The Good Lord willing, I will attend my fourteenth consecutive Wisconsin state high school hockey tournament next weekend. 

I am a relative newcomer in comparison to my cohorts, not really getting involved in hockey until my son Corey started playing as a Squirt in 1994. Since then, I have fallen in love with the game, especially at the high school level.

Listed below are some of the memories that have stuck with me through the years...

2001: I was working for Oakie Brumm and the Wisconsin Hockey News. I vividly remember seeing Hudson sophomore defenseman Davis Drewiske firing a shot from his faceoff circle and scoring on Wausau West goalie Robin Holleran as the puck bounced over the netminder's stick. That was the first of two goals for the Hudson d-man, who has gone on to achieve some fantastic things in his life, including Hudson's first state title that year. 

The chants of 'HUD-SON RAIDERS, clap-clap-clap-clap-clap' still pops up in my mind every now and then. And the fact that our newest cat is named Hudson helps perpetuate the memory.

2002: Joe Pavelski helped SPASH win its only state title and his first period goal from the top of the right circle as Superior goalie Keith Johnson (sorry, Bergler) stumbled trying to get square sticks in my mind.

2003: This was the second year for my alma mater (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln) to qualify and they did well, before running into a hot goalie (New Richmond's Matt Page) in the semi-final game and losing 3-1. Page battled Verona's Glenn Walker in a triple-OT game in the quarters, the game lasting almost three hours before NR grabbed a hard-fought 2-1 win.

2004: Unheralded Sauk Prairie was leading Hudson 3-2 late in the second period when SP goalie Josh Johnson was involved in a collision, knocking him out of the game. The contest was delayed for about 15 minutes as medical personnel attended to Johnson before carting him off on a gurney. The magic was lost and Hudson tied the game and went on to win 6-3.

2005: This was the 'Bragging Rights' year as Bergler (Superior and Antigo), MJ (Janesville) and Trasher (Wis Rapids) all had skins in the game. Bergler was triumphant as 'Soup' beat Arrowhead 2-1 in OT in the final.

2006: Anybody who was there will never forget the six-OT match between Middleton and Wisconsin Rapids on Quarterfinal Thursday. The game started at 7:45 and ended about 11:30. Anthony Knuth finally ended the game nobody thought would ever end. Goalies Tyler Ambroziak (WR) and Taylor Whitmore (M) managed to stay upright for 98:33 and stopped 69 of 72 shots. A game for the ages...

2007: Fond du Lac won its first state crown after losing in the title game the year before. And to make it even sweeter for FDL coach Ryan Sarazin? He beat his former team, Superior.

2008: Eau Claire Memorial was the first team to go undefeated in over 20 years as they finished a perfect 26-0 season with a 3-1 win over Madison Edgewood. I remember talking to Eau Claire radio legend Mike Sullivan after the game. Sully was walking on Cloud 27. This was also the year of the 'Matt Paape Necklace Game.' The Appleton United star received a 10 minute misconduct penalty with five minutes to go in a 2-2 game with Edgewood for wearing his necklace. Edgewood scored 11 seconds later to win 3-2.

2009: Rice Lake beat favored Verona 1-0 in the final game on Q Thursday with only 34 shots fired on net between the two teams. The Warriors luck ran out the next day in a 4-2 semi-final loss to Fondy.

2010: My Rapids boys came into the tourney with a 13-12-1 record and had no business hanging with Wisconsin Valley Conference foe Wausau West, but they did before losing 2-1 on Mitch Borneman's early third period goal on Q Thursday.

2011: Cedarburg (15-11-2) made its first and to date only state appearance and acquitted itself well in a 2-1 loss to Middleton, who would go on to the title game. West coach Pete Susens won his first state title in his third try with a 5-0 victory over Middleton.

2012: Notre Dame snagged its first state crown with a 3-2 double-OT win over previous champ, Wausau West.

2013: Eventual state champ Eau Claire Memorial slipped past Whitefish Bay 2-1 in the quarters and then beat Superior and Verona to earn its second championship. Verona upset Notre Dame in the semis after getting shellacked by the Tritons a few weeks earlier in the regular season.

These are a few of my favorite things...what are yours?