Young talent

WASILLA — Trent Wohlers isn’t the typical freshman on a varsity hockey team, and the young forward is certainly not putting up the varsity numbers typical of a freshman.

Wohlers posted three goals and two assists to lead the Wasilla Warriors to a 12-1 North Star Conference win over the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena on Friday.

“He’s a real smart player,” Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant said after the win. “He’s definitely an older player than his year.”

At the beginning of the season, Sturdevant inserted Wohlers on Wasilla’s top offensive line along with two of the Warriors’ most skilled players Adam and Matthew Friese.

“Before the season I was really hoping I’d get to play with them,” Wohlers said of his linemantes, the Friese brothers. “I’m good friends with both of them. When the coach told me I was playing with them, I was really excited.”

On the first line, Wohlers has prospered, and has consistently put up numbers that would make upperclassmen jealous.

With his five points on Friday and another assist in Wasilla’s win over Homer on Saturday, Wohlers ranks fifth on the Warriors squad with 22 points.

He’s also tied with Matthew Friese for second on the squad with 12 goals. He has a team-high two power-play goals, and two of his scores have been game-winners.

Wohlers said the ability to skate alongside players with the caliber of the Friese brothers has made him a better player.

“I’ve played on other lines and done all right, but they’re amazing to play with,” Wohlers said. “They have an eye for the game. They just know how to play.”

Sturdevant said he chose Wohlers to be the third man on the first line because he thought the skills of the young forward would compliment those of both Adam and Matthew Friese.

“He knows how to play without the puck,” Sturdevant said. “Any player who’s going to play with Matthew and Adam — those two are brothers obviously and are going to have chemistry — must be able to fill those empty lanes and get into those spots where other teams may not be looking for him.

“Plus he’s got a great shot.”

Early in the season Sturdevant said he had a feeling Wohlers was going to rise to the top of what is a talented crop of freshman in the Wasilla hockey program.

“I knew coming in this year as a freshman he was going to be an impact player,” Sturdevant said. “You hope for one freshman a year for that to happen. Last year we had Matthew, this year I knew we were going to have Trent. A couple of other freshman are close — Ryder Conroy and Mikey Edwards.”

Wohlers has helped Wasilla skate at the front of the pack of the North Star Conference for most of the season. Despite a 4-1 loss to Soldonta on Thursday, the Warriors remain in first place with a 6-1-0 conference mark.

Wasilla is slated to play Valley rival Colony tonight at 7 p.m. at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena. On Wednesday, the Warriors will travel to Anchorage to face the three-time defending 4A state champion South Anchorage Wolverines at 6:30 p.m. at the Ben Boeke Ice Arena.

Warriors skate

past Homer

WASILLA — The Wasilla Warriors skated to a 17-2 win over the Homer Mariners at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena on Saturday.

Senior Joe Barkley led the Warriors with two goals and six assists in the game.

Senior Herbie Mansavage scored a game-high three goals in the win.

Mansavage (3-1-4), junior Levi Johnson (1-3-4), junior Travis Koso (1-3-4) and sophomore Matthew Friese (2-2-4) each posted four points in the game.

Freshman Chris Yaskus stopped 11 of the 13 Homer shots he faced to earn the win in the Warriors net.

Wasilla 17, Homer 2

Saturday, Brett Memorial Ice Arena

First period — 1. Wasilla- A. Friese (M. Friese, Barkley) 13:04, 2. Wasilla- Mansavage (Barkley, Johnston) 10:33, 3. Wasilla- Barkley (Johnston), 4. Homer- Pitta (unassisted) 3:55, 5. Wasilla- M. Friese (Barber, Wohlers) 4:32, 6. Wasilla- Finch (Turner, Koso) 4:08, 7. Wasilla- Miller (Barkley, Mansavage) 1:41.

Second period — 8. Wasilla- Johnston (Barkley, Barber) 13:35, 9. Wasilla- Barkley (unassisted) 13:03, 10. Wasilla- A. Friese (Elkins) 9:43, 11. Wasilla- Edwards (Conroy, Marshall) 9:16, 12. Homer- Swanson (Buckley) 6:50, 13. Wasilla- Mansavage (Barkley) 6:34, 14. Wasilla- Mansavage (Johnston, Day) 3:14, 15. Wasilla- M. Friese (A. Friese) 2:12, 16. Wasilla- Conroy (Edwards) pp 00:10.

Third period — 17. Wasilla- Koso (Barkley, M. Friese) 13:37, 18. Wasilla- Marshall (Koso) 9:08, 19. Wasilla- Barber (Koso, Edwards) 4:48.

Shots on goal: Homer 5-8-0—13, Wasilla 17-20-8—45; Saves: Homer- Eckert 11-12-5—28, Wasilla- Yaskus 4-7-0—11; Penalties; Homer 7-for-17, Wasila 8-for-16.

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