Warrior pucksters sport youth, depth

WASILLA --The Wasilla hockey squad boasts a deep and talented corps of athletes from its 2003-04 state tournament qualifying team, so there is a reason to be optimistic in the land of Warrior pucks.

But the optimistic Warriors, eager to see where they stand in the North Star Conference, have been eager just to get on the ice in a game setting.

"It's been a weird year," Wasilla third-year head coach Eric Troisi said. "We haven't had too many games."

Wasilla has skated in just three games in the first month of the season -- the Warriors split a pair of games against small school opponents and defeated Palmer 17-3 on Wednesday.

But the Warriors will be quickly thrown into competition as they play 11 games in a four-week stretch starting with Saturday's match against Chugiak at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena. That stretch includes a trio of tough Anchorage area opponents -- Chugiak, South and West -- the defending North Star Conference champions,Kenai, and the top team from the Fairbanks area, West Valley.

"We have a lot of good competition now until Christmas," Troisi said. "That'll be a good gauge on how we are."

Fortunately for the Warriors, many of the key components return from last season.

"This is the strongest team we've had since I've been here," Troisi said.

That depth and strength for the Warriors resides in their sophomore and junior classes. Wasilla returns nine juniors and six sophomores -- all of whom saw action at the varsity level last season and many of whom were regular skaters on

varsity.

Wasilla's junior class includes forward Tanner Dutcher, who tied for the team lead with 12 assists last season, James Elkins, one of this season's assistant captains, and Alex Gittlein, Wasilla's captain on the blueline.

The talented Warrior sophomore class includes Jeremiah Dargis, who was second on the squad with 20 points last season and Ronnie Walker, the Warriors' top netminder.

Another talented sophomore Spencer Galvin is new to the Warrior squad. Galvin, who skated for Palmer last season, was among conference scoring leaders last season with 18 goals and 18 assists.

Walker returns as one of the top goaltenders in the North Star Conference.

"He played fantastic last year for us," Troisi said.

The Warriors' leading returning scorer is also the lone returning senior. Andrew Tumbleson led the club with 13 goals and 10 assists last season.

With the club sporting both youth and experience, Wasilla looks to be deep at each position -- especially at the forward position.

Tumbleson said a key for the Warriors will be their ability to run four forward lines, and keep running them -- a first during his four years at WHS.