State Boys & Girls Hockey Tournament Preview
Wednesday, March 1st, 2017 -- 8:28 AM
The 47th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys Hockey State Tournament and the 16th Girls Hockey State Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, March 2-4, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.BOYS SCHEDULE: (* approximate times)
Thursday, March 2
Game-1: Waukesha North Co-op (24-3) vs. Arrowhead (24-2-1) - 11 a.m.
Game-2: Bay Port (19-9) vs. Sun Prairie (17-8-1) - 1:15 p.m.*
Game-3: Hudson (24-2-1) vs. Eau Claire Memorial (19-7-1) - 5 p.m.
Game-4: Wausau West (23-3-1) vs. West Salem/Bangor (22-3-1) - 7:15 p.m.*
Friday, March 3
Game-5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - 5 p.m.
Game-6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 7:15 p.m.*
Saturday, March 4
Game-7: Championship Game - 2:15 p.m.*
GIRLS SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 3
Game-1: Hayward Co-op (19-5-2) vs. Green Bay East Co-op (21-3-3) - 11 a.m.
Game-2: D. C. Everest Co-op (20-4-1) vs. Sun Prairie Co-op (20-3-2) - 1:15 p.m.*
Saturday, March 4
Game-3: Championship Game - 12:10 p.m.
LAST YEAR: The Appleton East/West/North co-op won its first championship by edging Hudson 2-1 in the championship game. In the girls final, the Hayward/Ashland/Northwestern/Rice Lake/Shell Lake/Spooner co-op won its first State girls championship by edging the University School/Divine Savior Holy Angels/ Nicolet/Shorewood/Whitefish Bay co-op 4-1 in the final
THE BOYS FIELD: Eau Claire Memorial is a State qualifier for the 17th time and for the 10th time in the last 11 years, only absent during that span in 2009. The Old Abes won their two State championships in 2008 and 2013. This season, they defeated Chippewa Falls 4-2 in the sectional final held in Eau Claire to advance to the State quarterfinals. Wausau West will be appearing in the State Tournament for the 16th time overall and for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. The Warriors finished runner-up in their most recent appearance in 2015. They played in three consecutive tournament finals from 2010-12, winning the championship in 2011 and finishing runners-up in 2010 and 2012. The first of their four runner-up finishes came in 2000. They edged Stevens Point 3-2 in overtime to advance from the Mosinee Sectional final. Last year’s runner-up Hudson qualifies for the tournament for the ninth time and for the second straight season. The Raiders won the second of their two championships in 2004. Their first came in 2001. They defeated Superior 7-0 in the sectional final held in Hudson to earn another berth in the quarterfinals. Sun Prairie is back in the State Tournament field for the first time since 2004 and for the sixth time overall. The Cardinals have one State championship on the ledger, that came in 1997. In addition, they recorded a runner-up finish in 1990. The Cardinals remain in contention for their second title following a 5-3 victory over Verona in the sectional final held in Middleton. The Waukesha North/Pewaukee/St. John’s NW Military/Waukesha South/Waukesha West co-op is making it’s second straight appearance in the State Tournament after qualifying for the first time in 2016. The Wings advanced to the semifinals before being ousted from title contention. They blanked the Beloit Memorial co-op 4-0 in the Janesville Sectional final. Arrowhead qualifies for the third time. The Warhawks’ previous appearances resulted in a State championship in 2009 and a runner-up finish in 2005. Last weekend, they defeated University School 4-1 in the sectional final to return to the final eight. Bay Port is making its first-ever appearance in the State Tournament following the Pirates’ 3-2 win over the Neenah co-op in the sectional final held in De Pere. West Salem/Bangor will also be experiencing the State Tournament for the first time in program history. The Panthers qualify as representatives out of the sectional held at Lake Delton with a 5-2 triumph over the Reedsburg co-op in the final.
THE GIRLS FIELD: Defending champion Hayward/Ashland/Northwestern/Rice Lake/Shell Lake/Spooner has qualified for the State Tournament for the third straight season and for the third time overall in its present form. In previous configurations, the co-op qualified twice, which resulted in a State title in 2013 and a loss in the semifinals in 2012. The Hurricanes’ earned a shot at repeating as State champs following their 5-4 win over Hudson in the Chippewa Falls Sectional final. The D.C. Everest/Mosinee/Wausau East/Wausau West co-op, formerly identified as the Mosinee co-op with the same schools, returns to State for the 10th straight season, which also accounts for the overall total. The Storm has won two State titles, one in 2008 and the other in 2012. They also finished runner-up in 2011. The Storm defeated the Xavier co-op 7-1 in the sectional final held at D.C. Everest. The Sun Prairie/DeForest/Madison East/Madison La Follette/Waunakee co-op returns to the ice at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center for the first time since its only other State experience in 2011. The Cap City Cougars lost in the semifinals that year. This season they skated to a 3-2, two overtime win over the Beloit Memorial co-op in the sectional final held in Sun Prairie to earn its second berth in the State Tournament. The Green Bay East/Preble/Southwest/West/Ashwaubenon/Bay Port/De Pere/Notre Dame/Pulaski/Seymour/West De Pere co-op qualifies for the second time in this configuration of schools. The Ice Bears won the title in 2014. A version of the co-op without Pulaski advanced to the State final and finished runner-up in 2010. This season, they downed the University School co-op 3-1 in the final of the sectional held in Fond du Lac.
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