MADISON, Wis.– Four teams advanced to Friday’s semifinals in the 49th Annual State Boys Hockey Tournament Thursday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center.
Top-seeded University School of Milwaukee (26-2) needed a goal by Jacob Como at the 4:40 mark of the third period to help the Wildcats edge the Onalaska Co-op 4-3. Robby Newton assisted on the game-winning goal.
Onalaska Co-op scored first to take its only lead of the game on an unassisted goal by Andrew Walz at 3:33 in the first period. The Wildcats tied the game at 1-1 with a Newton goal assisted by Ethan Mann and Casey Roepke with 9:35 gone in the period. Carson Mogush added the second score of the period for the Wildcats with an unassisted, short-handed score at 15:28.
The Hilltoppers scored first in the second period to tie the game at 2-2 on a Will Bryant goal that was assisted by Mason Manglitz at 4:21. However, the Wildcats regained the lead a couple minutes later a 6:40 on a Mann goal assisted by Ethan Ford and Tyler Herzberg.
In the third period, Bryant added his second goal of the game for the Hilltoppers at 3:34 to knot the score at 3-3, but Como answered with the go-ahead score a little more than a minute later.
Patrick Kelly made 22 saves to get credit for the win in goal for University School, and Jack Weber made 20 saves for the Hilltoppers.
The Wildcats advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2014, and the Onalaska Co-op (24-4) finished the season with its first State appearance as a co-op program.
Seventh-seed Waukesha North Co-op (17-8-3) eliminated second-seeded Wausau West with a 3-2 victory thanks in part to a record-setting performance by goalie Garrett Larsen.
Larsen’s 52 saves in the game set a State Tournament record for most stops in a game and earned him the victory in goal for the Wings.
Chad Larsen scored what eventually proved to be the game-winning goal on an assist from Riley Cassada at the 2:49 mark of the third period.
The Wings took an early lead in the first period on an Ethan Tombs goal assisted by Trenton Tucker and Garrett Wilderman at 1:38. The Warriors tied the game later in the period on a power-play goal by Ty Bailey with assists being credited to Jacob Cebula and Austin Federici at 11:06.
Wausau West took its only lead of the game at 2-1 on a Sam Techel goal before the first minute elapsed in the second period. The goal at :36 was assisted by Marc Sippel. Wilderman tied the game at 2-2 with an assist from Tyler Dale at 4:29 into the period.
The Warriors outshot the Wings 54-14 led by Cade Lemmer’s game-high 10 shots on goal. Adam Prokop recorded 11 saves in goal for Wausau West.
The Waukesha North Co-op advances to the semifinals in its first State appearance, and Wausau West (23-4-1) ends its season with its 17thState experience.
Fourth-seeded Verona (21-5-2) skated by #5 seed Eau Claire North 5-1 after trailing early in their quarterfinal contest.
The Huskies scored the opening goal of the game as Joey Koller found the net on the power play with assists from Zach Urdahl and Sam Stage at the 6:54 mark of the first period.
The rest of way was all Wildcats, scoring twice in the first and second periods and once in the third.
Mack Keryluk scored the first of his two goals at 9:45 of the first period with short-handed goal on an assist from Leo Renlund. Walker Haessig scored near the end of the period at 16:37 on assists from Ryan Mirwald and Cale Rufenacht to give the Wildcats a lead they would not relinquish.
Renlund scored twice in the second period. The first was unassisted on a power play at 6:42, and the second at 12:22 with an assist from Keryluk to give the Wildcats at 4-1 lead. Keryluk completed the scoring with a short-handed goal just 30 seconds into the third period with another assist by Rufenacht.
The Wildcats outshot the Huskies 42-20, and Kaden Grant earned the win in goal for Verona with 19 saves. Tyler Schreiter made 38 saves in goal for the Huskies.
Verona advances to the State semifinals for the second straight season, and Eau Claire North (17-10-1) ends the season with its fifth State appearance.
Neenah Co-op (22-3-2) downed former two-time defending champion Hudson 4-1 in its quarterfinal match-up to advance to the semifinals in the program’s first State appearance.
Eric Alberts gave the Rockets an early lead with a goal assisted by Luke Elkin and Ethan Long at 4:14 of the first period. The Raiders evened the score less than a minute later at 5:05 on a goal by Harvey Dove with an assist credited to Hunter Danielson.
The Rockets scored two more times before the close of the period to build and a 3-1 advantage heading into the first intermission. Dillion Fox scored on a power play with an assist from Mason Marquardt at 10:28, and the duo struck again at 14:20 into the period with Marquardt getting the goal on an assist from Fox.
Neenah added a token, empty-net score with 20 seconds remaining in the game. Elkin found the unattended net with assists from Long and Fox to close the scoring.
The shots on goal were even at 21 apiece for the game. Jake Mork was credited with the win in goal for the Rockets with 20 saves. Alex Cohen made 17 saves in goal for the Raiders.
Hudson (16-10-1) completes its season with its 10thState Tournament appearance.
Action resumes Friday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum with the girls State semifinals at 10 a.m.
#1 University School of Milwaukee 4, #8 Onalaska Co-op 3 - Stats
#4 Verona 5, #5 Eau Claire North 1 - Stats
#2 Wausau West 2, #7 Waukesha North Co-op 3 - Stats
#3 Neenah Co-op 4, #6 Hudson 1 - Stats
# WIAA #