Solid showing but road ends in Verona for Cheavers

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

An up and down road for the RWD varsity Cheavers hit a final roadblock in Verona Friday (Feb. 17) against the top seeded Verona Wildcats.

The Cheavers earned its berth in the Section 3 quarterfinals with a 7-3 win against the Aquinas/Holmen Avalanche but that advanced them to the team’s toughest test of the season in Verona.

The Wildcats, wrapped up the regular season with a 17-5 record and wrapped up the Bight Eight Conference title with an 11-1 mark in division play.

The Cheavers represented the community well and while the CWildcats were ultimately too much for them, they overcame a slow start and skated with them through the final two periods.

It was all-Verona in the opening period though as the home team peppered RWD sophomore goaltender Alex Griebe with 23 shots and opened a 2-0 with goals from seniors Blake Herburger and Charlie Scadden.

After a 23-7 margin through the opening period though the Cheavers nearly matched the Wildcats in the middle frame, the home side with a 14-12 margin in favor of the hosts. Down the stretch the Cheavers threw all it had at the Wildcats, owning a 17-12 edge in shots in a scoreless final period.

Crusaders led 4-0 before the Cheavers hit the board with an all -senior effort – Logan DeMars pulling the trigger with assists for Lukas Vana and Caden Brandt.

The Cheavers entered the game as heavy underdogs and the effort was impressive despite the final result. The loss wrapped up a successful run for the senior players including DeMars, Vana, Caden and Carsen Brandt, John Scott, Nate Stando, Yevgeny Dedun, Caleb Eastman and Conner Putz.

The Cheavers finished with an overall record of 15-11.

Other Section 3 Quarterfinal matches saw second seeded Madison Edgewood Crusaders getting past Sun Prairie United 4-0 while third seed, Middleton Cardinals downed Waunakee Warriors and number five Sauk Prairie Eagles collecting a 5-4 edge on the road against fourth seeded Madison Memorial 1-0.

Goaltender Alex Griebe came up big for the Cheavers in Verona, particularly in the first period when he stopped all but two of 23 Wilcats shots. **Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer**

RWD senmior forward Caleb Eastman pressures Verona Wildcats freshman Boden Brotzman during their Sectional 3 Quarterfinal Friday night (Feb. 17). Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer

Brandt, Scott lead Cheavers past improved Avalanche

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD Cheavers varsity hockey team didn’t pay much attention to recent trends when it opened the 2022/23 WIAA playoffs at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA) Tuesday (Feb. 14) with a 7-3 win against the Aquinas/Holmen Avalanche.

It was a battle of middle seeds in the 13-team WIAA Section 3 with the eighth seeded Cheavers hosting the number nine Avs. While the RWD squad endured and up and down season, its longest streak a pair of three straight wins.

One of those streaks started on Dec. 30 with a 7-0 win against the Avs at the Bobber’s Classic Holiday Tournament.

However, following that game, the Avs got about as hot as a team can get, picking up wins in 10 of its final 11 games.

That didn’t impress the Cheavers though as they carried a 1-0 lead out of the first period but had the game in control with a 5-1 margin heading to the third.

Leading the offense were seniors Caden Brandt with two goals and two assists and John Scott who fired a pair and set up another. Seniors Logan DeMars and Nate Stando had other goals along with junior Andrey Tougas.

Caden Brandt collected four points to help his RWD Cheavers teammates roll to a 7-3 win in their WIAA playoff opener at RACA Tuesday (Feb. 14). **Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer**

Senior Lukas Vana had a couple assists with others picked up by senior Carsen Brandt and junior Brady Baldwin.

Avs goals came from senior Ethan Meyer, freshman Owen Hoehn and sophomore Casey Keane.

The win advanced the Cheavers into the WIAA Section 3 quarter finals but they face a tough task, heading to Verona to take on the top seeded Wildcats.

Mast leads Eagles past Thunderbirds

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

One Sauk County team was destined to fall on the opening night of the WIAA postseason with fifth seeded Sauk Prairie Eagles hosting the 12th seeded Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds on Tuesday (Feb. 14).

The Eagles prevailed at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) by an 8-1 score and pounding the Thunderbirds cage with 70 shots.

Burke Schweda was, as usual, the busiest player on the ice, kicking an awesome 62 shots but at the opposite end of the ice was Luke Mast, one of the top offensive players in the state this season.

Mast, a senior, played a part in all eight Eagles’ goals, scoring one and helping out on the other seven.

Luke Mast (left) had a hand in all eight goals for the Sauk Prairie Eagles as they moved past the Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds 8-1 in their playoff opener, The Eagles advanced to play Madison Memorial Spartans in the quarter finals. This photo is from a home game earlier this season against RWD. **Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer**

Four of those goals came from junior Colin Harrington who also added an assist while freshman Landon Froese notched a hat trick and set ups on three others. Sophomore Gunnar Nachreiner and freshman Josh Mast collected an assist apiece as well.

Kaden Stracke stopped all but one of the 14 shots he faced to collect the win in goal.

Senior Peyton Sloan fired the final Thunderbirds’ goal of the campaign on a feed from sophomore Colin Mattson.

This was likely the final game for the Thunderbirds for a while as there are discussions underway of the team merging with another program for the 2023/24 campaign. The Thunderbirds wrapped up 2022/23 with a 4-21 record

The Eagles advanced to the Sectional quarter-finals, scheduled to play the fourth seeded Madison Memorial Spartans at Madison Ice Arena Thursday night.

Spartans earned its spot in the quarters with a 9-0 win against DeForest Norskies on Tuesday night.

The Eagles and Spartans met at the Holiday tournament Dec. 30 and played to a 2-2 draw.

Lariden pair helps Chiefs cruise into postseason

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD varsity hockey team has had an up and down season but wrapped up the regular season with an impressive 4-0 shutout against the visiting Ashland Oredockers Saturday afternoon at the Lake Delton Ice Arena with an effort it hopes will translate into a successful playoff run.

The Oredocckers (14-9-1, Independent) were no match for a fast-paced Cheavers team and the score would have been wider if not for the efforts of sophomore goaltender Liam Fish who kicked out 57 of 61 shots faced.

RWD junior Trey Lariden opened the scoring with 4:01 to play in the opening period – one of two for the Cheavers in the period and he added another one of two in the third with the middle period going scoreless.

Junior Brady Baldwin and senior Caden Brandt helped out on the first goal and Brandt set up the other one as well.

Junior Andrey Tougas and senior John Scott fired the other Cheavers’ goals with assists for senior Yevgeny Dedun, Scott, Carsen Brandt and Logan DeMars.

Sophomore goaltender Alex Griebe collected his seventh shutout of the season.

The Cheavers celebrated their senior players and managers as well as their parents during The the first intermission. Included in that group are forwards: John Scott, Caden Brandt, Yevgeny Dedun, Caleb Eastman, Nate Stando and Conner Putz, defensemen: Carsen Brandt, Logan DeMars and Lukas Vana and managers Katlin Elder, Olga Hernandez and Stella Scott.

Overtime fatal for Cheavers again in Onalaska

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
The RWD Cheavers have lost eight times this season, (as of Jan. 24) but there hasn’t been much separation between them and the victors on most nights.

On Tuesday (Jan. 24) the Cheavers lost its third extra-time decision of the season as the host Onalaska/La Crosse Hilltoppers spoiled a great road game with a 4-3 overtime decision.

Of the nine defeats, three have been in extra time and the team has never been separated by more than two goals.
At Onalaska, the Cheavers opened a 2-0 lead with two goals in 21 seconds in the second period but it was 2-1 entering the middle period and Onalaska pulled even at 3-3 just 21 seconds after the visitors moved in front for a second time in the final period.

Sophomore Matt Tillman gave the Hilltoppers its first and only lead of the contest with his goal 78 seconds into overtme.

Senior Caden Brandt and junior Andrey Tougas notched the Cheaver first period goals with assists for senior Carsen Brandt along with juniors Brady Baldwin and Trey Lariden.

The Cheavers will stay on the road with a tough assignement againt the undefeated (in conference play) Madison Edgewood Crusaders on Friday (Jan. 27) at LeBahn Ice Arena, then return home to face the DeForest Norskies in its Badger Challenge match on Monday.

Baldwin took a feed from Brandt and buries his second period goal putting the Cheavers in front again at 3-2.
Sophomore goaltender Alex Griebe stopped 28 of 32 through the regulation periods and overtime segment.
The Cheavers fired 26 at the oppositemend including a 2-1 margin through the brief overtime.