assist.

Josh Mast and Gavin Goetsch sank the other Flyers’ goals. Quinn Payne collected a playmaker with three assists with other help coming from Blayze Caldwell and Ben Hanko.

Taitym Banta picked up the goose egg in goal stopping all seven shots from the Tigers.

Flyers 4 Lakers 5 (ot)

Froese enjoyed another big game later Saturday, his third goal of the game coming with 3:31 to play, pulling the Flyers even and sending the game to overtime. Unfortunately, it was the Lakers notching the game winner with 2:28 to go in the overtime frame.

Teams were even at 2-2 after a period and the Lakers led 3-2 heading to the final frame.

Caldwell fired the other Flyers’ goals with assists for Hill, Greydon Schomber and AJ Klemm. Banta made 20 saves in goal for the Flyers.

Flyers 5 Lancers 4 (so)

The script was similar Sunday morning, but this time it was the Flyers who saw a late goal against sending the game to overtime and finally, a shootout.

Teams were deadlocked at 1-1 after a period but the Flyers carried a 4-2 lead to the third. The Lancers didn’t surrender, finally pulling even with 3:28 to play and sending the game to overtime.

The extra session solved nothing, and teams went to a shootout where Mast and Weiss both fired goals to clinch the Flyers’ win.

Caldwell, Hill, Mast and Hanko notched the regulation goals, Hill adding an assist. Payne set up a pair of regulation goals with other assists for Goetsch, Carl Weiss, Klemm and Cam McInerney.

The weekend results boosted the Bantam ‘A’ Flyers season record to 17-9-1 and the team will be looking to punch its ticket to the State 3A Bantam Championship tournament, playing host to either RWD Cheavers or Monroe Avalanche at Sun Prairie Tubbs Rink Sunday at 11:15 (see story above).

‘Coop’ comes up big for Cheavers in Sauk

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

RWD varsity goaltender Cooper Oakes rose to the occasion in a big way at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) Friday night to lift the RWD squad to a 3-2 win against the host Sauk Prairie Eagles Tuesday (Feb. 1) night.

Despite a 35-19 edge in shots in the contest, Oakes kept his crease clean for the most part.

Out of the gate, the Eagles owned a 15-5 edge in shots through the first period but counted just one goal as sophomore Colin Harrington notched his first varsity goal, from senior twice Hakon and Erik Peterson 2:21 from the end of the opening period.

The Eagles carried the lead into the second period, but the Cheavers found a way past junior Kaden Stracke in goal for the Eagles twice, grabbing a lead and holding it to the final buzzer.

Junior Caden Brandt converted a Trevor Slaght feed for his 18^th goal of the season to pull the Cheavers even 4:07 into the middle frame and junior John Scott notched his 12^th late in the period from senior linemate Tomas Korndorfer.

Both teams fired nine shots through the middle 17 minutes, but the Eagles dominated the shot clock again down the stretch with an 11-5 margin in the third.

But it was the Cheavers on the board first in the frame with an all-senior effort, Slaght pulling the trigger on the game winner from CJ Pfaff and Grant Marsich 2:11 into the frame.

Erik Peterson responded for the Eagles 6:55 in, but Oakes allowed nothing else past through the final 10 minutes to secure the win.

All three Cheavers’ goals were scored at even strength and both Eagles’ markers came on powerplays.

While the Cheavers celebrated an emotional win against one of its biggest rivals, also cheering was the Madison Edgewood Crusaders who are all but assured the Badger West Conference crown as both the Eagles and Cheavers have three losses while the Crusaders are undefeated through seven conference games.

The Eagles saw an 11-game winning streak ended with the loss, its first since Dec. 17.

The Cheavers boosted its overall record 15-6 and became the first team to wrap up its Badger West Conference schedule with a 7-3 mark. After seeing a long winning streak of its own ended Jan. 18, the team has shrugged it off with two wins since and is 11-1 since Dec. 17.

RWD will head north for a pair of games this weekend against the Hayward Hurricanes (8-10-1, 4-3-1 Middle Border Conference) Friday night and the Ashland Oredockers (8-11, Independent) on Saturday, wrapping up its regular season Tuesday at the Lake Delton Ice Arena against the Janesville Bluebirds (12-7-0, 8-4 Big Eight Conference).

The Eagles sit at 14-3 on the season and 5-3 in Badger West Conference matches. The team has four games yet to play, three on home ice, beginning Thursday (Feb. 3) at home against the Middleton Cardinals (15-6-0, 9-5 Big Eight Conference).

The lone road trip will be Monday (Feb. 7) when the Eagles travel to Monroe to play a Badger West Conference match against the Cheesemakers (2-17-0, 0-7 Badger West), then return home to play Tomah/Sparta (6-13-2, 1-3 Mississippi Valley Conference) Tuesday (Feb. 8) and the Madison Edgewood Crusaders (16-3-0, 7-0 Badger West Conference) two nights later.

Cheavers, Flyers and Monkeys in Regional battles

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Local rivalries will intensify this weekend as RWD and Sauk Prairie youth hockey teams look to earn a berth at respective State Championship tournaments.

Both teams compete in Region 4, Division 3 so there will likely be at least a few head-to-head battles Sunday with a state championship berth at stake.

Five teams can already make hotel reservations, including all three of the Sauk Prairie Monkeys ‘A’ teams.

The lone squad in the 3A Division means the U10 ‘A’ Monkeys will be headed to Stoughton March 5-6 as the Region 4 Representative. The 12U ‘A’ Monkeys will make the trip to Green Bay March 12-13 and the U-14 ‘A’ Monkeys will hit the road to Baldwin March 5-6.

The RWD Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers and Sauk Prairie Peewee ‘B’ Flyers will do battle Saturday at 12:15 p.m. at Sun Prairie Cardinal rink, but both are assured a berth at the State Championship tournament March 12-13 at Rhinelander.

The winner of the regional championship game will represent Region 4 while the other team will fill in as the rep for Region 5.

Below is a quick look at the other six age groups all with three teams battling for one State Championship berth.

Squirt 3A

The RWD Squirt ‘A’ squad will take on Monroe Avalanche in a semi-final contest Saturday in McFarland starting at 4:45 p.m.

Winner of that contest will make the trip to Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) Sunday for the 10:15 a.m. Regional championship contest against the host Flyers.

Winner of that contest will head to Shawano to play in the 3A State Championship tournament March 5-6.

Squirt 3B

The RWD Cheavers and Sauk Prairie Flyers will tangle in Verona at 12:15 p.m. Saturday with the winner advancing to play Sunday at SPARC in a 9 a.m. puck drop against the Stoughton Vikings for the Regional Championship.

The Regional winner will play at the 3B State Championship March 5-6 at Black River Falls.

Peewee 3A

The RWD 3A peewee squad will also play Monroe Avs on Saturday in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Sun Prairie Cardinal rink. The winner will advance to play the Sauk Prairie Flyers Sunday at 11:15 a.m. at Sun Prairie Tubbs for the Regional Championship.

The State Peewee 3A Tournament will be played in Marshfield March 5-6.

12U 3B

The 12U Girls 3B Regionals will begin Saturday at 3:15 p.m. at Sun Prairie Cardinal as the Sauk Monkeys White team takes on the Rock County Fury.

Winners of that one will be at Waunakee Ice Ponds Sunday for a 10:45 a.m. game against the Sauk Monkeys Red team for the Regional Championship.

The Regional rep will play in the State 3B Championship tournament hosted by Elmbrook March 12-13.

Bantam 3A

The RWD bantam ‘A’ Cheavers will make the trip to Sun Prairie Cardinal Saturday for a 6:30 p.m. contest against the Monroe Bantam Avalanche. The winner of that contest will move on to play the Sauk Prairie Bantam Flyers Sunday at 11:15 a.m. at Sun Prairie Tubbs.

The bantam 3A State Championship tournament will be held in Marshfield March 5-6.

14U B

The Sauk Monkeys 14U ‘B’ squad will start its weekend against the Verona ‘C’ Wildcats Saturday on home ice at SPARC at 12:15 p.m.

Winner will move on to play Sunday at Waunakee against the Rock County Jr. Fury Sunday at 12:15 p.m.

The Regional Champs will play in the State Championship tournament at Verona March 5-6.

Scott scores five to lead Squirt Cheavers past Wildcats

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD Squirt ‘A’ Cheavers bounced back from a narrow defeat against the Madison Patriots Saturday (Jan. 29) with a pair of wins against the Waunakee Wildcats Sunday.

On Saturday, teams combined for 13 goals but unfortunately for the locals seven of those came off Patriots’ sticks. On Sunday the Cheavers earned a narrow 2-1 lead against the ‘C’ Wildcats then followed it up shortly after with a more comfortable 8-2 decision.

All three games were played at the Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA).

Patriots 7 @ Cheavers 6

The Patriots outlasted the Cheavers in a wide-open contest by a narrow margin.

Regular goaltender Jase Uminski took a turn as a skater and collected three goals along with an assist to pace the Cheavers’ attack. Briar Messer chipped in a pair of goals, Rainier Scott scoring the other goal and collecting an assist.

Elliot Wilcox stopped 23 shots in goal for the Cheavers.

Wildcats 1 @ Cheavers 2

After the wide-open contest Saturday, the Cheavers came out on top in a defensive battle in the first of two Sunday games.

Teams were even at 1-1 after a period, Cole Renneberg scoring for the Cheavers on a feed from Scott.

That tie held up until the final period when Brayden Potter notched the game winner and Renneberg picked up the assist.

Uminski kicked out 12 of 13 in goal for the Cheavers.

Wildcats 2 @ Cheavers 8

The RWD Squirts, led by a five-goal explosion from Scott, collected an easy win in its final game of the weekend. Messer, Renneberg and Potter each added a goal and assist, and Wilcox also helped on one.

Uminski turned in a 16-save effort to pick up his second win of the day in goal for the Cheavers.

The focus turns to Regionals this weekend as the squirt Cheavers, along with all the other RWD contingent will be looking to punch a ticket to the State Championship tournament. More information on that will be in a related story to be released shortly.

JV Cheavers take two at DeForest tourney

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD junior varsity hockey team added two more wins at a Wisconsin Dells tournament with wins against the Deforest Norskies and Monona Grove Silver Eagles this past weekend.

The tournament, hosted by the Norskies brought together four teams and was originally scheduled for three rounds, but a referee shortage left it at two rounds.

The Cheavers and Middleton Cardinals both finished the event at 2-0 while the Eagles and Norskies both lost both games.

Cheavers 8 Norskies 3

The Cheavers kicked off the event on Thursday (Jan. 27) against the tournament hosts, firing three unanswered first period goals and never looking back.

Kaden Uminski had his name called in the revolving door of skaters donning the pads after a season ending illness for Alex Griebe. The first-year defender kicked out 17 shots to pick up the win including a few bordering on sensational.

Offensively, the team was led by sophomore Mark Othmer who scored once and set up three others. Senior Malachi Strompolis-Salama and first-years Tye Barney and Carter Renneberg each added a goal and assist. Other goals came from junior Nate Stando, sophomore Jonny Mata, junior Connor Putz and first-year Tristan Edgerton.

Junior Caleb Eastman collected two assists and first-year Nolan Pope had one.

Cheavers 5 Silver Eagles 3

Othmer took his turn between the pipes and joined the list of regulars who picked up wins between the pipes, extending the team’s undefeated streak to 11 games.

Eagles hit the scoreboard first in this one and carried a 1-0 lead into the middle period.

Uminski’s solo effort pulled the Cheavers even 4:01 into the second, but the Silver Eagles moved in front again just over a minute later.

It was all Cheavers after that though, the RWD crew notching four consecutive goals before the Eagles wrapped it up with just under four minutes to play.

The Cheavers owned a 3-2 lead after the second thanks to goals from Barney and Edgerton. Uminski assisted on both goals and senior Carter Scully also picked up a helper.

Uminski wrapped up a five-point game, setting up first-year Alec Breunig for the fourth goal, then scoring his second of the contest with help from Strompolis-Salama.

Othmer picked up the win with 17 saves.

The JV Cheavers were scheduled to be back in action Tuesday (Feb. 1) on the road against Badger West Conference rival, Sauk Prairie Eagles.