Pucks dropped on new season

The first pucks have dropped in the 2003-04 prep hockey season.

After finishing as the 3A runner-up for the first time in three seasons last year, the Houston Hawks are looking to re-take the small school state title.

Colony, Wasilla and Palmer are looking to rebound from difficult 2002-03 seasons and earn a spot in the 2004 4A state tournament.

Houston, 20-4 overall and 12-0 in conference play last season, is expected to be the small school team to beat once again, as it continues to churn out large school caliber talent.

Gone is Greatland Conference player of the year Jake Williams, who is now playing junior hockey in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League, but returning is Williams' younger brother Wade.

Wade, the Hawks leading goal-scorer from a year ago, leads a talented group of young forwards that includes Larry Kincaid, Devin Styers, Jimmy Estes and Rick Morlock.

The Hawks should field at least two lines that can skate with anyone in the state.

The Hawk blueline will be led by Roy Stull and James Hundley.

Wasilla (3-17-1, 2-7-1) struggled early last season, but made improvements as the year went on. Eric Troisi, in his second year at the helm of Warrior hockey, will look to lead a young team into the state tourney.

The Warriors will be led on the blueline by Spencer Syverston and offensively by Chase Korsmo and Andrew Tumbleson.

Dean Papasodora will start in goal for Wasilla.

Palmer (9-12, 4-6) was one of the most improved squads in Region III last season.

Although the Moose lost four key seniors, Jonah Stewart, Dan Borschetti, Eli Riggs and Dwayne McKenzie, Palmer continues to build a deeper squad.

The Moose will be led by sophomore goaltender Kyle Berti, and forwards Kent Blaylock, Alex Senta, Sam Roy and Jaxon Logan.

Head coach Brian Fish also expects freshman Spencer Galvin to provide a scoring punch.

Colony (9-14, 4-6) graduated a large senior class that included all-region selections Chris Crosta and Matt Luthi, but the cupboard is not exactly bare.

The Knights depth is primarily on the offense end with Ryan Pauling, Chris Arentz, Chase Allington and Patrick Geary leading the way.

Colony, which also lost defenseman Kostas Lambernakis, will be looking for leaders on the blueline to emerge. Lambernakis is now playing junior hockey.

Colony's success may be decided by the play of its netminders. The Knights tandem of goalies struggled throughout last season and were the primary weakness on an otherwise talented team.

Tyrel Henkel, a newcomer to the Knight program, has played well in net early in the season. Colony also returns Nolan Rein and Alan Markus, who split time in goal last season for

Colony.

Added to the mix is former Houston standout Matt Dischner, who transferred from Houston High School to Colony due to personal and academic reasons.

Since Dischner already transferred within the Mat-Su School District once, from Wasilla to Houston earlier in his career, the goaltender is forced to sit out 18 weeks.

Dischner is practicing with the team, but will not be eligible until the week of the Region III tournament.