As I often do this time of year, I dig into my collection of state hockey tournament programs and page through them in search of interesting tidbits.
After watching top-ranked Notre Dame Academy thoroughly dismantle #3 Verona last night by a tally of 7-0, I began to wonder if the Tritons are going to be an unstoppable force this year on the road to a date with destiny on Saturday, March 2nd in Madison.
Will Cory McCracken's crack squad of pucksters be celebrating their second straight state championship on the ice at 'The Clamshell' that weekend, or will they be forced to settle for the runner-up hardware, or less?
That led me to page nine of the 2012 tournament program, which lists the state boys (and girls) hockey champions.
As every young hockey player in the great city of Superior knows, the Columbia Blue and White has hoisted the cherished chalice 12 times since the tournament series originated in 1971, when only nine teams competed state-wide for the crown of state hockey champ. Gary Harker's Spartans defeated the Madison West Regents, coached by Burt Hable, by a score of 7-3.
The number of schools that played in the championship series moved up to 12 the following year and 18 the year after that. From 1975-1981 the number of teams varied from 21-29. In 1982, there were 35 teams competing. That number remained relatively stable for the next eight years, topping out at 39.
Then in 1991 came the boom.
Since there is no definitive line of demarcation, I will be the first to proclaim 1991 as the beginning of the 'Modern Era' of Wisconsin high school hockey, as that was the first time that 40 or more teams challenged for the title of best in the state. By the end of the decade, the number nearly doubled, and as John Mauermann's Beloit team took a 5-4 OT triumph over Jack Stoskopf's SPASH team just nine months before 'Y2K,' 71 other teams had been knocked off on the way to the pinnacle.
Since the start of the 1991-92 season, only one team has won consecutive titles. The Superior Spartans went back-to-back-to-back in 1994-96 and went on to win three more championships since then and lead with six gold trophies in the last 22 years.
Madison Memorial, Hudson, and University School have each won twice since then, but were not able to repeat in consecutive years.
Ten other squads have one win to their credit since 1991.
The point is, it is not an easy task to win two straight when the bullseye is painted in bright neon colors on your backside. Every team wants to 'knock off last year's state champ,' and there are more than a few programs that such a win would make their season a success.
Teams are able to build on a championship game appearance, even if they lose. Since 1991, six teams that dropped a heartbreaker in the previous year's title game claimed the crown the following year (Superior, four times; Fond du Lac, and Wausau West).
Is Notre Dame poised to claim a second straight title?
They have been ranked number one in the Wisconsin Prep Hockey poll since the pre-season and have not disappointed, winning all 16 games this season, including an impressive 6-3 win over Duluth Marshall in the Hilltopper Classic over the Christmas holidays.
The Tritons have shut out their foe six times and have outscored them by a margin of 92-19 this season. Incredible numbers, to be sure.
Notre Dame lost five players to graduation (plus Chris Nell to junior hockey), but have played on without skipping a beat.
They lost Tim Davison, one of the all-time great high school defenseman in this state, but still have his brother Luke, who is a pretty fair player in his own right.
After Nell moved on to the Chicago Steel, it appeared the only question mark would be who would take over in the crease.
Junior Eli Hicks has answered with an emphatic 'I will' as he has posted six shutouts to go along with his .928 save percentage and 1.13 GAA.
Any more questions?
Can the Tritons repeat this year? Only time will tell.
