Hawks knockoff 4A foes

FAIRBANKS -- The Houston Hawks finished 2-1 on a three-game weekend road trip to Fairbanks.

Houston defeated North Pole and Lathrop, each by the score of 4-3, and fell to state power West Valley 2-1.

After falling behind to the Patriots 2-0 during the first game of the trip, Houston notched four goals in the second period to overcome North Pole.

Matthew Bertling, Rick Morlock, Jamie Bennett and Wade Williams each scored for Houston.

The following night against Lathrop, Houston trailed the Malemutes 3-2 with just 41 seconds left in regulation. After a timeout, Jake Williams took a pass from Bennett and put the puck past Lathrop goaltender Adam Fisher for the game-tying score.

Just seconds later, Houston goaltender Paul Jones-Sutton left the crease and pushed the puck out to Hawk defensemen James Hoadley who found teammate Wade Williams cutting up the ice. Williams scored on a breakaway with just 12 seconds left to give the Hawks the 4-3 win.

"It was an excellent game, back and forth," Houston head coach Jamie Smith said of the victory over Lathrop. "We were blasted with penalties, otherwise it might not have been that close."

Houston received 30 minutes of penalties in just the first period of play, including a pair of 10-minute misconducts.

In the third game of the trip, West Valley's Caleb Harrison broke a 1-1 stalemate with just over four minutes left in the second period to give the Wolfpack the eventual 2-1 win.

Morlock scored the lone goal for Houston.

Each of the games were played at the Carlson Center, which houses the 200-foot by 100-foot, international ice surface.

"It was an advantage for us," Smith said. "We have some speed. We have four or five guys who are tough to deal with on the open ice."

Houston normally plays on the 200-foot by 85-foot ice surface of the Brett Ice Arena.

The trip to Fairbanks provided some of the stiffest competition Houston has seen this year. Each of the three schools skates in the state's 4A ranks and West Valley has been ranked as high as third in the state this season.

"This is the best we have played all year, even the third game we should have won," Smith said. "The kids needed this as we head right into the run toward state."

Houston improved to 11-3 overall and 7-3 against 4A opponents.