Knights win region title

SOLDOTNA — After Colony clinched a spot in the region title game Friday night with a win over rival Wasilla, the Knights knew, regardless of who they faced, either top-seed Palmer or fourth-seed Soldotna, Colony would have the chance to avenge a late-season defeat.

But that didn’t matter to the Knights. The January losses to Soldotna and Palmer were in the past. Colony’s focus won on winning a second straight region title.

And that’s exactly what the Knights did.

Three different players scored goals and goaltender Joey Diltz earned a 21-save shutout to lead the Knights to a 3-0 win over Soldotna in the North Star Conference championship game Saturday afternoon at the Soldotna Sports Center.

“We didn’t even bring it up,” Colony head coach Jamie Smith said of the prior losses by cellphone from Soldotna after the victory. “That wasn’t our motivation. Back-to-back region titles, that was our motivation.”

Smith said the focus has been continuing to build a championship tradition, giving Colony’s deep sophomore class a legitimate shot to win four titles in four years, and sending the Knights’ three seniors out as region champions.

Otto Thiele, Jake Hessigner and Cade Havel each scored for the Knights, and Diltz made 10 saves in the third period to help Colony preserve the win.

Diltz, who helped Colony post a 5-1 win over Wasilla in the semifinals Friday, saw 37 shots in two games, and made 36 saves.

“The best goalie in the league is Joey,” Smith said. “He’s definitely been fantastic for us.”

Diltz also outdueled Soldotna goaltender Billy Yoder, who made 34 saves to help Soldotna upset top-seeded Palmer 3-1 in the other semifinal match Friday. Yoder made 23 saves against the Knights, but allowed the three goals.

Overall, Smith praised the work of his entire team.

“The kids played fantastic,” Smith said.

The Knights had Hessinger back in the lineup, who missed a large chunk of the season with an injury. Smith said he also made a few minor tweaks to his forward lines, which proved to create successful combinations. Smith said he moved junior Cade Havel to the top line, with Thiele and Cooper Smith. He added the senior leadership of Cy Eller to the second line, and the steady presence of Foster Riekena to the third unit.

The top line provided two of Colony’s three goals.

“That line was dominant. They just controlled the offensive end,” Smith said.

Thiele gave Colony the early lead, wrapping a goal around the back left side of the net to the right to beat Yoder at the 11:31 mark of the first. The goal was set up by Cooper Smith driving the puck toward the crease.

With about five minutes to go in the second, Jacob Kirsch rang a shot off the crossbar, and Hessinger swept the loose puck into the net to give the Knights the 2-0 lead.

In the third, Cooper Smith took a pass right off the face off, and dropped the puck back to Havel, who put a quick shot on net.

The Knights earned a state tournament berth for the second consecutive year with the win over Wasilla Friday, and opens state tournament play against West Anchorage Thursday at the Menard Arena in Wasilla. Soldotna also qualified for state.

For more about the state tourney, see the Tuesday edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.

Knights win in semis

SOLDOTNA — Last season, the Colony Knights advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2006.

Friday, Colony made sure it wouldn’t take another nine years to make it to state.

Colony used five unanswered goals to post a 5-1 win over rival Wasilla during the semifinal round of the North Star Conference Championships at the Soldotna Sports Center in Soldotna.

With the win, Colony earned one of the conference’s two automatic berths to the state tournament, which starts Thursday at the Menard Arena in Wasilla. The Knights also moved forward to the North Star title match Saturday at 4:15 p.m., where they will face Soldotna, which stunned top-seeded Palmer 3-1 in the other semifinal match.

Otto Thiele scored a pair of goals for the Knights. Cooper Smith, Jacob Kirsch and Isaiah Hall also for the back of the net for the Knights, which outshot Wasilla 25-17.

After a scoreless first period, Dillon Matson gave the Warriors the first lead, scoring with 10:38 left in the second period. About three minutes later, Thiele answered with his first goal of the game. Smith recorded the eventual game-winner with 5:21 left in the second period.

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

Colony 3, Soldotna 0

North Star Conference title game

Saturday, Soldotna Sports Center

First period — 1. Colony- Thiele (Smith) 11:51.

Second period — 2. Colony- Hessinger (Kirsch, Crosta) 4:55.

Third period — 3. Colony- Havel (Smith) 7:30.

Shots on goal: Soldotna 4-7-10—21, Colony 8-11-7—26, Saves: Soldotna- Yoder 7-10-6—23, Colony- Diltz 4-7-10—21.

Colony 5, Wasilla 1

North Star Conference semifinals

Friday, Soldotna Sports Center

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Wasilla- D. Matson (Harren, Holohan) 10:38; 2. Colony- Thiele (unassisted) 7:33; 3. Colony- Smith (Thiele, Branch) 5:21; 4. Colony- Kirsch (unassisted) 4:40.

Third period — 5. Colony- Thiele (unassisted) 12:48; 6. Colony- I. Hall (Cole, McLaughlin) 2:25.

Shots on goal: Colony 12-9-4—25, Wasilla 4-6-7—16; Saves: Colony- Diltz 4-5-7—16, Wasilla- Curry 12-6-2—20.