This article has been updated to clarify the identification of the captains of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears varsity hockey team.
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team bested the Kenai Central Kardinals with a 4-2 win on their home ice at Treadwell arena Saturday afternoon.
The win put the team in a 2-2 conference position and 2-3 overall for the season so far after playing Palmer and Wasilla early on in the season.
“It was a phenomenal game,” said senior and assistant captain Brandon Campbell after the game. “It’s great to have our first couple wins of the season, we have a great team — we came out of the rough, figured it out and brought the fire.”
The first goal of the game came early on during the first period with sophomore Emilio Holbrook snagging the successful shot assisted by sophomore Dylan Sowa.
Following its energy, sophomore Luke Bovitz scored during a power play with an assist by junior Sonny Monsef. The team maintained a shutout going into the second period and Sowa added to the team’s lead by securing a goal of his own assisted by sophomore Carter Miller and Holbrook.
However, the 3-0 lead did not last more than a minute before the Kardinals sent the puck in the JDHS net ending the shutout midway through the second half of the period.
Going into third the Kardinals scored again to bring the game close but not too close after a fourth and final goal was scored for JDHS by sophomore Matthew Plang. The team was able to keep the puck out of its zone for much of the third period even with a scattering of penalties throughout the period. In the last minute of the game, the Kardinals pulled their goalie in an unsuccessful effort to gain some ground and the game ended victoriously for JDHS with a 4-2 finish.
The three stars of the game were Holbrook, Sowa and Kenai’s Caden Warren.
Head coach Matthew Boline said the team knew it was going to be a tough game, and he was impressed with their effort to keep the momentum going and putting in the hard work to maintain their lead the entire game.
“We like to say we’re a blue-collared team, a hard-working team and this team has always been ready to work hard and get dirty,” he said. “We’re not here to finesse or pretend we’re something we’re not.”
Boline said the season has been going good overall so far and looking ahead to the state meet in early February, he thinks the team has a good shot at going pretty far and he’s excited to see how the rest of the season pans out.
“We expect to compete and when we show up we work hard,” he said.
Boline said this year’s team has a good mix of young and old players and said the players act like a big family.
“We’ve been through a lot and they are a resilient bunch, we have a good family relationship,” he said.
The team’s next game will be an away game at Eagle River on Dec. 8. The next home game is scheduled for Dec. 16 against Wasilla.
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.
Junior Brendon West awaits a pass during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Junior Mason Sooter tends the net as the puck is in the opposite zone during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Senior and team assistant captain Brandon Campbell faces off during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Junior Mason Sooter tends the net as the puck moves to the opposite zone during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
