Valley hockey players win gold

WASILLA — As a young hockey player growing up in Wasilla, Trent Schachle had the chance to compete for Team Alaska in the Arctic Winter Games. Schachle, now a hockey coach and a father, wanted the same experience for his boys.

Last week, Schachle’s sons, Tanner and Porter, competed for Team Alaska during the Arctic Winter Games in Fairbanks, and each helped lead their respective hockey teams to championships.

“It was a great experience,” said Trent Schachle, who served as an assistant coach for the Team Alaska boys bantam team during the 2014 AWG. “That’s why we decided to put in for the kids (to go).”

Schachle said both of his sons enjoyed the opportunity to compete with players from across Alaska, and against athletes from a handful of Canadian provinces. The AWG is an international event hosted every two years, created to celebrate both sports and culture. Former Alaska Gov. Wally Hickel helped create the games in 1989, with the cooperation of leaders from the Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory. Athletes from Alaska; Alberta, Canada; Northwest Territories, Canada; Nunavik, Quebec, Canada; Nunavut, Canada; Yukon, Canada; Sami; Yamalo-Nenets, Russia; and Greenland participate in the event.

More than a dozen Valley athletes in seven sports participated in the 2014 AWG, and six brought gold ulus back to the Valley.

Porter Schachle, Matthew Bembenek, Braden Brunnhoelzl and Gunner Stadem helped lead Team Alaska to gold ulu in the boys bantam hockey class. The squad, which featured four Valley players and Trent Schachle on the coaching staff, finished undefeated in the tournament. Team Alaska beat Alberta 5-1 in the gold ulu game. Bembenek and Porter Schachle each finished with a goal and an assist in the win.

Stadem notched a five-point game as Team Alaska beat Nunavut 7-1 in the semifinals. Stadem recorded a hat trick, and added two assists. Schachle finished with a goal and an assist against Nunavut.

Team Alaska also beat Nunavut 5-0, Alberta-North 2-0 and Northwest Territories 2-1 during round-robin play.

Stadem and Brunnhoelzl each recently capped their freshmen seasons at Colony High. Bembenek recently finished his freshman season at Palmer.

A pair of Wasilla High players, Tanner Schachle and Wyatt Monear, helped lead Team Alaska to a gold ulu in the boys midget hockey class.

Team Alaska edged Northwest Territories 5-4 in overtime to win the gold ulu. Schachle finished with a pair of assists during the win. Monear made 39 saves in the Team Alaska goal. He stopped all 14 shots he saw in the third period and overtime.

Team Alaska rallied from a 4-1 deficit to earn the win.

Team Alaska beat Team Yukon 8-6 in the semifinals. Monear had 29 saves. Schachle finished with a goal and assist.

Team Alaska was also 3-1-1 in round-robin play. Schachle finished with nine points in the tournament. Monear made more than 20 saves three times during the tournament.

Kristina Rice of Wasilla also won a bronze ulu during the AWG. Rice helped Team Alaska win the bronze in the junior female class in indoor soccer.

Team Alaska beat Team Nunavut 6-1 in the bronze ulu game.

2014 Arctic Winter Games

Valley athletes

Cross-country skiing — Greta Jenkins, Palmer; Tatjana Spaic, Palmer; Dene Games — Misty Wilmarth-Agoff, Palmer; Robert Strick, Wasilla; Hockey — Braden Brunnhoelzl, Palmer; Gunnar Stadem, Wasilla; Matthew Bembenek, Wasilla; Porter Schachle, Wasilla; Tanner Schachle, Wasilla; Trent Schachle (coach), Wasilla; Wyatt Monear, Wasilla; Indoor soccer — Kristina Rice, Wasilla; Short track speed skating — Sequoia Peterson, Wasilla; Volleyball — Mackenzie Everett, Palmer; Wrestling — Caleb Nay, Wasilla.