For the week of Nov 28 - Dec 4, 2001

Chairmen of the boards

Sun Valley Midgets hope to 
bang a little, score a lot

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By JODY ZARKOS
Express Sports Writer

Just like an excellent mechanic, high school hockey coach Randy Berner has plenty of tools at his fingertips.

Fixth-year coach Berner has welcomed 28 skaters to early-season practice and has fashioned a pair of teams, #1 and #2, which he expects to be highly successful this season.

The team compete in the nine-team Intermountain Hockey League which also features Jackson Hole, Ogden, Salt Lake, Boise, Rock Springs, Las Vegas and Salmon.

For the first time in league history league championships will be held. Boise will host this year’s tilt, March 9-10.

The Idaho State championships will also be in Boise, February 23-24.

 

Sun Valley #1

Berner expects his #1 team to be a top contender for both the Intermountain League title and state title.

"One of our goals is to win the league championship. The other is to win the state championship," Berner remarked.

He has the gunners to do it with eight seniors on a 18-man squad.

"It’s really the first time we have had three solid lines. It should be a lot of fun. It also gives me a lot more coaching options for matching up," he said.

Bobby Sloper centers the first line with wings Justin Taylor and Trevor Thomas.

Berner assessed, "There is lots of speed on that line. They will be our top power play unit. They should be a real physical line. We just need to keep them out of the (penalty) box. They play with lot of fire."

Wings Matt Conover and Taylor Rothgeb will be skating on the second line with center Tyler Klune.

"These guys are a little less experienced, but they can play in our system. They can cycle. This is a really quick line," Berner said.

Berner wants his third line of center Tate Mills and wings Noah Loyd and Zach Bloomfield to be the grinders.

"I want to make this a good checking line. I want them to learn that style of play," Berner said. "They should be able to skate with any line they are up against."

With some teams only playing two forward lines, the Suns third line will see action against opposing teams top trios, but the Suns are as solid as Ray Bourke at the blueline with Kent Grimes, Kellen Chatterton, Ryne Reynoso and Cody Lampl.

"It shouldn’t be a good time to come near our net," Berner said.

In Berner’s strategy, the defense also figures heavily into the offense with forwards cycling back to the blueline and the defenders making rushes in.

"We are going to play as a five man unit. The forwards will cover back. All the defensemen have excellent shots. Ryno’s (Reynoso) is probably the hardest."

Defensive pairings are Grimes and Chatterton, Reynoso and Lampl.

"Real solid" is how Berner described #1 goalie Corey Simpson. Joey Bohl will be the back-up on the first team and the starter on the #2 team.

Also on the first team roster are forwards Edward Sawicz, Danny Gariepy and Blake Schnebly, and defensemen Darren Goldberg and Patrick Mullen.

 

Sun Valley #2

The Suns #2 squad is a diverse bunch with skill levels as diverse as a two-year olds moods.

"We have guys who have played a long time and guys who haven’t," Berner said. "This is more a development team. More about guys learning the game."

Several #1 players will suit up for the second team, and Berner said he chose those players for both their leadership abilities and skills.

Staying with his philosophy of keeping the skill players center and defense, Berner will try to flesh out those positions with veteran skaters.

Centering the forward lines will be Bobby Sloper (alternate captain), Tate Mills, Zach Bloomfield and Noah Loyd.

Wings are Taylor Rothgeb, Edward Sawicz, Richard Boullion, Danny Gariepy, Cary Slone, Max Kuross, Blake Schnebly, Travis Leach and Tristan Potters.

"We are going to do a lot of dumping and crash the net," Berner said.

Defenders will led by captain Kent Grimes, Pat Mullen, Cody Lampl, Darren Goldberg and Kory Ott.

The teams practice Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Sun Valley Skating Center.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.