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When Former Teammates Collide

By Del Scanlon, 12/05/11, 10:20AM CST

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GOTW: Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells (5-1-0) versus Baraboo/Portage (2-2-1)

The beginning of conference play always brings a little extra excitement to game.  However, when you add the intensity of a rivalry game to the conference opener the intensity goes up another notch.  This is what we see happening Tuesday evening at Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo.

RWD will make the 17 mile trip to battle Baraboo/Portage in the Badger North Conference opening game for both teams.  Anytime you have rivals playing each other, we hear the cliché “When these two teams meet you can throw the records out”.  Too many times this turns out not to be true, but this time it will fit these two teams to a “T”.

The players know each other extremely well.  Many of the seniors from both teams were teammates as freshmen, when Reedsburg and Baraboo were co-oped and known as BRH.

We have asked Neil Mattson (current co-head coach of RWD) and John Blosenski, Jr (current head coach of Baraboo), the former co-head coaches of BRH for a little insight to the game and BRH.

Neil Mattson had this response:  “The 2011-2012 season brings a close to a piece of history for both Reedsburg and Baraboo.  Seniors from both teams were a part of the BRH Co-op, which was a very successful cooperative effort between both schools winning two Badger North Conference titles in three years.  The senior group from both schools are exceptional kids and I look forward to watching them as they move on in life.  I will always be proud to have been part of BRH and the help this provided to the young athletes of the Reedsburg/Baraboo area.”

Coach Blosenski stated:  “What we did in those three years as a co-op was truly remarkable.  Taking two teams that were bitter rivals and making them into a successful team was truly amazing.  The most rewarding part of the whole experience was the relationships that were formed with players and coaches from different communities that will last a lifetime.  This senior group marks the end of that journey in regards to hockey, but in the bigger picture only the beginning because they will still have that connection for their entire life.”

As we take a quick overview of the two team, Baraboo is lead offensively by seniors, Eric Thompson (5 goals, 1 assist) and Adam Laux (1 goal, 5 assists).  Defensively, three seniors, Michael Bostwick, Joey Koziel and Zac Pejskar help to set the tone of the game.  The other side of the ice will shows four players for RWD with 9 points or more.  Senior Luke Bjorklund, currently tied for second in the state with 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists), helps to get RWD going offensively.  Defenseman Nick Christensen is second on the team with 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists).

These teams have mutual respect for each other, but both teams want this victory for multiple reasons.  Start the conference season with a win, but for the bragging rights as your high school career draws closer to that inevitable end.  Let’s drop that puck!!!!

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