Valley Grown: Former Colony skaters continue as teammates in junior hockey

PALMER — During their final two seasons of high school hockey, Jake Hessinger and Cooper Smith helped lead the Colony Knights to back-to-back third-place finishes in the Division I state tournament.

Hessinger and Smith continue to enjoy success together, but now at the junior level as forward on the Granite City Lumberjacks of the North American 3 Hockey League. Hessinger and Smith combined to post a six-point night during an 8-0 win over the Wisconsin Whalers Oct. 20 at the Armadillo Deck Sports Arena in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.

Hessinger notched his first career junior hockey hat trick in the victory. Smith collected a career-high three assists.

Smith also helped set up a pair of Hessinger goals within a 31-second span in the third.

Hessinger now has six points (4 goals, 2 assists) in four games this season. Smith has four points (1-3-4) in five games.

In his second career game, Hessinger bagged his first career goal and two assists during a 7-0 win over the Wilmar WarHawks Sept. 28. Smith, also skating in his second career game that night, netted his first career goal against the WarHawks.

Granite City is in second place of the NA3HL West Division with an 8-1-0 record.

Hessinger and Smith are among seven Valley products currently on NA3HL rosters. The list also includes former Houston forward Isaac Smoldon (Bozeman), former Wasilla player Larson Tubbs (Breezy Point), and former Palmer players Garrett Ropka (Alexandria), Cody Grogan (Gillette) and Valery Dietz (Helena).

Smoldon is also off to a strong start in the NA3HL. The former Houston standout enjoyed a big debut, with three goals and an assist in his first career junior hockey game, a 13-0 win over Butte on Sept. 8. Smoldon now has three goals and five assists in 11 games this season. Bozeman is 6-5-0, and in third place of the Frontier Division.

Ropka is in his first season with Alexandria, and has skated in six games for the Blizzard, who are in fourth place in the West.

Tubbs is also in his first season in the league, and has a goal and three assists in 12 games for Breezy Point, which is 2-9-1 overall.

Dietz is in his third season in the NA3HL. The defenseman has helped the Bighorn start the season with a 12-0-0 record. Dietz has a goal, seven assists and a +13 rating.

Grogan, a goalie in his second season in the league, is 2-2-0 in five games with the Wild, who are 3-6-1-1.

** Valley Grown is a regular feature that highlights the work of Valley athletes at the next level. Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.