Closing the gap

WASILLA — A prime time clash between a prep dynasty and the hometown heroes awaits Wasilla hockey fans on the opening day of the 2008 First National Cup Alaska State Hockey Championships at the Menard Memorial Ice Arena.

Wasilla, which defeated Soldotna 3-2 over the weekend to claim the North Star Conference championship, will face three-time defending state champion South Anchorage in the 7:15 p.m. game Thursday in a rematch of a 2-1 South win in mid-January.

Following his team's win in the NLC final, Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant said he thinks the Warriors have already shown they can skate with the Cook Inlet Conference power.

“I know we're capable of doing really well against South, so we're looking forward to it,” he said.

But Sturdevant also knows his team will have its “hands full” with a team that has never lost a state tournament game.

“They're a three-time state champion, so they're going to be ready to play,” he said.

Anchorage teams traditionally dominate the Alaska 4A state tournament, which no team from outside the Municipality has won since Palmer's 4-3 victory over Wasilla in 1989. That game marked the last time a Cook Inlet Conference team failed to win the 4A title. Since then, only one non-CIC team — West Valley in 2000 — has even reached the final.

But this year could be different. While the CIC will again be favorites, several close games this season between CIC and NSC teams — including the Wasilla-South game in January — showed the gap may be narrowing.

“I think this year in particular, a lot of the schools are close,” Sturdevant said.

A Wasilla win over South would go a long way toward helping the Warriors improve a disappointing state tournament record in recent seasons. Though this will be Wasilla's fifth consecutive state tournament appearance, the Warriors have not finished higher than fifth.

Wasilla’s 2007-08 team may just be talented enough to make a run deep into the bracket. With both veteran leadership and young talent, Wasilla lost just once to a NSC opponent this season as they established themselves as one of the top teams in the state.

The Warriors are led by standout senior Adam Friese, a first-team all-conference forward who anchors a first line that also includes sophomore Matthew Friese, who led the Warriors in scoring in the conference tournament.

Matthew Friese said Wasilla has few expectations this week other than to play as well as possible and let the results take care of themselves.

“Obviously everyone's first goal is first place, but we'll see what happens,” he said. “We'll just go out there and give it our best and have some fun.”

Wasilla's doesn't end with the Friese brothers. Forwards Dane Wilson and Joe Barkley were named second-team all-conference players, and freshman forward Trent Wohlers scored the game-winning goal against Soldotna last Saturday in

Homer.

The Warrior defense is led by two all-conference performers, Ben Barber (first team) and Jordan Elkins (second team), who has already signed to play Division I women's hockey at Quinnipiac next season.

Who starts in net could be the biggest question for Wasilla. Senior Jesse Hugli was pulled midway through the SoHi game in favor of junior Jake Dargis, but Sturdevant said he has confidence in both his veteran netminders.

“All year we've relied on both those goalies every other game,” he said.

Dargis does have experience in his favor. The junior made 36 saves in Wasilla's loss to the Wolverines three weeks ago.

South will present a formidable challenge for Wasilla, having lost just three games this season. On offense, the Wolverines have a very big weapon in senior forward Robb Haider.

Haider, the reigning Alaska player of the year, will be looking to cap a stellar Alaska prep career with a fourth state title.

Defensively, the Wolverines also have perhaps the best blue line pair in the state in Dan Carson and Trevor Allred.

In order to pull out a victory over the Wolverines and advance into the second round, Sturdevant said his team will likely have to play its best hockey of the season.

“It's going to come down to smart hockey and everyone playing perfect hockey at that point,” he said.

In other first-round games, Service will face Mid-Alaska champion Lathrop at 10:45 a.m., Chugiak will take on West Valley at 12:45 p.m. and SoHi will battle CIC champion Dimond at 5 p.m.

All tournament games will be played at the Menard Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com