Newly-crowned Idaho High School hockey champions from Sun Valley. Front row, from left, Tony Martin, Parker Weekes, Liam Jablonski, Riley Sibbach, Cody Levitan, Cassidy Carson, Drew Barsch and Rickie Jeneson. Standing, back row from left, head coach Chris Benson, Mason Noyes, Ian Murphy, Davis Hague, Charlie Evans, Doug King, Tom Crosby, Cooper Hanley and Tommy Heinrich. Courtesy photo
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Nobody could touch the Sun Valley Midgets high school hockey team during the nine-team State High School Hockey Tournament Feb. 25-27 hosted by Idaho Falls Youth Hockey.
Sun Valley, coached by Chris Benson, dominated the weekend with a 5-0 record, outscoring opponents 20-5 and out-shooting its foes 160-81. Doug King (7 points) and Tom Crosby (6) led the scoring parade.
Other teams were Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Borah, Capital, Canyon County, Timberline, Idaho Falls, Skyline, Bonneville/Hillcrest and Salmon.
In the championship game, Sun Valley defeated Canyon County 2-0 boosted by a 34-17 shooting edge and the shutout goaltending of Cody Levitan (17 saves, 49 saves in 3 winning games). Liam Jablonski (assists to Tommy Heinrich, Davis Hague) and Tom Crosby (assist to Doug King) scored goals.
Sun Valley also defeated Timberline 5-3, Boise 3-1, Skyline 5-1 and Idaho Falls 5-0. In each win the scoring was evenly distributed. In fact, 13 different Suns tallied points in five games, and 10 had goals.
Jablonski had an excellent offensive weekend and was the only skater to have a two-goal game, that coming in the 5-0 blanking of Idaho Falls. Crosby (4 goals) scored a single goal in four of the five contests.
State scoring: Doug King 1 goal/6 assists; Tom Crosby 4/2; Liam Jablonski 3/2; Charlie Evans 3/1; Parker Weekes 2/2; Ian Murphy 1/3; Mason Noyes 1/2; Tony Martin 3/0; Drew Barsch 1/1; Rickie Jeneson 1/0; Davis Hague 0/1; Tommy Heinrich 0/1; and Cooper Hanley 0/1. Riley Sibbach also skated as did goalie Cassidy Carson (27 saves in 2 wins).
In previous state hockey competition Feb. 19-20 at Idaho Ice World in Boise, Sun Valley tied the Boise Junior Steelheads and lost to eventual champion Idaho Falls in the Idaho Amateur Hockey Association (IAHA) state contest.
Still, the Sun Valley Midgets (32-7-6) have won four tournaments this winter—the Salt Lake City (Utah) high school tourney, the QWest high school meet, the Salmon tournament and last weekend's state meet.
The Midgets have two games remaining in their Boise league then the league playoffs March 19-20 on the first weekend of the school spring breaks.
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Kids on skates wrap up hockey seasons
It's nearing the end of another successful Sun Valley Youth Hockey season, and the program's youngest kids have been playing their final games at Sun Valley Skating Center.
Over the Feb. 19-20 weekend, the Sun Valley Squirts (ages 9-10) divided into two teams and hosted two out-of-town teams, Boise and Jackson Hole (Wyo.), for their final games. The four teams played eight games.
Boise (3-0-1, 10-4 goals-against) won the title game 2-1 over Jackson Hole (1-1-2, 14-7). Sun Valley White (1-3-0, 13-25) took the consolation 7-4 over SV Black (1-2-1, 15-16).
Top Sun Valley scorers were Ike Buxton (10 goals/1 assist), Tiernan Naghsh (6/4) and Jack Stevens (4/1) along with Sydney Roberts (0/3), Taylor Hebert (1/2), Kinley Miller (1/2), Denali Stevens (1/1), Sam Ballard (1/1), Morgan Benson (1/1), Connor Manning (0/2), Audra Mary (1/0), Anik Zarkos (1/0), Klayton Douthit (1/0), Chris Nordsieck (0/1), Evi Johnson (0/1), Barrett Ott (0/1) and Flynn Stewart (0/1).
Others were goalie Andrew Nelson, Scout Hutchinson, Ry Goodwin, William Everitt, Emma Lago, Charlie Stumph, Abigail Benson, Kasey Johnson and D.J. Gralenski. Coaches were John Miller, Dale Johnson, Tony Benson and Chris Zarkos. Manager was Sarah Benson.
Meanwhile, the Sun Valley Mitey Mites and Mini Mites enjoyed a full day of a hockey jamboree Saturday, Feb. 26 on resort ice. There were eight teams and 12 games played.
Mitey Mites players were Alex Lengyel, Seamus O'Connell, Ashton Tanner, Kohler Wood, Caelin Bradshaw, Daisy Buxton, William DeWolfe, Cole Reeves, Fletcher Stumph, Alex Daves, Maddie Gittins, Ethan Marx, Colby Speth, Larsen Bier, Connor Campbell, Nathan Gowe, Mikel Sanchez-duPont, Owen Miller, Deke Burrell, D.J. Gralenski, Kai Nelson, Jake Rushton, Dakota Davis, Tuffer Manning, Beck Ritzel, Huck Sprong, Jake Charpentier, Brian Heekin, Holden Kleiner, Max Moss, Wilson Baker, Ryder Sarchett, Sam Ware, Slater Whitehead and Penelope Weekes.
And the Mini Mites were Zeke Agnew, Clayton Ellsbree, Lachlan McFarland, Maeve O'Connell, Gus Hedrick, Caroline Seaward, Russell Stumph, Wilson Webster, Jessica Blackburn, Sebastian Buxton, Tommy Moreland, Dawson Speth, Zach Benson, Lucas Carlson, Calvin Miller, Will Ring, Brock Burrell, Saba Grossman, Jake Nikolaisons, Chase Rushton, John Tumolo, Ethan Hansen, Olin Patterson, River Shepard, Grendel Sprong, Sam Thornton, Charlotte Davis-Jeffers, Hank Moss, Finn Naghsh, Logan Smith, Samantha Smith, Matthew Letourneau, Asher Maxwell, Charlie Roberts, Ryker Street and Kelby Whitehead.
