Buffalo State recognizes Wasilla product

WASILLA — A Mat-Su Career and Technical School graduate and former member of the Wasilla Warriors hockey team has been recognized by Buffalo State College and the Northeast Women’s Hockey League.

Cheyenne Matson, a sophomore defenseman for the Division III Bengals women’s hockey team, has been named the Buffalo State Athlete of the Week and the NEWHL Player of the Week. Matson enjoyed a four-point weekend as the Buffalo, New York, program skated to a win and tie. The blueliner bagged a pair of assists during a 6-3 win over Stevenson (Maryland), and factored into both of her team’s goals, recording a goal and assist, in a 2-2 tie against Stevenson the following day.

Prior to the series, Matson had just a point in her first 12 games of the year. Matson scored her first career goal against Trinity (Connecticut) Nov. 26. Her five points, two goals and three assists, equal a career best. Matson collected five assists as a freshman.

In addition to her time with the Warriors, Matson also skated for the Alaska All-Stars.

Matson is among a handful of Wasilla products currently competing in women’s hockey at the college ranks. The list includes Matson’s younger sister, Olivia, who is a freshman at Division III Aurora University in Illinois.

Olivia Matson, a 5-foot-3 freshman forward, has an assist in 11 games this season. She recorded her first career point during a 5-1 loss to St. Norbert College (Wisconsin) on Nov. 3. Matson also played for the Alaska All-Stars.

One of Matson’s teammates with the All-Stars, Ally Hull, is a freshman forward for Division III Concordia University in Wisconsin. Hull has a pair of assists in a dozen games this season. She grabbed her first career assist during a 3-2 win over Marian (Wisconsin) on Nov. 11 and recorded an assist on her team’s lone goal during a 1-0 win over Morrisville State (New York) Nov. 25.

NAHL update

Former Wasilla High standout Tanner Schachle currently leads the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the Junior A Tier II North American Hockey league in both goals and points.

Schachle, a 6-3 forward and UAA commit, has 11 goals, 16 assists and 27 points in 26 games this season. Schachle is currently riding a five-game point streak, with two goals and seven assists during that stretch.

Fairbanks leads the NAHL’s Midwest Division.

Schachle’s high school teammate, Colton Fletcher, is among team leaders for the NAHL’s Aberdeen Wings. Fletcher has seven goals and 11 assists for the Aberdeen, South Dakota, program. He is third on the team with 18 points.

Former Colony High standout Josh Boyer leads the NAHL’s Brookings Blizzard with 24 points. The forward has eight goals and 16 assists in 25 games.

** Editor’s note: Valley Grown is a regular Frontiersman feature that highlights the work of Mat-Su athletes who continue to compete beyond the prep level. Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.