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Baraboo/Portage Ices RWD

By Del Scanlon - WiPH Staff, 12/13/12, 8:45PM CST

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Baraboo/Portage Goes 2-0 in Conference Play

Rivalries are a great part of sports.  In high school sports today, rivalries have changed.  Many players have played on teams with opponents from teams that are their rivals.  I believe this can make a team rivalry even a little more intense.  After all everyone wants to have bragging rights.  This was in evidence on Tuesday evening in Reedsburg.



Sean McCutchin Comes Up Big

At one time, Baraboo, Portage, Reedsburg and Wisconsin Dells were all schools in the South Central Conference.  The furthest distance between the towns is approximately 30 miles from Reedsburg to Portage.  This has always made for an intense rivalry between the communities in their high school sports.  While Wisconsin Dells is still part of the South Central Conference, Baraboo, Portage and Reedsburg are now in the Badger North Conference.  Now due to low hockey numbers and the economy many teams have to co-op.  Portage does not have a youth program and play in Baraboo at every level.  Numbers have taken a toll in Reedsburg and Wisconsin Dells.  RWD (Reedsburg-Wisconsin Dells) exists at three levels: WIAA Boys High School; Bantam and Peewee.

Baraboo/Portage (B/P) entered the game 1-0 in the Badger North Conference and 3-1 on the season.  RWD was sporting a 5-1 overall record and playing their first conference game.  B/P took both games in 2011-12.  RWD was having Senior Night and Rock On Ice to make for an electric atmosphere.  For people which have not been to Reedsburg Area Community Arena, it is probably one of the coldest rinks in Wisconsin and is smaller.  Fans crowd around the corners at the south end of the rink and the bleachers are usually packed for this game, Tuesday was no exception.

The game started fast and physical as is expected between these rivals.  RWD was called for a penalty 51 seconds into the game for charging and was able to kill off the penalty.  B/P was called for three penalties in the first penalty.  The first penalty was called at 3:54 a two minute minor for head contact.  While RWD was able to apply pressure, Sean McCutchin was up to the task and B/P killed off the penalty.  The second penalty on B/P was a minor for tripping at 6:35, which B/P kept the puck out of the net.  Then at 8:53 Baraboo/Portage was called for another tripping penalty.  Once again RWD was unable to capitalize on the power play.  The period ended with the game knotted at 0.  McCutchin had 13 saves for Baraboo/Portage and Tyler Arneson had 5 saves for RWD.

The second period found Baraboo/Portage in the attack mode.  RWD was called for a boarding penalty at 0:56 of the period.  Baraboo/Portage was able to take advantage of the opportunity.  Baraboo/Portage was able to place a couple of shots on Arneson.  Unfortunately, RWD wasn’t able to clear the puck.  T.J. Laux corralled a loose puck and fired a pass from the right of Arneson to the top of the circle on Arneson’s left.  Adam Stanton accepted the pass and fired a rocket towards the net, which flew past Arneson giving Baraboo/Portage a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 1:19 of the period.  Baraboo/Portage increased the lead to two, when Joe Beale passed the puck to defenseman Steve Mordini.  Mordini sent the pass into the slot to a guarded Dawson Hinz.  The RWD defenseman fell as the pass was coming in and Hinz tipped it into the net at 9:40 of the second period making the score 2-0.  RWD was called for an elbowing penalty at 11:32 and were able to kill it off.  The period ended with Baraboo/Portage leading 2-0.  Arneson had 12 saves in the period, while his counterpart McCutchin had 7 saves for Baraboo/Portage.

The third period found Baraboo/Portage killing off three penalties to preserve a 2-0 victory.  Tyler Arenson finished the game with 24 saves and Sean McCutchin earned the shutout with 28 saves.

Baraboo/Portage’s defense allowed 28 shots on their goalie, but they limited the quality shots.  Defensemen Brett McCutchin, Kurtis D’Asto, Wyatt Zalewski and Steven Mordini played very aggressive limiting the shots on net and converting from defense to offense.  RWD had a 11 day layoff after playing their first 6 games in 9 days, but their coaches did not use that as an excuse.  They stated: “We made a few mistakes defensively, which Baraboo/Portage was able to capitalize on.  We’ll work on those in practice.”

Baraboo/Portage will play their next game on Saturday, December 15th, against Waunakee in Baraboo at 7:30 PM.  RWD will host Sauk Prairie on Friday, December 14th, and travel to Eau Claire to play RMB on Saturday in a Military Appreciation Day game.

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