Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:29 pm
GIRLS PREP HOCKEY CAPSULES: Section 7AA
christa lawler, news tribune, Duluth News Tribune
Published Saturday, December 02, 2006
Cloquet-Esko-Carlton
lumberjacks
Coach: Dick Bartholdi, seventh season
Last season’s record: 24-6-1
Key returnees: Sr. G Paige Thunder (.919 save percentage, 1.75 goals-against average); soph. F Sadie Lundquist (17 G, 18A); jr. D Montana Vichorek (4-9—13); jr. F Whitney Anderson (8-17—25)
Outlook: After finishing third in the Class AA tournament and going undefeated in the Lake Superior Conference, the Lumberjacks graduated two key defenders in Michelle Maunu (University of Minnesota) — last season’s Player of the Year — and Megan Olean. Strengths of the team include speed and discipline. The Lumberjacks expect to contend in the conference and section, but Bartholdi predicts that the competition between Grand Rapids-Greenway, Duluth, Hibbing-Chisholm, Proctor-Hermantown-Duluth Marshall and Superior will be tougher than ever.
Duluth NORTHERN STARS
Co-coaches: Amber Fryklund, fourth season, and Jim Knapp
Last season’s record: First-year team
Key returnees: Soph. F Gina Dodge; jr. F Ashley Birdsall; jr. F Taylor Stuzman; soph. G Laura Bellamy; soph. D Tyra Kerr; and sr. D Nikki Royer
Outlook: First year for the team that combines players from Duluth Central, Denfeld and East. Bellamy is a seasoned varsity goalie. Fryklund said the Northern Stars should be competitive in Section 7AA.
Grand rapids-Greenway LIGHTNING
Coach: Pat Rendle, third season
Last season’s record: 15-12
Key returnees: Kayla Clafton; Emily Erickson; Natalie Newton; Molly Arola; Sara Hammann; and Dana Gallop
Outlook: Some solid offseason work and large numbers in the youth programs should help the Lightning, who fell to Cloquet-Esko-Carlton last season in the Section 7AA finals.
Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall MIRAGE
Coach: Glen Gilderman, 10th season
Last season’s record: 17-9
Key returnees: Sr. F Lisa Moline (14-17—31); sr. F Kalee Palmer (14-17—31); fr. F Julia Gilbert (15-8—23); fr. D Hannah Buchite (5-11—16); jr. G Jen Coyle (.873 save percentage); and soph. G Katie Gilderman (.877 percent)
Outlook: The Mirage incorporated more metro-based teams into their schedule this season to prepare for the playoffs. They lost leading scorer Whitney Olson (23-27—50), a member of the News Tribune All-Area first team last season, to graduation.
betS-ely knights
Coach: Stan Skelton, first season
Last season’s record: 3-17
Key returnees: So. F Courtney Rykken; jr. F Lizzy Carpenter; soph. F Hanna Lashmett
Outlook: Team is young, with just one senior. Scoring has been difficult so far.
Eveleth-Gilbert AREA GOLDEN BEARS
Coach: Ron Hendrickson, third season
Last season’s record: 5-19
Key returnees: Jr. G Brittany Moberg; sr. D Cara Rice; sr. F Kate Matanich; soph. F Megan Seppi; fr. F Jordan Turner; and eighth-grader D Ashley Christi.
Outlook: Last year’s young team struggled, but Hendrickson said the Golden Bears should be vastly improved. The team remains young with 13 players listed as freshman or younger and four seniors. Hendrickson said he has three balanced lines and a good goalie in Moberg.
hibbing-Chisholm BLUEJACKETS
Coach: Pete Hyduke, sixth season
Last season’s record: 19-8-2
Key returnees: Sr. D Allie Pullar (1-10—11); jr. F Jamie Fenstermacher (14-19—33); sr. F Kyla Fink (11-21—32); sr. F Ariel Hakala (14-15—29); sr. F Jamie Briski (13-14—27); jr. D Amanda Fairbanks (2-6—8)
Outlook: The Bluejackets have solid goaltending and a strong group of upperclassmen, although none of the line combinations, defensive pairs or goalie situation is the same. Hyduke said injuries are a concern at this time.
international falls BRONCOS
Coach: Bruce Elson, first season
Last season’s record: 11-13-1
Key returnees: Jr. F Sophie Bolstad (6-16—20); jr. G Jessica L’Heureaux (.871 save percentage, 3.21 GAA)
Outlook: The Broncos lost two of the area scoring leaders in Brittany Bolstad (47 points) and Erika Ciminski (41 points). It’s a young team with just one senior after graduating six last year. L’Heaureau is an experienced goalie.
Moose Lake Area REBELS
Coach: Joe Mohelsky, first season
Last season’s record: 6-17-2
Key returnees: Sr. F Sarah Eames (12-9—21); sr. F Kady Holt (8-5—13); sr. F Jamie Berryman (5-6—11); jr. G Rachael Borchardt (.910 save percentage, 3.0 GAA)
Outlook: Numbers are down this season for the Rebels. Mohelsky said the team will focus on discipline and conditioning. They have a talented group of younger players and Borchardt is an experienced and athletic goalie who already has had a 47-save game against Rosemount this season.
Silver Bay AREA MARINERS
Coach: Troy Paulseth, fifth season
Last season’s record: 21-7
Key returnees: Sr. F Libby Guzzo (22-26—48); soph. F Samantha Downey (22-18—40); jr. F Olivia Paulseth (19-19—38)
Outlook: The Mariners rode a 15-game win streak into the Section 7A playoffs last season before falling to Hibbing-Chisholm in the semifinals. Paulseth said the team’s strengths are experience, goaltending, speed and defense. “We have been looking forward to this season since we started high school hockey five years ago,’’ Paulseth said. “Our goal is to play our best in mid-February and have a chance of going to state.”
superior SPARTANS
Coach: Scott VanDamme, sixth season
Last season’s record: 12-11
Key returnees: Jr. F Ashley Martin; jr. F Ashlee Olson; sr. F Taylor VanDamme; sr. D Erica VanDamme; jr. G Janine Siefert
Outlook: The Spartans lost two key players to graduation. VanDamme hopes to have a winning record and battle Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall and Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in the LSC.
christa lawler, news tribune, Duluth News Tribune
Published Saturday, December 02, 2006
Cloquet-Esko-Carlton
lumberjacks
Coach: Dick Bartholdi, seventh season
Last season’s record: 24-6-1
Key returnees: Sr. G Paige Thunder (.919 save percentage, 1.75 goals-against average); soph. F Sadie Lundquist (17 G, 18A); jr. D Montana Vichorek (4-9—13); jr. F Whitney Anderson (8-17—25)
Outlook: After finishing third in the Class AA tournament and going undefeated in the Lake Superior Conference, the Lumberjacks graduated two key defenders in Michelle Maunu (University of Minnesota) — last season’s Player of the Year — and Megan Olean. Strengths of the team include speed and discipline. The Lumberjacks expect to contend in the conference and section, but Bartholdi predicts that the competition between Grand Rapids-Greenway, Duluth, Hibbing-Chisholm, Proctor-Hermantown-Duluth Marshall and Superior will be tougher than ever.
Duluth NORTHERN STARS
Co-coaches: Amber Fryklund, fourth season, and Jim Knapp
Last season’s record: First-year team
Key returnees: Soph. F Gina Dodge; jr. F Ashley Birdsall; jr. F Taylor Stuzman; soph. G Laura Bellamy; soph. D Tyra Kerr; and sr. D Nikki Royer
Outlook: First year for the team that combines players from Duluth Central, Denfeld and East. Bellamy is a seasoned varsity goalie. Fryklund said the Northern Stars should be competitive in Section 7AA.
Grand rapids-Greenway LIGHTNING
Coach: Pat Rendle, third season
Last season’s record: 15-12
Key returnees: Kayla Clafton; Emily Erickson; Natalie Newton; Molly Arola; Sara Hammann; and Dana Gallop
Outlook: Some solid offseason work and large numbers in the youth programs should help the Lightning, who fell to Cloquet-Esko-Carlton last season in the Section 7AA finals.
Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall MIRAGE
Coach: Glen Gilderman, 10th season
Last season’s record: 17-9
Key returnees: Sr. F Lisa Moline (14-17—31); sr. F Kalee Palmer (14-17—31); fr. F Julia Gilbert (15-8—23); fr. D Hannah Buchite (5-11—16); jr. G Jen Coyle (.873 save percentage); and soph. G Katie Gilderman (.877 percent)
Outlook: The Mirage incorporated more metro-based teams into their schedule this season to prepare for the playoffs. They lost leading scorer Whitney Olson (23-27—50), a member of the News Tribune All-Area first team last season, to graduation.
betS-ely knights
Coach: Stan Skelton, first season
Last season’s record: 3-17
Key returnees: So. F Courtney Rykken; jr. F Lizzy Carpenter; soph. F Hanna Lashmett
Outlook: Team is young, with just one senior. Scoring has been difficult so far.
Eveleth-Gilbert AREA GOLDEN BEARS
Coach: Ron Hendrickson, third season
Last season’s record: 5-19
Key returnees: Jr. G Brittany Moberg; sr. D Cara Rice; sr. F Kate Matanich; soph. F Megan Seppi; fr. F Jordan Turner; and eighth-grader D Ashley Christi.
Outlook: Last year’s young team struggled, but Hendrickson said the Golden Bears should be vastly improved. The team remains young with 13 players listed as freshman or younger and four seniors. Hendrickson said he has three balanced lines and a good goalie in Moberg.
hibbing-Chisholm BLUEJACKETS
Coach: Pete Hyduke, sixth season
Last season’s record: 19-8-2
Key returnees: Sr. D Allie Pullar (1-10—11); jr. F Jamie Fenstermacher (14-19—33); sr. F Kyla Fink (11-21—32); sr. F Ariel Hakala (14-15—29); sr. F Jamie Briski (13-14—27); jr. D Amanda Fairbanks (2-6—8)
Outlook: The Bluejackets have solid goaltending and a strong group of upperclassmen, although none of the line combinations, defensive pairs or goalie situation is the same. Hyduke said injuries are a concern at this time.
international falls BRONCOS
Coach: Bruce Elson, first season
Last season’s record: 11-13-1
Key returnees: Jr. F Sophie Bolstad (6-16—20); jr. G Jessica L’Heureaux (.871 save percentage, 3.21 GAA)
Outlook: The Broncos lost two of the area scoring leaders in Brittany Bolstad (47 points) and Erika Ciminski (41 points). It’s a young team with just one senior after graduating six last year. L’Heaureau is an experienced goalie.
Moose Lake Area REBELS
Coach: Joe Mohelsky, first season
Last season’s record: 6-17-2
Key returnees: Sr. F Sarah Eames (12-9—21); sr. F Kady Holt (8-5—13); sr. F Jamie Berryman (5-6—11); jr. G Rachael Borchardt (.910 save percentage, 3.0 GAA)
Outlook: Numbers are down this season for the Rebels. Mohelsky said the team will focus on discipline and conditioning. They have a talented group of younger players and Borchardt is an experienced and athletic goalie who already has had a 47-save game against Rosemount this season.
Silver Bay AREA MARINERS
Coach: Troy Paulseth, fifth season
Last season’s record: 21-7
Key returnees: Sr. F Libby Guzzo (22-26—48); soph. F Samantha Downey (22-18—40); jr. F Olivia Paulseth (19-19—38)
Outlook: The Mariners rode a 15-game win streak into the Section 7A playoffs last season before falling to Hibbing-Chisholm in the semifinals. Paulseth said the team’s strengths are experience, goaltending, speed and defense. “We have been looking forward to this season since we started high school hockey five years ago,’’ Paulseth said. “Our goal is to play our best in mid-February and have a chance of going to state.”
superior SPARTANS
Coach: Scott VanDamme, sixth season
Last season’s record: 12-11
Key returnees: Jr. F Ashley Martin; jr. F Ashlee Olson; sr. F Taylor VanDamme; sr. D Erica VanDamme; jr. G Janine Siefert
Outlook: The Spartans lost two key players to graduation. VanDamme hopes to have a winning record and battle Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall and Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in the LSC.