MOOSE LAKE AREA REBELS

Coach: Lee Costley, fifth season

2019-20 record: 6-19

Conference:

Two Rivers

Section: 5A

Key departures: F Jordan Fjosne (30-28—58); F Jack Ergen (8-4—12)

Key returners: Sr. F Adam Olson (10-29— 39); jr. F Henry Ribich (20-12—32); sr. F/D Paxton Vogel (5-13— 18); sr. D Jeff Cisar

Outlook: Wins continued to be sparse for the Rebels a year ago, but now numbers more important to the program than wins and losses are going in the team’s favor. The Moose Lake program teetered on the brink of extinction just a few short years ago due to the lack of players. But Costley and others instituted a bantam program, and this marks the first season where those play- ers are being elevated to the varsity. While three players have graduated, seven have filled their spots.

“This is the first season where we get the full benefit of our bantam program,” Costley said. “My first season at Moose Lake we started up the bantam program. Before that, kids were going from peewee B to high school, not a safe transition to high school hockey, and not an ideal formula for any success. This wouldn’t have happened without all the hard work and efforts of our youth hockey association, and them buying into what we are doing and the goals to build the program.”

Losing Fjosne and his 30 goals to the Willmar WarHawks of the NA3HL undoubtedly will hurt the scoring production, though Olson

Schedule

Roster

and Ribich each finished among the top 25 scorers in the Northland.

The COVID-19 pandemic already has hurt the program, Costley said, with a few players opting out, and how the rest of the players manage the situation might determine if the Rebels finish the season.

“The success of this year’s team will depend on everyone being smart and diligent with COVID distancing and masking, as well as focusing on academics and everyone being academically eligible,” Costley said.

Rick Weegman, News Tribune

Jan. 16 — Ashland

Jan. 19 — at Mora/Milaca

Jan. 22 — Bagley/Fosston

Jan. 28 — at Duluth Marshall, 5 p.m.

Jan. 30 — at Bagley/Fosston, 1 p.m.

Feb. 2 — Mora/Milaca, 7 p.m.

Feb. 6 — at Ely, 2 p.m.

Feb. 9 — Sauk Rapids-Rice, 7 p.m.

Feb. 11 — at Northern Lakes, 7 p.m.

Feb. 17 — at St. Paul Highland Park, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 25 — at North Shore, 7 p.m.

Feb. 26 — Ely, 6 p.m.

Mar. 2 — at St. Francis, 7 p.m.

Mar. 8 — at Henry Sibley (West St. Paul), 7 p.m.

Mar. 11 — North Shore, 7 p.m.

Mar. 13 — at Sauk Rapids-Rice, 7 p.m.

Coach: Andy Fellows, second season

2019-20 record: 9-18

Conference: Iron Range

Section: 7A

Key departures: G Connor Sullivan (3.37 GAA, .906 save percentage); Cole Komarek (12-6—18); Sam Johnson (7-8—15)

Key returners: Sr. F Sully Tikkanen (10-12—22); sr. F Ryder McMillen (11-7—18); jr. F Nate Bilben (9-7— 16); sr. F Carter Zabrocki (6-6—12); sr. D Isaac Swanson (5-8—13); sr. D Lucas Stadler

Outlook: Fellows enters his second season at the helm of the Silver Bay, Two Harbors and Cook County cooperative after replacing longtime coach Mike Guzzo. It was a rough first year in the Iron Range Confer-

Schedule

Jan. 14 — Hibbing-Chisholm

Jan. 16 — Greenway

Jan. 19 — Eveleth-Gilbert

Jan. 21 — at International Falls

Jan. 26 — at Proctor ence as the Storm finished winless in league play, though they defeated Hibbing-Chisholm in the playoffs.

Feb. 2 — Ely (Silver Bay), 6 p.m.

Feb. 9 — International Falls (Two Harbors), 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 — at Eveleth-Gilbert, 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 — at Greenway, 7 p.m.

Feb. 20 — Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl, 3 p.m.

Feb. 23 — at Duluth Denfeld (Heritage Center), 7 p.m.

Feb. 25 — Moose Lake Area (Two Harbors), 7 p.m.

Mar. 4— Duluth Marshall (Two Harbors), 7 p.m.

Mar. 6 — at Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl, 3 p.m.

Mar. 11 — at Moose Lake Area, 7 p.m.

Mar. 12 — Proctor (Two Harbors), 7 p.m.

Mar. 18 — at Hibbing-Chisholm, 7 p.m.

Tikkanen, McMillen and Bilben give the Storm several goal-scoring options on a team lacking in depth. Swanson and Stadler are experienced defensemen, but North Shore needs to find a regular goaltender to replace Sullivan.

“The boys will be looking to compete in the Iron Range Conference this season,” Fellows said. “The Storm don’t have a lot of numbers this year, but they have quality in the numbers they have. The boys have been adjusting admirably to the change in circumstances and just want to get this season going.”

Rick

Weegman,

North Shore Storm Roster

News Tribune

3 Ryan Christiansen So.

4 Lucas Stadler Sr.

5 Wesley Beck Jr.

6 Kole Anderson So.

8 Ryder McMillen Sr.

9 Mitch Svir So.

10 Kody Costley Sr.

11 Isaac Swanson Sr.

13 Ero Wallin Sr.

16 Caden Costley Sr.

18 Nate Bilben Jr.

19 Caleb Waldron Jr.

20 Sully Tikkanen Sr.

21 Jacob Marxhausen Jr.

22 Bjren Jones Jr.

28 Carter Zabrocki Sr.

30 Ryan Bilben Sr.

31 Chase Malory So.

Coach: Jeff Laspi, first season

2019-20 record: 11-16

Conference: Lake Superior

Section: 7A

Key departures: F Ben Harnell (17-23—40); F Reece Ward (22-11—33); F Connor Bushbaum (9-5—14); D Isaac Mosher; G Cody Urie

Key returners: Sr. F Conner Pavlowich (9-12—21); jr. F Kennan Reyelts (8-6—14); jr. D Tanner Olson (6-6—12); jr. F Dylan Halla (2-9—11); sr. D Mason Kalnbach; jr. G Sam Johnson (3.24 GAA, .881 save percentage)

Outlook: First-year coach Laspi faces a tough challenge minus his top two scorers and starting goaltender for a program that hasn’t won a conference game since the 2015-16 season and has one playoff victory in the last four years.

This year’s squad has a large group of seniors with limited varsity experience. Four double-digit scorers return, though Conner Bushbaum — the South Ridge running back who was the News Tribune’s All-Area Player of the Year in football — is sitting out to concentrate on earning a college baseball scholarship.

“We will need this senior group to contribute now that they are finally getting their opportunity,” Laspi said. “After losing 70% of our team’s scoring and starting goalie to graduation, we have plenty of opportunities for players to fill some key roles. I like the makeup of this team and feel like our progression will really take off once each player gets more comfortable in their role. I am just happy that our seniors have an opportunity to compete this season after a lot of doubt over the last few months.”

Rick Weegman, News Tribune

Schedule

Jan. 14 — at Duluth Marshall

Jan. 16 — Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl

Jan. 19 — Pine City Area

Jan. 21 — Hermantown

Jan. 25 — Superior

Jan. 26 — North Shore

Feb. 1 — Hibbing-Chisholm, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 5 — at Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 9 — at Eveleth-Gilbert, 7 p.m.

Feb. 11 — at Pine City Area, 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 — Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 — at Mora/Milaca, 7 p.m.

Feb. 25 — Duluth Marshall, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 2 — Greenway, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 11 — Eveleth-Gilbert, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 12 — at North Shore, 7 p.m.

Mar. 16 — at Hibbing-Chisholm, 7 p.m.

Mar. 18 — Duluth Denfeld, 7:30 p.m.

Proctor’s Austin Mooers (12) and goalie Cody Urie (35) team to stop Superior’s Gunnar Hansen (9) in the first period of a game at Wessman Arena in Superior last season.

Blake Imhoff G So.

Coach: Jason Kalin, 20th season

2019-20 record: 9-16-1

Conference: Lake Superior

Section: Wisconsin Division 2, Sectional 1

Key departures: F Gunnar Hansen (19-11—30); F T.J. Sitek (10-13—23); D Alex Hanson; D Sean McCoshen

Key returners: Sr. F Drew Scharte (7-11—18); sr. F Ethan Welch (7-3— 10); sr. G Jamin Durfee (3.84 GAA, .874 save percentage)

Outlook: The Spartans own the Wisconsin record for state tournament appearances (37) and titles (13), but despite starting out the twoyear, two-division trial in Divi

Superior was automatically slotted into Division 2 by enrollment classification during the first year of the two-class experiment, though Kalin hopes the school can opt up in the near future.

“Last year, the administration thought it was important for all of our teams at SHS to be placed in the division that our enrollment suggests out of fairness to our student-athletes and consistency amongst our programs,” Kalin said. “We are allowed to opt up at any point and hope to do so in the future if the strength of our program (in numbers and postseason results) improves.

“It is our hope (coaches and players) to convince our administration (through results) that we belong at the DI level very soon, if possible, next year. If we do opt up, the state has made it clear that it must be for a two-year commit-

Rick Weegman, News Tribune

Superior’s Mason Stenberg (18) takes control of the puck in the first period of the Spartans’ loss to Eau Claire North Tuesday, Jan.5, at Wessman Arena in Superior.

Jed Carlson / 2021 file / Superior Telegram

Schedule

Home games at Wessman Arena

Jan. 5 — Eau Claire North

Jan. 7 — at Amery

Jan. 9 — Chippewa Falls

Jan. 12 — at Wausau West

Jan. 14 — Hermantown

Jan. 16 — New Richmond

Jan. 19 — at Hayward

Jan. 21 — at Duluth East

Jan. 22 — at Eau Claire Memorial

Jan. 23 — Duluth Denfeld

Jan. 26 — at Duluth Marshall

Jan. 29 — Eveleth-Gilbert, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Baldwin-Woodville, 2 p.m.

Feb. 2 — at Somerset, 7 p.m.

Feb. 13 — Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 2 p.m.

Feb. 16 — at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.

Feb. 18 — Eveleth-Gilbert, 7 p.m.