The first full weekend of 2009 got off to a very busy start for Sun Valley Youth Hockey teams. The high school Midgets (ages 15-18) a played a three-team round robin at Sun Valley Skating Center, while the Bantams (13-14) were in Idaho Falls and the PeeWees (11-12) in Salmon.
Midgets 3-1 in home action
Teams from Boise, Salmon and Sun Valley played six games Friday through Sunday on resort ice—coach Clint Mylymok's Boise U-14 AA team and Sun Valley each going 3-1-0, and Salmon ending up 0-4-0.
Sun Valley split with Boise, losing 5-1 and winning 3-1, and swept the two games with Salmon 6-4 and 7-3. Goalie Cassidy Carson stopped 23 of 24 Boise shots in Sunday's 3-1 Suns victory—Niels McMahon, Morgan Pike and Latner Straley scoring.
In the 6-4 win over Salmon Rapids, Pike tallied a three-goal hat trick in the third period alone. Chance McCroskey, Douglas King and David Dredge added singles. Pike had another hat trick in Sunday morning's 7-4 win over the Salmon Rapids.
Suns weekend scoring: Morgan Pike 7 goals/2 assists; Latner Straley 2/2; Douglas King 2/0; Niels McMahon 1/3; Jimmy Hague 1/2; Tommy Heinrich 0/3; Alexander MacMillan 0/2; David Dredge 1/0; Anthony Martin 1/0; Chance McCroskey 1/0; Zak Sjoberg 1/0; Charlie Evans 0/1; and Ian Murphy 0/1.
Goalie Cassidy Carson made 80 saves on 93 weekend shots.
Bantams 1-3 in Idaho Falls
Tom Crosby (5 goals) led the scoring for the Sun Valley Bantams in the Idaho Falls round-robin tournament Jan. 10-11. It was a tough weekend but Sun Valley managed to score 11 goals in front of goalie Gus Conrad (68 saves on 79 shots).
Sun Valley lost 2-0 to Billings (Mt.), dropped a 5-2 decision to Boise Hawks, whipped the Salmon Rapids 8-3 and, on Sunday, lost 3-1 to host Idaho Falls. The young Suns haven't beaten Idaho Falls this season but it was a one-goal game until the end. Riley Sibbach scored the only goal.
Crosby tallied a three-goal hat trick and Liam Jablonski added two in the 8-3 rout over Salmon. Next: The Bantams visit Salmon this weekend hoping for revenge on Idaho Falls, Boise and Missoula (Mt.).
Scoring: Tom Crosby 5 goals/1 assist; Liam Jablonski 2/3; Parker Weekes 1/3; Drew Barsch 0/3; AJ Rierden 1/0; Riley Sibbach 1/0; Karel Kaiser 0/1; Calder Zarkos 0/1; Mason Noyes 1/1; and Cameron Jenner 0/1.
Also providing outstanding team play were Chris Carnes, Chase Hutchinson, Rickie Jeneson, Peter MacMillan, Parker Morris, Jon Paris, Drew Punnett and Karl Wilander.
PeeWees capture third place
In the 10-team Salmon tournament, Sun Valley went 3-1, outscored opponents 22-13 and captured the third-place game 7-2 over the Utah Junior Grizzlies. Sun Valley coaches complimented the people of Salmon for hosting a fantastic tournament.
Sun Valley also defeated Butte (Mt.) 9-1 and Helena (Mt.) 4-3, while dropping 5-2 and 2-0 games to Idaho Falls and Boise Junior Steelheads.
Two-goal performances by Cameron Benson and Jake Jorgensen plus single goals off the sticks of Carter Miller, Jack Goodwin, Brandon Benson, Alex Schwartz and Jack Seiller lifted the young Suns over Butte.
Sun Valley built a midway 4-0 lead over Helena on unassisted goals by Cameron Benson, Dylan Broman, Brandon Benson and Gage Jorgensen (shorthanded). Helena stormed back to make it a one-goal game, but Suns goalie Willis Sanchez-duPont (37 saves) remained tough in the net.
The next two games, both losses in highly physical contests, didn't deter Sun Valley from bouncing back with Sunday's 7-2 noontime rout over Utah Junior Grizzlies. The Suns tallied three goals in each of the first two periods—Cameron Benson (2), Hagan Barsch, Gage Jorgensen, Broman and Schwartz. Erik Wilander rounded out the scoring.
Also skating hard were Ellie Punnett, Denon Strope, Sam Burns, George Kanellitsas, Reide Whitehead, Eli Conrad, George Everitt and Jack Swanson.
Grumpy's, Morgan's take Senior Hockey wins
SV Auto Club/Grumpy's (4-2-0) seized the early lead and never gave it up Monday in its 3-2 Senior Hockey League victory over Yoga College (1-5-0) at Sun Valley Skating Center.
Charles Friedman, Rian Timmons and Harry Weekes scored for Grumpy's, with Bryan Speth and Mark Stone getting assists. Yoga goals came off the sticks of Greg Merchep and Taylor Rothgeb.
On Thursday, Morgan's Fine Finishes (4-1-1) moved into first place with a 5-2 victory over SunValley.com (2-3-1).
Playing without Dave Hennessy and Phil Hebert, Morgan's still had plenty of firepower with goals by Billy Tryder (2), Dave Patrie, Dale Johnson and John Ellison Jr.
Assists went to Todd Johnston (2), Patrie, Chris Benson and Chris Zarkos. Blake Jenson and Mike Punnett scored for SunValley.com. Cody Proctor had an assist.
Next up: Morgan Fine Finishes vs. SV Auto Club/Grumpy's in the battle for first place Thursday, Jan. 15 at 9:50 p.m. and Yoga College of India vs. SunValley.com Monday, Jan. 19 at 8:40 p.m.
Idaho Pond Hockey Tournament this weekend
Recreational ice hockey players will have their chance to lace them up and play some outdoor hockey this weekend when the second annual Idaho Pond Hockey Tournament is staged at rinks in Ketchum and Hailey under the sponsorship of the Blaine County Recreation District and Atkinson Park Recreation Department.
Format is a four-on-four double elimination tournament, no goalies. Space is limited and prizes, food and drink will be available. Contact the BCRD 788-2117 or Atkinson Park 726-7820 to sign up.
"B" League and youth action will be Saturday, Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Potters Ice Pond, Atkinson Park in Ketchum. "A" League action is Sunday, Jan. 18 from 10-5 at Hailey Ice, Roberta McKercher Park in Hailey.
B+ League hockey update
Two shutouts topped the Sunday, Jan. 11 B+ League action at Sun Valley Skating Center.
The Senators (4-3-1) blanked the Wildcats (4-3-1) by a score of 4-0 behind goals by Matt Baur (2), Ken Pratt and Rich Evans. And the Sharks (3-5-0) took a 3-0 bite out of the Bad Dogs (3-4-2) with Tyler Davis Jeffers, Rod Watson and Todd Avison scoring the goals.
In the other game, the Vipers (5-3-0) outscored the Isles (5-4-0) by a score of 6-3. Steve McCoy's four goals led the Viper way and Scott Miller added a pair. Lighting the light in the losing effort were Jim Hobbs, Josh Green and Georgia Hutchinson.
Next on Sunday, Jan. 18: Sharks vs. Wildcats at 7:45 p.m. and Senators vs. Vipers at 9 p.m. Drawings byes this week are Isles and Bad Dogs.
