Cousins forge friendly feud

WASILLA - From the moment two Mat-Su cousins crashed a four wheeler together when they were 4 years old, until the time they backed a vehicle out of the driveway and smashed into a tree, Josh King and Morgan Ochoa knew they would be spending an entire childhood banging heads, one way or another.

"They would just spend so much time together," Josh's mom Anne said. "Even now with their schedules so busy, they try to spend time together."

The two Alaskan-born cousins formed both a family bond and a childhood friendship since their arrival into the world.

When it came to hockey Josh and Morgan always found a way to be teammates, so when they got together to play, the only heads that got banged were those of the opposition.

The two defensemen skated onto the ice together last Monday night at Brett Memorial Arena, but things were little different. Instead of skating up the ice together, each would have to defend against the other.

Josh now skates for the Colony Knights, and Morgan plays for the Wasilla Warriors.

The two Mat-Su cousins met each other at the blue line after the drop of the puck in the Colony-Wasilla JV game Monday night. It was to be the first time ever that the two cousins opposed each other in competitive hockey.

"We don't want to kill each other or anything," Morgan said after the game. "I didn't even know I was going to play him until I talked to him half an hour before the game."

For 10 years or better, even though they lived across the Valley from each other, the two cousins flourished as teammates coming up through Midgets and Mites hockey programs with Mat-Su Hockey Association and the Susitna Hockey Association, Morgan Ochoa's mom Evelyn said.

Their moms would take turns car pooling the boys to and from games and practices in an effort to keep their childhood bond strong.

"We go to Hope for a weekend getaway every summer," Morgan's mother said. "When our family goes there, the population of Hope swells two times.

This summer, Josh and Morgan even sold elephant ears together at the Kings' Alaska State Fair booth.

Now they are banging ears against each other.

Even though Josh scored a goal against his cousin in their JV game, Morgan wasn't that upset about King's one goal and one assist performance against his team. Both boys are too even-keeled to worry about that.

"Josh and Morgan have always played on the same team," Ann King said. "As mild and even-tempered as they are, they both go out there and do their jobs. They play where they're supposed to be. The only time [Josh] gets flattened, is when he's not paying attention."

Ann and Evelyn are still friends, as well as in-laws, even though their sons play on separate teams.

When it is game time, their moms' alliances are obvious, but each still has a soft spot for the opposing son.

"They are both good kids," Evelyn said. "I love Josh like he's my own."