Winternationals start 2019 NARCh season on stellar note
(18U Platinum) and HB Militia’s Luke Benavente (18U Gold). he 2019 NARCh Winternationals faced off Jan. 18-21 Of note, Comeau posted a .967 save percentage at The Rinks-Huntington Beach Inline with 134 teams while Bach (.964) and Patel (.943) also were nearcompeting in 315 games over a four-day run, making it perfect between the pipes. one of the largest inline hockey tournaments annually in Benavente also won the top goaltender award in the NARCh series. the Junior Division with a .859 save percentage while The Winternationals tournament traditionally kicks off competing for Rink Rat Groove. each new NARCh season. Interest remains high for the Will Volanson of Mavin earned the high scorer event, which first rolled out in 1997. award in the Junior Division while Jono Davis and NARCh president Daryn Goodwin called the 2019 Vince Free of the Golden Knights tied for the high event “awesome.” scorer award in the Men’s Platinum Division. “I can’t think of a better way to start the 2019 NARCh Billy Metcalf of Mavin won the high scorer season,” Goodwin said. “It was very busy. The energy award in Men’s Gold while Raiders Next Gen’s Scott and excitement in the building was incredible. I’m Baba (Men’s Silver) and Cody Bohannon of really looking forward to the upcoming regional Supreme Squadron (Men’s Bronze) also won qualifiers in So Cal and, of course, the NARCh high scorer awards. Finals in Irvine in July.” Nevin Iwatsuru posted a .914 save percentage for the Golden Knights to win the Parade of champions top goaltender award on the Men’s Platinum Medals and trophies were presented in 24 Division while the Pure Maple duo of Lane subdivisions. Hartwell and Max Curie captured the top Youth Division champions included the goaltender award in Men’s Gold. Bulldogs (6U Gold), Militia (6U Silver), Labeda Jets Jessica Herb and Kevin Prewett (8U Gold), OC Marvel (8U Silver), Pama Cyclones recorded a .902 save percentage for Pure 2008 (10U Gold), So Cal Storm (10U Silver), Maple in Men’s Silver while Jacob Oberschelp HB Militia Grey (12U Gold), Mission Renegades of Squadron Supreme won the top goaltender (12U Silver), Angry Ducks (14U Platinum), KIHA award in Men’s Bronze. Warriors (14U Gold), Bend Bullets (14U Silver), High scorers also included Rink Rat NCR Konixx Elite (16U Platinum), Raiders OG HC Republic’s Laura Veharanta (Women’s (16U Gold), Revo (18U Platinum) and HB Militia Platinum), Rink Rat Sav’s Samantha Magoon (18U Gold). (Women’s Gold) and the Redhawks’ Chavira Among the adult divisions, Konixx/Grasshopper (30-over). captured the Junior title, the Pama Labeda Golden Top goaltender award-winners also Knights won Men’s Platinum and Men’s Silver, Rink Rat Republic captured the Women’s Platinum Division title at January’s included the Golden Knights’ Lauren Dahm Red Army won Men’s Gold, Squadron Supreme NARCh Winternationals tournament in Huntington Beach. Photo/NARCh (Women’s Platinum), Rinos’ Marisa Trevino won Men’s Bronze, Rink Rat Republic won Women’s NCR’s Ryan Tuckwood (16U Platinum), Raiders (Women’s Gold) and AKS Empire’s Iwatsuru (30-andPlatinum, Rinos Na-Palm won Women’s Gold and Revive Black’s Jaden Nahoi-Bancar (16U Gold), Pure over). Redhawks won the 30-and-older division. Maple’s Jordan Rebagliati (18U Platinum) and Eight teams competed in the NARCh Pro Division in Silicon Valley Quakes’ Nathan Durrans (18U Gold). NARCh nuggets which the Pama Labeda Golden Knights defeated the Youth division top goaltender award-winners also • The Northern California regional is scheduled Tricksters 5-4 in the championship game. included the Bulldogs’ Benton Sherrill (6U), OC March 8-10 at San Jose’s Silver Creek Sportsplex. The Golden Knights finished the division undefeated in Marvel’s Hunter Valentine (8U Silver), the Jets’ • The Huntington Beach regional is scheduled March six games, including a 3-3 draw against Konixx Pure in the Julie Becerra (10U Silver), Temecula Warriors’ 22-24 at HB Inline. preliminary rounds. Chad Dobbins (12U Gold) and Trevor Fife (14U • The Irvine regional is scheduled April 25-28 at The Itan Chavira earned high scorer honors in the Silver), Renegades’ Pete Gonzalez (12U Silver), Rinks-Irvine Inline. NARCh Pro Division with 3.0 points per game while Angry Ducks’ Aiden Comeau (14U Platinum), KIHA’s • The Escondido regional is scheduled June 1-2 at the goaltending tandem of Troy Redmann and Nick Ashton Goble (14U Gold), NCR’s Jasial Patel (16U the Escondido Sports Center. Wydock posted the top save percentage of .854 in the Platinum), Raiders OG’s Danny Tasigeorgos and • The NARCh West Coast Finals are scheduled July division. Anthony Vadurrp (16U Gold), Revo’s Ethan Bach 12-21 at Irvine Inline.
By Phillip Brents
Top individuals Cooper Soller of the Cyclones 2008 10U Gold Division champions led all division high scorers with an average of 3.4 points per game while teammate Drake Esquer recorded a perfect 1.000 save percentage to highlight top individual performances in the youth divisions. Youth division high scorers also included the Bulldogs’ Jordan Sijher (6U), the Jets’ Colin Kim (8U Gold), the Bulldogs Blue’s Jaxon Gillis (8U Silver) and Seth Morris (12U Gold), Slurpee’s Xander Tucker (12U Silver), Angry Ducks’ James Hong (14U Platinum) and Trevor Connelly (14U Gold), HB Militia’s Wallace Stirbu (14U Silver),
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Winter Wars West rolls into SoCal with 100-plus teams
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tate Wars Hockey’s United States Roller Hockey Championships follow the birth year format traditionally used to identify ice hockey prospects, which can make for some interesting (and unique) matchups on the inline playing court between players of the same age. State Wars Hockey selects several all-star teams at its annual summer championship tournament. Team Pride and Team Honor, for instance, are selected based on ballots submitted by coaches who vote on the teams they play against in the round robin. At least one player from every team is represented in the all-star selections. Team World represents the top 12 players overall in 20
California Rubber Hockey Magazine
a birth year as voted on by tournament staff, according to State Wars national director Tim McManus. “There can be multiple players from one team and these are the players recognized as the best of the best in the tournament,” McManus said. Californians filled out a sizable portion of the 2018 State Wars Team World honor roll. Many of those players will be competing at the upcoming 2019 Winter Wars West event Feb. 22-24 at The Rinks-Huntington Beach Inline. Team World notables included Lucan Albarquez, Colin Kim and Matthew Lewis in the 2010 division; Rocket Welsh, Christian Smith, Sebastian Buckhalter Girvan, Logan Herpin and Mason Ollom in the 2009 division; Caden Albarquez
and Aidan Yu in the 2008 division; Carson Woolcott and Henry Kress in the 2007 division; and Brendan Stirbu, Blake Wozniak and Jolee Savoy in the 2006 division. Other players to take note of include Kenny Silhan and Lowen Provost in the 2005 division; Brandon Grant and Anthony Yu in the 2004 division; Dominic Hofferber and Zachary Nolte in the 2003 division; Jeremiah Dolmo, Clay Bozanich and Anthony Oveido in the 2002 division; Dylan Franks, Jonathan Panisa, Nathan Durrans, Jaden Guzman, Cody Vadeboncoeur, Grayson Yada, Marisa Trevino and Andrew Barsamian in the 2001 division; and Joe Fordyce and Ethan Bach in the 2000 division. This year’s Winter Wars West entry list includes 116 teams. - Phillip Brents