Ravens enjoying early success

MAT-SU — During the last two seasons, Dudley Boehm, the head coach of the Mat-Su Ravens third-year girls prep hockey program, focused on the basics.

Successfully learning the fundaments of the game and developing skills overshadowed wins and losses.

But now, all the work is starting to pay off.

The Ravens improved to 2-2-0 over the weekend with a pair of wins over the Fairbanks Arctic Bears at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

“They’ve really improved,” Boehm said. “We just keep working on the same stuff.”

Boehm’s players are also finally getting experience, he said.

“You can’t get better with out doing it, playing the games,” Boehm said. “I’m really pleased with their development.”

The Ravens started at three-game series against Fairbanks with two wins. Mat-Su skated to a 5-3 win on Thursday and then posted the 4-0 shutout the following afternoon.

In both of their losses, the Ravens took their opponent to overtime.

Chugiak/Eagle River slipped past Mat-Su 3-2 in the season-opener on Nov. 4, and Fairbanks edged the Ravens 6-5 in the extra period on Saturday.

Mat-Su has also scored 16 goals this season, averaging a healthy four goals per game.

Senior Rosey Fujimoto, who skated with the Colony Knights boys’ team last year, has scored 12 points in Mat-Su’s first four games. Fujimoto, the leading scorer during Mat-Su’s inaugural season in 2006-07, has six goals and six assists.

Senior Jessica Larrabee has scored six times and shares the team lead for goals with Fujimoto. Larrabee also has two assists.

Blueliner Louisa Good has four assists.

Mat-Su has four seniors on the squad — Fujimoto, Larrabee, Kammie Finch and Kyla Gauthier — and six juniors.

Among the juniors are forward Carrie Glatz and defenseman MIranda Psenak.

In goal the Ravens have Dominique Schuetter, who earned her first career shutout in the 4-0 win over Fairbanks.

Boehm said overall, the early wins combined with the fact the Ravens capped the 2007-08 season with a victory, the success is contributing to the development of the athletes and programs.

“The victories have given them some confidence,” Boehm said. “We could be sitting at four wins real easily.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.