Knights, Warriors ready to skate into state tourney

WASILLA — Valley hockey programs have enjoyed steady success in the North Star Conference Championships in recent memory. But for decades, after moving on to the state tournament, there’s a point at which Valley teams have struggled.

The first round of the state tournament.

But that trend has seen a shift in the last few years, and in a wide-open 2017 state tourney, a pair of local programs hope to find more success when the puck drops at the ASAA First National Cup Thursday at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

Two-time defending North Star defending champion Colony and Wasilla, the 2017 NSC runner-up, will each hit the ice in the eight-team 4A state tournament that most see as up for grabs.

“It’s the most parity I’ve ever seen in the state tournament,” Colony head coach Jamie Smith said earlier this week. “There are six teams that could win this thing.”

Wasilla opens the tournament Thursday at 5 p.m. against Eagle River. Colony follows against Dimond at 7:30 p.m.

Both aim to continue recent success, rather than relive past struggles. In 2015, both Colony and Wasilla notched first-round wins, marking the first time since 1989 that a pair of Valley teams advanced to the semifinals. Both teams fell in the semis, and Wasilla went on to beat Colony in the third-place game. It marked Wasilla’s second-straight third-place finish, and only the third top-3 finish in program history. Palmer, the lone Valley team to earn a 4A state hockey title, beat Wasilla in overtime in the 1989 championship game.

But aside from that, first-round wins have been few and far between. In the last 20 years, Valley hockey teams have combined to win only five first-round games in the 4A tournament. Wasilla earned first-round wins in 2005, 2014 and 2015. Palmer notched a first-round victory in 2009, and Colony captured its first state quarterfinal win in school history in 2015.

But high school hockey has improved overall in the Valley, Smith said.

“I think now we’re definitely deeper. That’s where we’ve always struggled with in the past,” Smith said. “We had maybe a line-and-a-half that could play against the Anchorage teams. Now we’re a little deeper.”

Local players are also seeing the competition as more even.

“I feel like we’re pretty even with them,” Colony junior Jake Hessinger said after the Knights earned their second straight region title. “We came play with them. We can hang.”

Wasilla head coach Trent Schachle is also seeing that improvement.

“Year to year we have good athletes,” Schachle said.

Schachle also sees the parity among the teams in the field in 2017.

“It’s anybody that shows up. It’s what team that shows up and plays consistent,” Schachle said. “Its anybody’s game.”

Wasilla opens with Eagle River, the No. 2 seed from the Cook Inlet Conference. The teams met in Wasilla’s season-opener, with Eagle River scoring a 6-4 victory in the back-and-forth game.

“We’re excited. They have a good team. They move the puck well,” Schachle said.

Colony drew Dimond, the No. 4 seed from the CIC.

“Dennis is going to have those guys ready to play,” Smith said of longtime Dimond bench boss Dennis Sorenson.

The teams skated to a 3-3 tie early in the regular season.

“We played them early. We’re much better. I am sure they are as well,” Smith said.

Colony and Dimond share the top side of the bracket with CIC champion Chugiak and Juneau-Douglas, the Mid-Alaska Conference runner-up. Chugiak meets Juneau Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The Chugiak/Juneau winner faces the Colony/Dimond winner Friday at 5 p.m. in the semifinals. The loser of each quarterfinal game meets Friday at noon in the consolation semifinals.

MAC champion West Valley and South Anchorage, the No. 3 seed from the CIC, share the bottom side of the bracket with Eagle River and Wasilla. West Valley meets South Thursday at noon in the first round. The West Valley/South winner and the Eagle River/Wasilla winner plays Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals. The losers of those first-round games meet Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the consolation semifinals.

The 2017 4A state title game is scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m.

All 4A state tournament games are at the Menard Arena.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.