South slips past Wasilla

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Sports Editor

WASILLA -- The South Anchorage Wolverines slipped past the Wasilla Warriors 3-1 on Tuesday at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena.

Though South, ranked third in the latest Anchorage Daily News/Coaches Prep Hockey Poll, earned the two-goal nonconference victory, Wasilla showed the ability to earn the upset.

"We played awesome," Wasilla head coach Eric Troisi said. "With four minutes left we were right there. We had a chance to win really.

"It was the best game we've played so far."

South scored a pair of quick goals in the first period to take a 2-0 lead, but the Wasilla defense, led by the goaltending of sophomore Ronnie Walker, held the speedy South squad scoreless in the second period.

Just less than five minutes into the third frame, blueliner Spencer Galvin took a pass from forward Track Palin and popped the puck into the Wolverine net to cut the lead to 2-1. Blueliner Carl Brent also assisted on the play.

Walker stopped 33 of 36 shots in the game for

Wasilla.

Wasilla, which faced North Pole last night, hosts a pair of Fairbanks schools this weekend. The Warriors take on West Valley, the state's fourth ranked team, today at 5 p.m. at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena and Lathrop, Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at the Menard Arena.

Results of the Wasilla and North Pole match were not available before press time.

Colony and Palmer are also in action in the Valley this weekend. Colony faces North Pole at the Menard Rink tonight at 7 p.m. Palmer takes on Lathrop tonight and North Pole Saturday. Each game is at 5 p.m. at the Wasilla Sports Complex.