Houston grappler grabs state title

JEREMIAH BARTZ/Sports Editor

WASILLA -- Some times from the drop of the puck, to the final gun, things simply go one team's way. That was the case Saturday for the Kenai Kardinals.

Kenai, the reigning Region III champions, defeated Colony, a team that has been charging up the conference ladder, 6-1 at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Tuesday.

The Kardinals scored their first four goals in two quick spurts en route to their eighth win of the season. Kenai took a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals within an 18-second span in the first period, and jumped to a 4-0 lead with two more goals within a 32-second span lead in the second period.

With its first four goals, Kenai perfected the art known as grabbing the garbage goal -- knocking pucks off the post, into the net, off players into the net and even off a goaltenders skate into the net.

"The puck just started bouncing our way," Kenai captain C.J. Henley said. "We just had all the bounces, all the breaks."

Kenai took an early 1-0 lead with a John McGlausson garbage tally in the first period. Kenai forward Cody Carver put a shot on net and Colony netminder Tyrel Henkel lunged out to make the save. On the save, the puck bounced just in front of Henkel, who lied flat after diving onto the ice. McGlausson picked up the puck and flipped it over Henkel into the net.

"We came out flying, anything to put the puck in the net," Henley said. "We drove the net and put the puck in. That kind of deflated their sails."

Just 18 seconds later Nelson Kempf knocked a puck off the crossbar and into the net to give Kenai a 2-0 lead.

In the second period McGlausson gave the Kardinals a 3-0 lead with his second goal of the game. After putting his initial shot on goal, McGlausson hammered at the skate of Henkel with his stick and the puck slid past the red line.

And 32 seconds later Kenai took a 4-0 lead when Micah Lillard fed forward Aaron Lampman-Reid on a one-timer tally.

Henley and Carick Cristiano also scored for Kenai.

Justin Grey notched the lone score for the Knights. Late in the third period, Grey took a forward from fellow forward Chris Arentz, and muscled the puck past Kenai netminder Dan Silver.

Colony outshot the Kardinals 28-22 in the contest, but couldn't seem to get the puck past Silver.

"He was a brick wall, made the first save and played the rebounds," Henley said.

The physical Colony forwards, led by the first line of Ryan Pauling, Teemu Maki and Austin Manelick, provided a great deal of action in front of the Kenai net, but Silver was able to control the rebounds.

The Kenai special teams were also able to kill six power plays, including two key 5-on-3 situations.

With the win, Kenai remains in first place in the conference with a 4-0-1 record. Colony suffered its first loss in Region III play and slipped to 4-1-0. Wasilla stands at 3-1-1.

Wasilla 2, Kenai 2

Word around the pond is Wasilla played its best game of the season in a 2-2 tie against the defending Region III champion Kenai Kardinals on Friday.

Junior Tanner Dutcher scored a pair of goals for Wasilla, with possibly his biggest tally of the season coming with just 17 seconds left in regulation to force the tie. Dutcher scored his first goal in the contest early in the second period.

Ronnie Walker helped the Warriors earn a key Region III point with 33 saves in the game.

Wasilla 4, Soldotna 3

The Warriors improved to 3-1-1 in conference play with a 4-3 overtime win over the Soldotna Stars on Saturday.

Joel Kenworthy scored the game winner 1 minute, 25 seconds into the overtime period to move the Warriors within a game of first-place Kenai.

The Warriors trailed 3-0 going into the third period, but Track Palin, Alex Gittlein and Andrew Tumbleson recorded goals in the final frame to force overtime.

Walker made 30 saves in the contest.

Colony 10, Skyview 1

Austin Manelick posted a natural hat trick and led the Knights to a 10-1 Region III win over Skyview on Friday.

Manelick, a junior forward, scored at the 2:11 mark of the first period, at 3:54 and again 25 seconds later at the 4:19 mark of the first. Ryan Pauling assisted on each of the Manelick goals.

Teemu Maki and Chris Arentz each scored twice in the game.

Skyview 5, Palmer 2

The Skyview Panthers slipped past the Palmer Moose 5-2 in Region III hockey action at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena on Saturday. Dylan Schindele led the Moose with a pair of scores.

Soldotna defeated Palmer 8-1 on Friday.

Houston 1, Chugiak 1

The Houston Hawks, the defending 3A state champions, skated to a 1-1 tie against 4A power Chugiak at the McDonald Ice Arena in Eagle River on Friday.

Rick Morlock scored the lone tally for the Hawks, midway though the first period. Larry Kincaid and Devin Styers each assisted on the play.

Netminder Paul Sutton-Jones was stellar in goal, stopping 38 of 39 Chugiak shots.

Saturday, Houston earned a 13-1 over Glennallen.