A great skate for
a state title
Sun Valley Midgets win tournament
By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer
The Sun Valley Midgets won the Idaho State hockey
championship Sunday in Boise, skating to a decisive 4-2 victory over
nemesis Idaho Falls.
"This is the best we played this season," coach
Randy Berner said. "We were ready."
For the state tournament, which featured four teams in the
Midget division, Berner pared his team down to two forward lines and four
defensemen and rotated the remaining players through.
"Everything came together really nicely," he
said.
"It’s the first time this season we have had all
four defensemen (Kellen Chatterton, Ryne Reynoso, Kent Grimes and Trevor
Thomas), and we are a really good defensive team when they are in there.
The defense was really steady."
The team was also bolstered by the forward line of Bobby
Sloper, Michael Gariepy and Bryan Winkler. They scored eight of the team’s
13 goals including all the goals in the final game.
But talent is nothing without heart—and Sun Valley
displayed heart in abundance, skating to both a come-from-behind triumph
and a tie.
"We played with a lot of intensity," Berner
said. "We were peaking at the right time."
Sun Valley also drew a very favorable schedule, playing
two games on Friday with plenty of rest in-between.
In the opening contest, the Suns and Salmon skated to a
2-2 tie. The Snakes knotted the game with four minutes remaining.
Winkler and Sloper scored. They also recorded assists
along with Gariepy and Grimes. Goalie Joey Bohl made 15 saves in the
victory.
"Joey was the difference in that game. He was
excellent," Berner said. "It was definitely his best game of the
year."
It was netminder Corey Simpson’s (13 saves) turn to
shine in a 5-1 win over Idaho Junior Steelheads. Tyler Klune twined two.
Zach Bloomfield, Gladics and Winkler scored.
Needing a win or tie against four-time defending state
champion Idaho Falls to advance to the championship contest, the Suns did
not start off on a stellar note Saturday.
The Eagles and Suns played a scoreless first frame, but
Idaho Falls bit first with two goals in the second for a 2-0 lead.
On the opening shift in the third period, Winkler fed a
hard-charging Gariepy, who beat Dustin Merrill, to pull the Suns within
one.
Trailing 2-1 with 1:30 remaining, Grimes rushed in from
the point, hammered in Gariepy’s rebound to draw a 2-2 tie and a rematch
against Idaho Falls in the championship.
Simpson and Bohl shared the pipes and the win.
Sun Valley struck first in Sunday’s finale, capitalizing
on its superior team speed and hustle against the very physical Eagles.
Sloper put the Suns on the scoreboard by cutting off a
clearing pass and punching it by Merrill.
Winkler went five-hole on a drop pass by Grimes for a 2-0
advantage and Gariepy netted a backhander for a 3-0 lead. I.F. scored on a
power play for a 3-1 score at the end of two.
Sun Valley’s penalty-killers had their work cut out for
them in the third period as the Suns drew 24 penalty minutes to the Eagles’
eight.
Sloper didn’t let playing shorthanded cramp his style
and his score pushed the Suns’ advantage to 4-1. Idaho Falls managed a
power play goal with five minutes left, but Sun Valley prevailed for a 4-2
win.
"It was a total team effort," Berner said.
"And Corey had the best game of his life. He was amazing. He made
some really acrobatic saves."
Simpson finished the weekend with 51 saves.
Also suiting up were Brett Falcone, Travis Leach and Blake
Schnebly. The team was missing injured players Danny Gariepy and Nick
Ludin.
"We played with a lot of heart," Berner said.
"We wanted it."