The Warrior varsity hockey club opened their 2012-13 campaign at the University School of Milwaukee's Paul Meyer Memorial Tournament against the host team, the U-School Wildcats on Friday, Nov 17. The Warriors, coming off their second Badger North Conference title in three years lost a plethora of seniors to graduation, and overall are short on experience, but long on talent. Fourteen freshmen dot the roster, six of whom are expected to play major roles on the varsity squad this season.

The home Wildcats opened up scoring just :42 seconds into the first period and poured in two more on the young Warriors before freshman Jacob Hudacek lit the lamp with help from senior captain Blake Anderson and freshman blue-liner Alec Semandel at the 6:46 mark of the second period. Hudacek added his second goal at the 12:32 mark of the third. In the end the senior-laden Wildcats proved a bit much to handle for the Warrior skaters, winning the game 5-2. Junior netminder Nick Fellows faced 40 shots, turning away 35 in the loss.

Saturday the Warriors played in the consolation game against Green Bay United and hoped to improve on their effort and performance from Friday's loss. Head Coach Eric Olson continued to roll three solid forward lines, ensuring fresh legs in the later periods; proving to be key as the Warriors got down by four goals before senior Adam Carlson slammed home a short-handed tally at the 9:04 mark of the 2nd period.

The third period belonged to Waunakee, and the fans as well as the skaters sensed a comeback was in the making. Just 38 seconds into the 3rd, senior forward Blake Anderson banged home Waunakee's 2nd goal, and momentum was swinging toward the Waunakee bench.

Senior forward Austin Schreiber quickly added Waunakee's 3rd goal a little over two minutes later. Plenty of time remained for the young Warrior skaters and they kept pressuring Green Bay, pummeling their goalie repeatedly. Freshman Jacob Thousand streaked down the boards and slid the biscuit to fellow freshman forward Jacob Hudacek for the game tying goal with 9 minutes remaining.

While the forwards kept offensive pressue on Green Bay, goalie Nick Fellows and his defensive partners repeadedly frustrated GB shooters, blocking several shots and creating transition scoring opportunities.

In the end, it was the senior captain Anderson who blazed past the defenders, put the puck on the GB goalie who politely let the rebound sit nicely for the hard-charging Schreiber who put it away for the game winner with just over 3 minutes to play.

Fellows stopped 18 GB shots in earning his first win of the young season. Waunakee stays on the road in Wisconsin Rapids for a two game set Friday (11/23) and Saturday (11/24) before opening up home play at the Ice Pond on Monday, Nov. 26.