11/22/2012 6:00:00 AM

Boys hockey: Cats look to overcome senior losses

Returning letterwinners for the Verona Area High School boys hockey team (front, from left) are: Harry Seid and Nolan Kepler; (back) Brogan Baker, Philippe Fromberger and Charlie Parker and Zach Jones; (not pictured) Zac Keryluk. [Photo by Jeremy Jones]

Jeremy Jones
Sports editor
 

Verona boys hockey team lived up to every bit of its billing as the area’s top squad a year ago, advancing all the way to the WIAA state semifinals.

The Wildcats finished the regular 22-1-1 (26-2-1 overall) last year. Verona also wrapped up the Big Eight Conference with a 12-1-1 record. Middleton fell a game-and-a-half back in the standings at 11-1-2, while Sun Prairie was 11-2-1.

As deep and experienced as any team in the state a year ago, the Wildcats saw 13 players finish the regular season with double-digit points. Verona won’t have the same luxury this season, following the graduation of 11 seniors.

“We lost almost a third of last year’s conference championship and state semifinalist team,” Wildcats head coach Joel Marshall said.

Gone from a year ago are forward Eddie Matsushima, a Mr. Hockey Award finalist, blueliner Cole Gastel (24 points) and goaltender Matt Opsal – not to mention several others who played significant roles in the Wildcats’ success.

Matsushima made an immediate impact for the program, helping Verona to state as the only freshman on varsity four years ago. After battling injuries his sophomore season, Matsushima came back with a vengeance his final season, finishing with a team-high 36 goals and 39 assists for a Wildcat-best 75 points in 29 games.

He recorded a team-best eight goals and six assists in Verona’s five playoff games before taking his talents to the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League.

Forwards Michael Stevens (23G, 21A) and Louie Ellis (20G, 16A) are also gone.

Verona, which outscored the opposition 180-24 during the regular season, should still be fine putting the puck into the back of the net.

Verona does return two of its top three point-getters. Five out of seven returning letterwinners for the team were in the top 10 scorers.

Senior forward Zach Jones returns as the team’s leading scorer from a season ago. Jones, a two-time first-team Big Eight All-Conference selection registered 26 goals and 35 assists last season, placing him second on the team with 61 points. Junior Charlie Parker (13G, 35A), junior Brogan Baker (16G, 12A) and senior power forward Zac Keryluk (20G, 11A) also return.

“Charlie is a three-year varsity player and will captain the team this season with Zach Jones, and Zac Keryluk, who one of the state’s best power forwards, will also put up big numbers this year,” Marshall said.

The only freshman to start as a freshman last year, sophomore Tarek Baker (16G, 29A) is not back this year, opting instead to play midget hockey in Omaha, Neb. this season.

Defensively, the Wildcats will go this season without assistant captain Gastel, who is now playing with the playing with the Aldergrove Kodiaks of the Pacific Junior Hockey League, as well as the graduated Alex Watzke and Brian Chenoweth. The other varsity player not returning is Sven Marnauz, who is now at Oregon.

Switching between Opsal and Travis Dahlk before finally settling on Opsal (.922 save percentage, seven shutouts), the Wildcats will also need to find a new goaltender, as both graduated following last season.

The only other goalie to log varsity minutes, senior Jonathan Fiala, figures to get the nod between the pipes this season. Fiala turned 10 saves in just over 33 minute in his only action last year.

“We have had a strong JV program that has had varsity caliber players ready to fill any holes,” Marshall said.

Though experience is a question with 13 new varsity players.

Verona’s season came to an end in the state semifinals a year ago 6-3 loss against eventual state champion Green Bay Notre Dame.

Verona hosts the Tritons at home during the regular season at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18.

Other games of note this are the Wildcats’ Big Eight Conference games against Middleton’s Jake Bunz and Max McConnell on Saturday, Dec. 22 (at Capitol Ice Arena) and home on Thursday, Jan. 31, as well as, the team’s non-conference game against the Badger South defending champion Madison Edgewood Crusaders at home on Jan. 5.

Marshall cited the Bluebirds, Madison Memorial and Middleton as the strongest contenders within the conference – along with the Wildcats.

Madison Memorial’s Ty Pelton-Byce and Jack Andringa, Madison West’s Henry Cutting and Madison La Follette/East’s Nate Teuscher round out the top returning players in the conference.

The Wildcats drop the puck on the season at Stevens Point’s KB Willett Ice Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Verona’s first home game is slated for Thursday, Nov. 29 inside the Eagles Nest Ice Arena against the Janesville Bluebirds.

The puck drops on all of those games at 7 p.m.

Verona travels to Rochester, Minn., Dec. 27-29 this holiday season for the Kiwanis Hockey Festival.