Stando racks up 10 points in big Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers weekend

A three-game weekend homestand saw the RWD Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers tearing into a pair of Beaver Dam/Sun Prairie Cardinals and exploding for 23 goals in three games.

The Cardinals C2 team paid a visit Saturday (Dec. 26) for a pair of games, won by RWD 9-4 and 11-6. On Sunday, the C2 Cards put up a tougher fight, but the Cheavers found a way to way to win again, rallying in the final period for a 3-2 edge.

Teams started slow in the first game Saturday, Cardinals carrying a 1-0 cushion into the second period and it was just 2-2 heading to a crazy third period.

The Cheavers counted seven third period goal, including three in the final two minutes to make a close game seem a little more lopsided.

Andrew Stando scored the first two for the Cheavers on his way to a four goal, five-point game, Dayne Wagner and Cassidy Putz both adding two goals and an assist. Noah Mortimer set up a pair before sinking the game’s final goal with 29 seconds to play. Matthew Stando and Aiden Knull both collected assists as well.

Olivia Renneberg picked up the win in goal, stopping 22 shots.

Andrew Stando wrapped up a hat trick in the first game against Sun Prairie/Beaver Dam with this goal.

In the rematch, Cheavers went to work quicker, carrying a 3-2 lead out of the first and up 8-4 by the start of the third.

Andrew Stando wrapped up another three-goal, four-point game for an amazing nine-point day and Noah Backeberg enjoyed a huge game as well with four goals and five points. Wagner added another two goals and four points with other goals scored by Knull and Jenna Garbacz. Putz added another assist and Mason Matteson collected the win with 14 saves.

On Sunday, teams started slow again, playing through a scoreless first period and the Cardinals up 2-1 heading to the third.

Landen Uminski fired the second period goal for the Cheavers and notched the tying goal early in the third, setting the stage for Andrew Stando who ripped the game winner home with 10:25 to play. Lone assist in the game went to Garbacz on the tying goal.

The successful weekend boosted the Cheavers’ overall record to 7-8-3 and they have a shot at getting back to .500 for the first time since the season opener when they host a couple more home games this weekend. The Waunakee ‘C1’ White Wildcats will be in town Saturday and the West Madison Polar Caps will pay a visit on Sunday. Both games have a 4:45 p.m. scheduled puck drop.

Natural hat trick for Mortimer leads Peewee B Cheavers to win column

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers enjoyed its best weekend of the season so far Dec. 19-20, grabbing wins in two out of three games all played at Reedsburg Area Community Arena and snapping a winless streak dating back to Nov. 29.

After collecting a 4-1 win against the Onalaska/Holmen Tornado Saturday, the Cheavers battled back for a 4-3 win against the Verona Wildcats ‘C’ team early Sunday, then gave the Sauk Prairie Flyers all it could handle and falling just short on another comeback attempt 6-5.

Tornado 1 @ Cheavers 4

In the first game, Dec. 19 against the Onalaska/Holmen Tornado, Noah Mortimer collected a rare natural hat trick scoring all three goals as the Cheavers opened a 3-0 first period cushion, including the first 52 seconds into the contest.

All three were unassisted and Mortimer collected his fourth point with an assist on a goal for Olivia Renneberg halfway through the second period. Aiden Knull also helped on the goal.

Meanwhile, Mason Mattson turned in a great effort in goal, beaten just once on 10 shots when the Tornado struck for its lone goal in the fifth minute of the third period.

Below is the third goal of the period for Noah Mortimer

Wildcats 3 @ Cheavers 4

The Cheavers found themselves looking up at a 2-0 deficit after a period Sunday but rallied back to tie with two unanswered middle period goals. Caydence Putz provided the first goal for the locals, from Andrew Stando and Backeberg just past the five-minute mark of the second.

Andrew Stando took over from there, tying the game with 28 seconds to go in the period with his first of three.

Stando gave the team its first lead with another unassisted tally 61 seconds into the third period but the Wildcats pulled that back less than a minute later.

The game winner came on a feed from brother Matthew, Andrew Stando slamming it home with one second to play.

Below is Stando’s last second goal.

Flyers 6 @ Cheavers 5

Possible Regional opponents squared off in a doozy of a match in the final game of the weekend for the Cheavers, the visiting Flyers holding off a late charge by the Cheavers for the win.

Both teams scored two goals in the opening period, but the visitors carried a 6-3 lead into the third before the Cheavers went to work.

After earlier hat tricks, both Andrew Stando and Mortimer found the mesh for an unassisted first period goal and Mortimer added the lone Cheavers’ goal of the middle period.

Those first period goals came in response to Flyers’ goals for Baryn Macleish and Ryan Jorgenson who set up the first goal. Tyler Jorgenson also picked up an assist.

In the second period, the Cheavers experienced their second natural hat trick of the weekend, this time on the receiving end as Caden Argall struck for three goals in 4:36 to rally back from a 3-2 deficit into a lead the Flyers wouldn’t relinquish.

Kash Caldwell added another for the Flyers a couple minutes later unassisted and the opening goal of the middle period was another goal for Mortimer, unassisted.

The Cheavers went to work trying to chip away in the third period, Backeberg scoring early in the period then adding another, from Mortimer who wrapped up a seven-point weekend with 5:27 to play.

That was also close as the Cheavers would get in this one though.

Ethan Goodman and Jameson Ballweg split the work in goal for the Flyers, Goodman handling six of nine in the first half and Ballweg turning aside three of five in the second half. For the Cheavers, Olivia Renneberg stopped 15 shots.

The successful weekend boosted the Cheavers overall record to 4-8-3. They will look to build on that success right after Christmas as they play host to Sun Prairie C2 twice on Dec. 26 and Sun Prairie C1 the following day. The Cheavers earned a 4-4 tie with Sun Prairie C2 on Dec. 6.

The Flyers were wrapping up a two-win weekend having defeated the Dodgeville Ice Wolves on the road Saturday and the wins boosted their overall mark to 5-7 and they are out of action until Jan. 2.

Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers prepare for Dells Cup tourney

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD Peewee ‘B’ Cheavers continued to make its way through a tough schedule starting and finishing this past weekend with a pair of 4-4 draws with some tough losses in between.

The Cheavers played three of the four games at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA), beginning with a 4-4 saw off with the Tomah/Sparta Peewee ‘B’ Titans squad followed by a 7-4 loss against Sun Prairie/Beaver Dam C2 Cardinals on Saturday (December 5).

The following day started with a trip to Viroqua where RWD dropped a 6-1 decision against Viroqua Peewee ‘B’ Thunder but wrapped up with a return home and a 4-4 draw with the same Sun Prairie/Beaver Dam C2 team it fell to the previous day.

Titans 4 @ Cheavers 4

This thriller saw the visiting Titans grab a 1-0 first period lead before the Cheavers struck back with a pair of unanswered second period goals. A flurry early in the third had teams even at 3-3 and the Cheavers took a lead near the halfway mark but the Titans rallied to tie it again with 89 seconds to play.

Dayne Wagner fired two for the Cheavers while Andrew Stando added a goal and assist, the fourth goal an unassisted marker for Noah Mortimer. Aiden Knull also collected an assist in the game and Mason Mattson kicked out 15 saves for the Cheavers.

Cardinals 7 @ Cheavers 4

In the second game of the day, the Cheavers ran into a tough Cardinals team that turned a narrow 2-1 lead into a more decisive 5-2 margin in the middle period.

Wagner notched another two points with a goal and assist with other goals for Knull, Vladimir Barabash and Andrew Stando, Matthew Stando adding an assist.

Mattson turned in another 15-save effort in goal.

Cheavers 1 @ Thunder 6

In Viroqua, the home team build a 3-0 first period lead before Jenna Garbacz connected on the lone Cheavers’ goal, unassisted in the middle period.

Another three in the third put it away for the home team.

Mattson handled 19 of 25 in goal for the Cheavers.

Cardinals 4 Cheavers 4

The final game of the weekend saw the Cheavers rally back from a four-goal deficit to salvage a 4-4 draw against the Cardinals who fired all four of its goals in the middle period.

Andrew Stando found the mark for the Cheavers 2:01 into the final period, converting a pass from Wagner and it was Stando again with the tying goal just 51 seconds from the final buzzer, unassisted.

In between were two goals from Mortimer, the second with 1:06 to go, just 15 seconds before Stando notched the equalizer. Stando also collected a set up on the first Mortimer goal, the second set up by Knull.

Mattson turned in his best effort of the weekend with 20 saves, including all 10-shots he faced in the first period.

Weekend tourney in Lake Delton

The ‘B’s will switch its base to the Lake Delton Ice Arena this weekend to take part in the Peewee Division of the Dells Cup tournament.

After starting out Friday with a 9:40 p.m. game against the Green Bay Bobcats followed with a game Saturday at 3:10 p.m. against Southeastern Hockey Association of Wisconsin (SHAW) Timberwolves and finally, the Waunakee Wildcats at 8:10 p.m. Saturday night.

The Peewees will also cram one more in Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. contest at RACA against the Dodgeville Ice Wolves.

Squirt B Cyclones finish second at Waupaca tourney

The Squirt B South Central Cyclones were celebrating again Sunday after a second place showing at a tournament in Waupaca. Pictured are team members including: Shirlie DeFosse; Noah Backeberg; Luke Butteris; Kate Brandt; Sean Moran; Kason Messer; Aaron Belk; Jesse Arnold; Matthew Stando; Andrew Stando; Rowan Kauss; Ezekial Fish; Atlas Parchem and Mason Matteson and coaches Jeremy Backeberg; Justin Messer and Don Kauss.

The Squirt B South Central Cyclones have stayed hot, wrapping up second place at a Waupaca tournament this past weekend after qualifying for State playdowns the previous weekend.

The Cyclones began play with a 6-0 shutout win against the Oshkosh Warbirds, featuring a shutout from Jesse Arnold and a hat trick from Noah Backeberg.

Luke Butteris collected his first career goal, via the penalty shot and other Cyclones goals (all unassisted) came from the Stando brothers – Matthew and Andrew.

In its second game, Saturday night, the Cyclones battled the Janesville ‘C’ Bluebirds to a 2-2 draw.

The Cyclones led 1-0 after a period with a goal from Ezekial Fish but Janesville struck back with a pair of unanswered second period goals. Backeberg converted a feed from Fish to even things up in the final period.

The locals played the hometown Waupaca Icehawks for the championship Sunday but came up short in a 6-3 win to keep the championship hardware in Waupaca.

Fish fired two more goals and the other was scored by Matthew Stando and set up by Rowan Kauss.

The local Squirt squad will continue preparations for the State 2B State Championship tournament with a pair of games in La Crosse at Green Island Ice Arena. La Crosse ‘Red’ Squirts will make up the opposition in an 11 a.m. game followed by ‘Black’ at 1:45 p.m.

Backeberg’s buzzer beater lifts Squirt B Cyclones to state berth

James Bond would have been proud.

The Squirts Cyclones posed for a quick picture after its Regional Semi-final win against Oregon Saturday amid their locker room celebration.

Noah Backeberg sank the clinching goal for the South Central Squirt B Cyclones with 007 (seven seconds) to play in the contest, not only lifting the Cyclones into the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA) Region 4 Squirt 2B championship match with the 2-1 win against Oregon but clinching a spot at the State Championship tournament.

Coach Justin Messer’s Squirt ‘B’ squad dropped a 5-0 decision I the championship game but were granted a spot at the dance as a Region 1 Representative as that northern Wisconsin group did not have a team at that level.

Matthew Stando collected an assist on the Backeberg goal and is was his twin brother Andrew Stando getting the Cyclones on the board with the opening goal, 6:29 from the end of the second period. Oregon tied the game about four minutes later.

Cyclone goaltender Jesse Arnold turned aside all but one of the 18 shots he faced to backstop the win.

The Squirt B’s were the only team of the eight SCC Cyclones to play in a championship game and despite a 5-0 loss to Janesville Bluebirds in the championship game, the Division 4 Runners Up will move on as a Division 1 representative – the Northern Region not having a team at the Squirt 2B level this season.

The Cyclones will open play at the eight-team state tournament against Elmbrook Falcons at 11:30 a.m. and could get another shot at Janesville in the next round depending on how both teams fare in their respective openers.

The other two SCC squirt entries faced some tough competition but the Squirt A squad put up a good battle against the Oregon Panthers before falling 5-3. The Panthers advanced to the Regional final, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Bluebirds.

The Squirt C team, made up primarily of younger players that will benefit from a year’s experience as second year squirts next season, dropped a tough decision to McFarland Friday night.

U-12 Badger Lightning

The U-12 Badger Lightning did not have to qualify and as host of the U-12 B State Championship tournament (See story — Lightning and Monkeys hosting State Tournaments).

Peewees

The Peewee A team was in a tough pool, facing the Bluebirds in its Regional semi-final on Saturday night, coming up short in a shutout loss. McFarland will go on to represent the Region at the State tournament in Elmbrook March 14-15.

The Peewee B side also ran into some tough competition and gave up a shutout decision on Saturday as well. There is some consolation as they fell to the Panthers who went on to claim the Region championship and will likely be one of the top contenders at the 2B State Championship at Eagle River March 14-15.

Bantams

The Bantam Cyclones faced a tough challenge heading in against Janesville Saturday afternoon at Verona. Head Coach Billy Oakes said the team gained some momentum reaching the championship game at a tournament the week previous, but the mountain became a little steeper as goaltender Burke Schweda was battling illness as well as slapshots in the contest.

“We got off to a rough start, “said Oakes. “They scored three quick goals.” The Coach said he called time out to discuss things and the team played a defensive trap which worked well the rest of the way. “They never scored another goal. Schweda turned in a 22-save effort and was unbeatable in the final two periods.

But, while the defense was sound, the Cyclones were unable to climb all the way back on the score sheet. Mark Othmer and Iszak Elder both notched goals, Tye Barney picking up an assist, but the Cyclones fell one shot of reaching the Regional championship game.

Janesville in turn fell a goal shy in the Championship game, falling 7-6 in a wild one to Oregon who will represent the Region at the State 2A Championship tournament at Hayward.

The Bantam ‘B’ squad was eliminated in a shutout loss to Janesville Saturday afternoon at Oregon and Janesville went on to claim one of two Regional spots for the state tournament. Both Janesville and Oregon will be at the tournament at Sheboygan March 7-8.

U-14 Badger Lightning

The Badger Lightning squad faced the Maverick ‘A’ squad in its Regional semi at McFarland Saturday night, falling in a shutout defeat.

The Maverick squad went on to defeat the Jr. Fury in the championship game and will represent the Region at the state Tournament to be played at West Salem March 7-8.