Colony senior, Palmer coach earn North Star Conference awards

HOMER — Colony senior Blake Huppert was named the most valuable player of the North Star Conference following the NSC Tournament, Saturday in Homer.

Huppert, a four-year standout for the Knights, recorded 24 goals and 39 assists during his senior campaign. Huppert’s 63 points places him second on the program’s single-season scoring list.

Former Colony star Seth Reda posted a record 64 points as a senior.

Palmer’s Brad Hanson was named the conference’s coach of the year. The first-year head coach led the Moose to a 7-3-0 conference record during the regular season, and helped Palmer secure the third seed in the NSC tournament.

With Hanson on the bench, Palmer posted a first-round tournamnet win over Homer and was within one game of scoring its first state tournament berth since 1996.

Six Valley players were named first-team All-NLC.

Joining Huppert on the list of forwards are Wasilla senior Adam Friese, Palmer junior Zack Richards and Palmer junior Michael Hanson.

Also named to the first team were Colony junior defenseman Dominick Frank and Wasilla senior blueliner Ben Barber.

A trio of Wasilla players were winners in the NSC skill’s contest, during the three-day conference tournament.

Senior Joe Barkley was crowned the fastest skater, senior Brian Turner won the accuracy contest and freshman Trent Wohlers recorded the hardest slapshot, firing the puck 87 mph.

Wasilla won the conference title with a 3-2 win over Soldotna on Saturday, and will meet South Anchorage in the first round of the ASAA 4A State Hockey Tournament at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla at Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

All-North Star Conference

First team:

Forwards: Blake Huppert, Colony (MVP); Michael Hanson, Palmer; Zack Richards, Palmer; Adam Friese, Wasilla; Clayton Glick, Soldotna; Josh Pitta, Homer.

Defensemen: Dom Eubank, Kenai; Dominick Frank, Colony; Ben Barber, Wasilla; Kevin Garske, Soldotna.

Goalie: Mike McGrath, Soldotna.

Second-team:

Forwards: Risto Paatsama, Colony; Reed Erhardt, Kenai; Brad Duwe, Soldotna; Dane Wilson, Wasilla; Joe Barkley, Wasilla.

Defensemen: Chris Breck, Colony; Jeremy Wright, Palmer; Jordan Elkins, Wasilla; Brady Quinn, Homer.

Goalie: Matt Barrett, Kenai.

Honorable mention:

Forward: Anton Olson, Soldotna; Tracy Quance, Homer.

Defenseman: Nick Reeves, Palmer.

Good sport team:

Trevor Nickerson, Colony; Jesse Cassidy, Palmer; Holly Perkins, Kenai; Garrett Redford, Soldotna; Jesse Hugli, Wasilla; Tracy Quance, Homer.

Skills competition winners:

Speed skater: Joe Barkley, Wasilla; Hardest shot: Trent Wohlers, Wasilla; Most accurate: Brian Turner, Wasilla; Showdown: Clayton Glick, Soldotna, and Alex Koch, Kenai.

Hawks’ season ends with loss

NORTH POLE — A 4-3 loss to the North Pole Patriots marked the end of the 2007-08 season for the Houston Hawks.

Four different players scored for the Patriots during the North Pole win Saturday at the Polar Ice Arena in North Pole.

Senior Dillion Styers scored in the final prep hockey game of his high school career. Freshman Micah Ranum posted two goals for HHS.

Sophomore goaltender Will Rauchenstein recorded 51 saves.

— Jeremiah Bartz