Bluebirds spoil awesome JV Cheavers run in finale

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD junior varsity squad wrapped up its 2021-22 season with its first loss since early December, falling 6-2 to the Janesville Bluebirds JV squad at Lake Delton Ice Arena Tuesday (Feb. 8).

The visiting Bluebirds scored the lone goal of the first period, but senior Malachi Strompolis/Salama pulled the Cheavers even just 19 seconds into the middle frame, from senior Carter Scully and junior Nate Stando.

The Bluebirds pulled away to stay five minutes later with its first of three second period markers.

Thoughts of a third period rally were erased when Janesville buried a shorthanded goal in the sixth minute of the final period and added another goal with 5:09 to play.

The Cheavers collected the final goal, first year Kaden Uminski hitting the mesh with help from Strompolis/Salama and Mark Othmer.

The junior varsity team deserves credit for putting together an unbeaten stretch that lasted two months, Tuesday’s loss to Janesville just the third time, the JV Cheavers didn’t win or draw this season.

The team faced adversity late as first year goaltender who at one point helped the team to 17-consecutive shutout periods, was lost due to injury. A revolving door of skaters volunteering to don the pads followed and while some turned in surprisingly impressive efforts at the new position, the team played extremely well in front of them as well.

Patrolling the blue paint in the finale was first year forward Tristan Edgerton who stopped 14 shots for the Cheavers.

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.

Barney notches shorty equalizer for JV Cheavers

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD Cheavers junior varsity squad extended its unbeaten streak to nine games thanks in part to a shorthanded breakaway effort and a stand in between the pipes.

The Cheavers collected a 5-5 draw with the Madison Edgewood Crusaders, the tying at La Bahn Arena in Madison, boosting its current streak to nine games without a loss and its overall record to 11-2-2. The last loss for the JV Cheavers came on Dec. 3, 2021 at RACA against the same Edgewood Crusaders.

Alex Griebe who played a huge part in the team’s latest string with an unreal 17-plus shutout period stretch in goal is likely lost for the remainder of the season due to illness, but this team is accustomed to adversity.

The goaltending spot will see a revolving door of ‘skaters’ filling in over the remainder of the season and the first to don the pads was senior Malachi Stompolis-Salama who took to the role with a 24-save effort to keep it close.

The Cheavers battled back from 4-1 and 5-4 deficits, the tying goal coming on a shorthanded breakaway goal scored by first-year Tye Barney with just under two minutes to play.

The Cheavers started slow, but Strompolis-Salama kept the team in it, stopping all but one of nine shots faced in the opening 17-minutes, dominated on the shot clock by a 9-0 margin by the home team.

The Crusaders fired two more early in the middle period before Iszak Elder got the visitors on the board with an unassisted marker. The middle period ended with the hosts up 3-1 but Elder fired a second unassisted goal early in the third to get RWD with one.

Crusaders added another 7:08 into the period but Cheavers replied a little over two minutes later as Kaden Uminski converted a pass from Tristan Edgerton and Caleb Eastman tied it a short time later, also from Edgerton.

The Crusaders moved in front again 33 seconds later, setting stage for Barney’s shorty.

The Cheavers did not play against the Monroe Cheesemakers on Thursday night, but will be back in action at a DeForest Norskie’s hosted tournament at Lake Delton Ice Arena Jan. 27-29.

Griebe unbeatable in JV Cheaver goal

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD junior varsity Cheavers stayed hot in recent games, collecting a 3-0 shutout win against the Baldwin-Woodville Hawks at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA) Saturday (Dec. 11) afternoon and he needed just three days to add his second goose egg with another 3-0 win at Oregon Tuesday night.

The last goal allowed by Griebe was scored by Monroe with 11:12 to play and he has 101:12 of clear crease since then.

Shutouts are a shared stat though. The JV defense corps and forwards deserve credit as well, limiting Woodville to just seven shots, but the Panthers peppered Griebe with 32 shots and outscored the locals 32-14 in the contest.

Offensively against Baldwin, Caleb Eastman scored the game winner 5:04 into the contest and that held up all the way to the third period when Eastman added another and Nate Stando added insurance just 17 seconds later.

Mark Othmer and Kaden Uminski collected assists on the Eastman goal in the third and Carter Renneberg had the set up on Stando’s tally.

In Oregon, RWD fired one goal in each period, Malachi Strombolis-Salama with the opener and closer and Gus DeFosse notched the middle marker. Iszak Elder, Stando, Nolan Pope and Tristan Edgerton picked up assists in the game.

The wins pushed the JV squad to 8-2 so far this season and extended the current winning streak to four games.

The JV Chiefs will be back in action Friday on home ice against the Sauk Prairie Eagles.

Offense too late for JV Cheavers against Crusaders

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD junior varsity Cheavers took a while to get its offense started allowing the visiting Madison Edgewood Crusaders a chance to pull away for a 5-2 win.

The Crusaders carried a 2-0 lead out of the first period and added three more in the middle period before the host side finally hit the board with two down the stretch.

Freshman Tristan Edgerton scored the first RWD goal slamming home the rebound of a shot by freshman Kaden Uminski. The second goal came from Conner Putz who one-timed a shot from the top of the crease after a pass from behind the net off the stick of Nate Stando.

Freshman Matt Richter scored twice for the Crusaders with others for Sam Schauchte, Ben Block and Dylan Lenz.

Both freshman Alex Griebe in goal for the Cheavers and Lawson Kinsman in goal for the Crusaders made 26 saves in the contest. Dylan Lenz, B

The Cheavers’ record falls to 4-2 with the loss to the Crusaders and they face a rematch with the Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds Tuesday night who they defeated in their opening game of the season.

Scully-Korndorfer lead JV Cheavers past Hilltoppers

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD junior varsity hockey team boosted its regular season record to 4-1 with an impressive 6-2 win against the visiting Onalaska Hilltoppers on Tuesday night as the opening act to thrilling varsity contest.

Hard work and a 26-11 edge in shots had the home side up 2-0 heading to the final frame, but that evaporated suddenly as the Hilltoppers scored twice in 42 seconds and pulled even before the third period was 90 seconds old.

The home side went back to work though scoring the game winner about three minutes later and piling on another three before the final horn.

Seniors Carter Scully and Tomas Komdofer formed a potent tandem playing a part in four goals including the game winner for RWD.

Komdofer set up Scully for the opening goal and both collected assists on a goal scored by Nate Stando later in the opening period.

Scully assisted on Komdofer’s game winner with additional help from junior Caleb Eastman.

Freshman Kaden Uminski fired the fourth goal on a feed from Freshman Tye Barney and Scully’s second came later with an assist for Komdofer. Connor Putz scored the final goal 26 seconds later with a pass from Tristan Edgerton.

Freshman goaltender Alex Griebe collected his third win in goal stopping 19 of 21 shots and the Cheavers held a 47-21 edge overall.

Next up for the JV Cheavers will be a tough test against the Madison Edgewood Crusaders on Friday night with a 5 p.m. faceoff at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA).

Flyers snatch third place away from Bantam Cheavers

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The RWD Bantam Cheavers found themselves in a competitive group and discovered some familiar opponents at a Sparta tournament Jan. 16-17.

First the locals came face to face with the Oregon Panthers, a Regional rival from earlier days with the South-Central Cyclones. The Panthers brushed the locals aside 7-1 but the Cheavers bounced back with a second round 5-1 win against the Sparta Spartans to earn a berth in the third-place contest.

Sauk Prairie Flyers, a current Regional rival for the Cheavers in the final contest that saw the locals grab a 3-0 lead, but ultimately falling 5-3 and settling for fourth place in the tournament.

Oregon Panthers 7 RWD Cheavers 1

The Panthers opened a 2-0 lead and added two more in the middle frame against RWD.

By the time Bryan Mammos scored what would be his team’s only goal, the Panthers had five on the board, adding two more in the final 8:07 for the lopsided win.

Alex Griebe made 21 saves in goal for the Cheavers while the Panthers limited RWD to just a dozen shots at the opposite end.

Sparta Spartans 1 RWD Cheavers 5

In the second game, goaltenders stepped up in a big way, just one goal scored in the first two periods. That goal came from Tye Barney on a feed from Kaden Uminski as Griebe kept his crease clean with eight saves through the first two frames.

Griebe was 3:44 from a shutout when Sparta finally hit the board and by then the Cheavers had already notched five.

Barney notched the game winner with 8:55 to on a feed from RJ Manley and Uminski added some insurance with 7:13 on the clock from Ryleigh Bychinski. Manley fired the final two for the Cheavers the first on a feed from Barney and the final one a solo effort.

RWD Cheavers 3 Sauk Prairie Flyers 5

The Flyers couldn’t have started better when they returned to the rink Jan. 17 for the fourth-place contest. Barney hit the board first again, just 1:29 into the match with help from Gus DeFosse. Uminski added a solo effort 27 seconds later and the Cheavers were off and running.

Tristan Edgerton gave the local bantams a 3-0 margin with 3:02 to go in the period and the Flyers finally hit the board 33 seconds later when Brock Hill converted a pass from Audrey Hanko.

Connor Grant got the Flyers within a goal with his marker 3:49 into the second, from Hanko and Joshua Mast and Gavin Goetsch evened it up with 8:50 to go, teams wrapping up the middle frame even at 3-3.

Gunnar Nachreiner fired the game winner 2:49 into the final period from Mast and Landon Froese added some insurance with still a little more than 10-minutes to go, from Hill.

Griebe kicked out 24 shots in the contest while Corbin Domka stopped 17 including everything he saw in the final two periods.

Griebe shutout leads Bantam Cheavers past Verona

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

A 17-save shutout for Alex Griebe helped the RWD Bantam Cheavers wrap up a 3-0 win against the Verona Wildcats at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA) on Sunday (Jan. 10).

The Cheavers collected a goal in each period, waiting until the final seconds of the frame on the first two.

Tristan Edgerton collected the game winner converting a pass from Carter Renneberg as the buzzer sounded to end the first period and Bryton Clark notched the second just 14 ticks from the end of the middle period from Tye Barney and Jason Hess.

Nick McPherson added the insurance marker early in the final period from Alec Breunig and Renneberg.

RWD outshot the Wildcats 26-17, the widest margin coming in the middle frame when the home team held a 13-3 advantage.

The win boosted the team’s overall season record to 16-5 and this weekend the team hits the road to a Sparta tournament beginning Saturday with a 10 a.m. game against the Oregon Panthers and then back at 2 p.m. against the Sparta Spartans.

Bantam Cheavers have not played either team yet this season.

Next home game for the Cheavers will be next Saturday against Onalaska.

Tristan Edgerton’s goal at the first period buzzer ended up being the game winner on Sunday

Breunig fires four to lead Bantam Cheavers past Ice Hawks

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

After dropping a pair of tough decisions Saturday, the RWD Bantam Cheavers came up with a big win for a satisfying end to a three-game weekend at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA).

The weekend started out with a tough loss Saturday (Jan. 2) morning to Viroqua Thunder Bantams who pulled out a 2-1 win, scoring the game winner in the final period. Later Saturday the bantams ran into Region 4 rival, Monroe Avalanche, staying even with them through a period, but ultimately falling 9-1.

On Sunday, the Cheavers got a rare visit from the Stevens Point Ice Hawks and came out on top in a physical contest that saw the visitors rack up 21 minutes in penalties, by a 10-3 margin.

In the opening contest, teams exited the opening period without a goal scored and both notched one in the middle period, Kaden Uminski finding the mesh with help from Tye Barney and Tristan Edgerton.

Collin Simonson fired both Thunder goals.

Alex Griebe turned aside 24 of 26 shots in goal for the Cheavers.

Later Saturday the Avs led early but Barney pulled the Cheavers even just over two minutes later from Alec Breunig and teams were still even at 1-1 after a period.

Monroe added three more and piled up another five in the third period to pull away.

Griebe was easily the busiest player on the ice, kicking out 24 shots in the first period alone on his way to a 52-save contest.

On Sunday, the Cheavers opened a 3-0 first period lead and added another before the Ice Hawks finally hit the board halfway through the second period and cut into the margin a bit, Cheavers up 5-3 heading to the third.

Five straight unanswered third period goals tipped the scales heavily in favor of RWD through the final 17 minutes.

Breunig led the Cheavers with four goals in the contest, Edgerton adding a hat trick and an assist with other goals for Carter Renneberg and Gus DeFosse. Uminski had a couple assists with others for Kayla Garbacz, Bryan Mammos and Nick McPherson.

The weekend results moved the Cheavers to 15-5 on the season so far and the team is scheduled to play in a tournament at Sparta this weekend (Jan. 8-10)

Uminski nets winner in bantam Cheavers’ comeback win

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

After a tough loss the previous day, the RWD Bantam Cheavers used a third period rally to snatch a 4-3 win away from the Verona Wildcats ‘B’ squad at Reedsburg Arena Community Arena (RACA) on Sunday (December 20).

The Wildcats scored the only goal of the opening period but Tye Barney evened things up early in the second from Kaden Uminski and Tristan Edgerton.

Wildcats went back in front and padded its lead with two goals in the final four minutes to carry a 3-1 cushion into the final frame.

The Cheavers went to work quick though, erasing the deficit with two goals in the first 2:19 of the period. Alec Breunig started the rally converting a pass from Kayla Garbacz and Nolan Pope tied things up just 59 seconds later from Barney.

That set the stage for Uminski’s powerplay goal from the blueline with 7:29 to play, Pope and Carter Renneberg helping.

Alex Griebe denied every Wildcats chance after that, getting the Cheavers to the finish line with a 19-save win in goal.

RWD boosted its record to 14-3 with the win and after a holiday weekend off, the Cheavers will head back into action with three home games this weekend, the most interesting one an 11:45 a.m. meeting with the Monroe bantams – a possible Regional rival at 11:45 a.m. Saturday (January 2, 2021) Monroe handed the Cheavers its most lopsided defeat so far this season at a tournament in Black River Falls Dec. 5.

Before that the bantams will take on Viroqua at 9:15 a.m. in their only previous meeting, the Bantam Cheavers doubled Viroqua 4-2, also at RACA. On Sunday, the Cheavers will play its eighth straight home game, entertaining Stevens Point Area Ice Hawks ‘B’ Bantams in a 10:45 a.m. meeting.

Caden Uminski fired the game winner against the Wildcats