by Jim Kilborn posted 03/10/2010
“What did you learn at school today?” Most kids probably dread that question, and provide revealing answers like, “stuff”, or better yet, “not much”. Roseville’s Squirt C4 team was asked a similar question in hockey form, specifically, “What did you learn at practice today?” Roseville gave a full and complete answer in the form of their undefeated run to the title of the Red Wing Invitational February 20-21, 2010.
Roseville’s weekend began early Saturday morning with a game against hosts Red Wing. Roseville stormed to an early 5-0 lead after the first period. The offense continued in the second and third period with a final score of 10-1. Timely rebound strikes by Zach Schiller and Ethan “The Green Hornet” Barton were bookended by hat tricks from Logan Alton and Brett Barrett.
The team returned to their hotel for K-P duty, (Knee Hockey, Pool), before their afternoon game against the Minneapolis Storm. The offense and scoring flew like the snowballs at the hotel pool; (That’s what happens when you combine kids and an indoor/outdoor pool). Another 10-1 victory was the final result, and Roseville paved their way to the final Sunday afternoon. Logan Alton stitched together another hat trick; Brett Barrett had a pair, as did Ethan Barton. Luke “Nifty” Debace also put his smooth puck handling to work, and scored near the end of period two. Bennett Sherwood also cashed in his hard work for a goal, while Denis Johnson forced turnovers and forechecked aggressively.
Thanks to information from the tournament directors, some of the team after their game was able to attend a sled hockey game at a nearby arena, featuring a team from Minnesota and one from Chicago. Parents and kids alike were amazed by the puck handling, passing, hard shooting, and aggressive play of both teams. Seeing this form of hockey is inspirational, and should not be missed. A team dinner gave the players a chance to see who really could eat five slices of pizza, and the parents the rare pleasure of conversation without worrying about where they had to run to next. The day ended with more fun in the pool, more snowballs, and bedtime that came earlier for some than others.
Sunday’s championship game brought a strong Stillwater Stallions team. With forwards Zach Olson and Alena Homich unavailable, Stillwater had at least four more skaters than Roseville. How would each team handle the heavy load put on them over a two day period? In Stillwater’s case, this included a shootout victory on Saturday to get to the final. Roseville scored first in the opening period, but Stillwater tied before the intermission. Roseville had the edge in shots, but both teams traded possession evenly. The second period featured another lead by Roseville, thanks to a heads up pass from Zach Schiller, and quick shooting from Brett Barrett. Not to be outdone, Stillwater tied again. Goalie Peter Kilborn and the defensive force of Sean Mark, Alexis Debace, and Kyle Fuller shut the door on Stillwater for the rest of the period, as Peter made saves when necessary, and the defense quickly cleared rebounds in front of the Roseville net. Period three saw more offense from both teams, and the shots and possession remained even. The two teams traded goals, and with 9:29 remaining Logan Alton restored Roseville’s lead. For the rest of the period, parents and coaches alike were as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. The players carried on with business as usual, including killing a rare penalty by Alexis “The Enforcer” Debace. Time seemed to move slower than a rainy summer weekend. Finally the green light lit, and Roseville celebrated their well earned victory.
The players took home the hardware, and coaches Pat Barrett, Greg Fuller, and Scott Mark took home the answer to what their students have learned at the ice arena academy. Not for the first time this winter, there were contributions that did not show up on the scoreboard, but were vital parts of victory. Clearing rebounds on defense, following rebounds on offense, quick D to D passing, and good breakouts kept the flow of play moving towards the opponent’s end. Each player’s day with the trophy will be a fine reward for their hard effort.
