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Wildcats earn first state title with 6-1 win

By Michael Trzinski, 03/08/14, 5:00PM CST

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Fromberger scores twice in victory over Onalaska


Verona put three goals on the board in the middle period and used that as a springboard in a 6-1 victory over Onalaska for its first state championship Saturday afternoon at the Alliant Energy Center.

The Onalaska Hilltoppers were making their third trip to the state tournament and their first appearance in the championship game, while the Verona Wildcats made their sixth appearance and their second title game appearance.

Philippe Fromberger almost got Verona on the board three minutes in when his shot from the top of the right circle glanced off the shoulder of Onalaska goalie Joe Witz and caromed harmlessly off the top of the net.

A little over two minutes later, Brogan Baker did put a '1' on the scoreboard for Verona when he knocked a bouncing puck in the crease out of the air and into the net at 5:06. Pat Stevens got an assist on the play.

The period ended with the score of 1-0 and Verona holding a 13-3 shot margin.

Fromberger did get a goal at 11:33 of the second when his shot from the left point deflected off an Onalaska skate and past Witz to make it 2-0.

Midway through the period, Fromberger scored a highlight reel goal. He grabbed the puck in his defensive zone, jumped past a defender as he slid the puck past, avoided two players in the neutral zone, fended off another as he turned the corner before flipping the puck over the right shoulder of Witz at 10:02.

Charlie Parker made it 4-0 just over two minutes later when he re-directed Brodie Roehrig's shot from the high slot past Witz, with another assist to Zach Lanz.

That's how the period ended, with Verona holding a 10-2 shot advantage in the period.

Onalaska broke Alex Jones' shutout streak a little over five minutes into the final stanza while on the power play. As the penalty was winding down, a shot came in on goal and as the puck was bouncing around in the low slot area amongst a forest of bodies, Luke Tepp poked it past Jones to make it 4-1 at 5:18, with assists to Bennett Hutson and Bryce Bingham.

Verona made it 5-1 with just over six minutes left when Liam Schmitt punched in a rebound off a Fromberger shot. Josh Novotny also had an assist on the play.

Grant Smith scored the final goal when he flipped a shot from the right circle as he was falling to the ice over the right shoulder of Witz with just 47 seconds left.

The horn sounded on Verona's first state title with their 6-1 victory. The Wildcats outshot Onalaska 9-4 in the period.

Jones stopped 8 of 9 shots in the game for Verona, while Witz had 26 saves for Onalaska.

WiPH Game Summaries