Knights blank Lynx in first round of state hockey tourney

WASILLA — For most of their careers, Colony captain Logan Sanders and his fellow seniors had only been able to watch the state tournament from the stands. But Thursday, Sanders and the Knights not only had the chance to finally play in the state tournament, but with the help of the youngsters, the Knights had the opportunity to taste state victory.

Freshman Jake Hessinger scored the game’s lone goal and sophomore goalie Joey Diltz earned the 15-save shutout to help Colony score the 1-0 win over Dimond during the first day of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Championships at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

“It’s unbelievable, just the fact we’re even here in state after not being here for so many years,” Sanders said after the win.

Colony, the North Star Conference champion, is in the state tournament for the first time since 2006. The victory over Dimond marked Colony’s first state tourney win since 2002, and its first quarterfinal win since 1996.

“We’re just taking it in,” Sanders said of the experience of playing in a state tournament. “We’ve been told since the beginning of the year that we can do it, and so far, so good.”

Thursday’s victory was also Colony’s sixth straight, a stretch that included a late-season nonconference victory over West Valley, another 2015 state semifinal team, and three wins during the North Star Conference tournament. The Knights beat the top two seeds in the region tournament (Wasilla and Palmer) last week to win their first conference crown since 2002.

“We’ve got to keep it rolling, keep moving on,” Sanders said.

Hessinger supplied the game’s lone goal at the 11:21 mark of the second period, using extra effort in front of the net to punch it in. Hessinger centers Colony’s all-freshman line that also includes wings Foster Riekena and Cooper Smith.

“They’ve been huge,” Sanders said. “There are not a lot of lines that play at the varsity level that are just three freshmen. They’ve been unreal, been producing all season.”

Colony head coach Jamie Smith said those freshmen don’t play like the average ninth graders.

“All three of those kids are physical. They’re tough. They lay it out there,” Smith said. “Those guys work so hard. They’re in the right spot, do what it takes.”

A physical presence proved to be key for a Knights unit that consistently worked three lines against the Lynx.

“We wanted to take it to them physically. We thought we could do that,” Smith said. “We took it to them, and got them on their heels right away.”

With that presence, the Knights were able to outshoot the Lynx 12-5 in the first period, and 23-8 in the first two frames combined.

The win moves Colony into the semifinal round, where the Knights will face West Anchorage Friday at 5 p.m. at the Menard Arena. West, the Cook Inlet Conference champions, used a late Kevin Hodsdon goal to sneak past upset-minded North Pole 2-1 earlier Thursday.

Colony’s win also capped the biggest first round for non-Anchorage schools in the state hockey tournament in more than 25 years. West will be the lone Anchorage school in the semifinals. On the other side of the bracket. West Valley blanked Service 4-0 and Wasilla scored a 4-3 double-overtime win over defending state champion South Anchorage.

With the first-round results, Friday will mark the first time since 1989 that two Valley teams and only one Anchorage team will compete in the 4A state semifinals. That year, Wasilla and Palmer advanced to the state final, with the Moose earning a 4-3 overtime victory over the Warriors. That season still marks the only year that a Valley team has advanced to the 4A state finals.

The quarterfinal results had Smith agreeing that Thursday marked the best day in Valley 4A hockey since 1989.

“No doubt about it. Two (Valley teams) advance the way they did, three Anchorage schools knocked out in the first round. When’s that happen? Not very often,” Smith said.

Colony 1, Dimond 0

4A quarterfinals

Thursday, Menard Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Colony- Hessinger (Riekena) 11:21.

Third period — no scoring

Shots on goal: Dimond 5-3-7—15, Colony 12-12-2—26; Saves: Dimond- C. Gardeline 12-11-2—25, Colony- Diltz 5-3-7—15.