skip navigation

Verona starts the season atop the WiPH Boys poll

By Michael Trzinski, 11/21/14, 4:15PM CST

Share

Who's number one? Doesn't really matter until March

Every year the gang at WiPH agonizes over selecting a pre-season Top 10. A fairly complete rationale (for me anyway) can be found here.

That said, here are the Top 10 (plus HM) teams as chosen by the Karnaks at Wisconsin Prep Hockey, along with a short preview for each team.

#1 verona wildcats (26-2-2)

The Wildcats won their first state title last year and begin on top of the field on the boys side to start the 2014-15 season.

PLAYERS LOST:
The Wildcats lost nine players to graduation, including All-State performers Charlie Parker, Philippe Fromberger, and Pat Stevens.

INJURIES:
Recently lost co-captain Liam Schmitt to an 'upper body' injury, sidelining him for a few weeks.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Alex Jones (G)
Nathan Cleghorn (G)
Brodie Roehrig (F)
Liam Schmitt (F)
Zach Lanz (D)
Jack Anderson (F)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Sam Renlund (F/D)

COACH JOEL MARSHALL SAYS:

As defending state champs, we start the season with a big target on our back! We lost a bunch of firepower up front, but still have two great goalies sharing time between the pipes, which should give us a chance to win every night.

#2 notre dame tritons (27-2)

The Tritons lost to Verona 1-0 in the state semis last year, but will still be one of the top teams this year.

PLAYERS LOST:
They are losing seven seniors plus forward Sam McCormick, who will be playing for the USHL's Madison Capitals this year. Among the graduated players are All-Staters Brett Gruber, Mason Appleton, and Luke Davison.

INJURIES:
NDA will be without d-man Tony Stillwell until early December after ankle and foot surgery and forward Jr. Lesatz will be out until mid-December.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Tony Stillwell (D)
Collin Appleton (F)
Jake DeLeers (F)
Michael Karow (D)
Jett Jaraczewski (F)
Jadon Motquin (D)
Jack Pavek (D)
Jack Wied (F)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Mike Gregoire (F)
Bryce Poshak (F)
Logan Braun (D)

COACH CORY MCCRACKEN SAYS:

We should be considered in the mix as one of the top teams (in the state). We will certainly play to our strengths and be a 'defense-first' type of team. We will compete and our goal is to be very hard to play against.

#3 eau claire memorial old abes (22-5-1)

The Abes reached the state tournament for the fifth straight year, but lost to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.

PLAYERS LOST:
ECM lost 11 seniors, including three All-State players (Jake Bresser, Chuck Bennis, and Nick Schreiter).

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Bret Schwengler (D)
Austin Bunce (D)
Andrew Emberson (D)
Dylan Ross (F)
Kadin Machusak (F)
Austin Phippen (F)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Ty Emberson (D)
Hutson Collins (F)
Josh Berg (F)

COACH MIKE SCHWENGLER SAYS:

We are a very young and inexperienced team but have good team speed, smarts, and have some talent. It will take a while to put all the puzzle pieces together.

#4 madison west regents (20-5-1)

The Regents moved into the Top 10 based on the play of the last couple years.

PLAYERS LOST:
Madison West lost four seniors to graduation, plus Jack Wellenstein (track scholarship) and Kyle Joswiak (Jr. Admirals, but might return).

INJURIES:
Forward Perry Cooper will sit out the whole year due to a football shoulder injury.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Henry Cutting (G)
Cole Paskus (F)
Max Lentz (F)
Mick Messner (F)
James Pretto (F)
Kalen Balas (F)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Sean Fuhrmann
Schuyler Hedican (F)
Max Frey (F)

COACH BRET FARLEY SAYS:

We picked up Steve Libert to help coach this year and he is already making an impact on the new and veteran players.

#5 Hudson Raiders (19-4-2)

The Raiders lost in the Sectional 1 semis last year to Superior.

PLAYERS LOST:
Hudson lost five players to graduation, including All-State players Charlie Singerhouse and Jack Cernohous.

INJURIES:
No major issues.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Wyatt Dove (F)
Parker Shefveland (F)
Adam Lipps (F)
Ariez Sime (F)
Iver Baribeau (F)
A.J. Romanoski (D)
Trey LaBarge (F)
Chase Blackmun (D)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Tanner Gornick (D), transferred from Syracuse (NY) Crunch AAA team.

COACH BROOKS LOCKWOOD SAYS:

Wins and losses are a by-product of the experience these kids will have as student athletes and we hope they have a positive experience growing and developing as leaders and members of their community. 

#6 wausau west warriors (20-7)

In Coach Pete Susens' final season, the Warriors lost a 2-1 double-OT heartbreaker to USM in the state semis last March.

PLAYERS LOST:
West lost a whopping eleven players to graduation, plus forward Kevin Conley, now playing in the USHL. Three of the players made All-State: Zach Peterson, Sam Wiegert, and John Metzinger.

INJURIES:
None

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Adam Parsells (D)
Sheldon Oja (D)
Jacob Evans (D)
Kellen Tharaldson (D)
Alex Gessler (F)
Andrew Lee (F)
Cale Bowman (F)

COACH B.J. BRANDT SAYS:

The Warriors are led by a strong senior group with most of them having three years of varsity experience.

#7 superior spartans (14-12-1)

Superior lost to Verona 3-0 in the quarterfinal round on their 36th trip to the state tournament last March.

PLAYERS LOST:
The Spartans lost four seniors to graduation, including one All-State player (Aaron Miller).

INJURIES:
Senior forward Daniel Burger will miss the first couple weeks due to a nagging football injury.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Tyler Nystrom (F)
Daniel Burger (F)
Grant Hanson (D)
Jesse Polson (D)
Braden LaPorte (D)

COACH JASON KALIN SAYS:

We have a strong 'D' group returning, quite a few seniors (10), and this is the strongest and biggest team I have had since the early 2000s.

#8 antigo red robins (23-2-2)

The Robins lost to Wausau West 7-2 in the Sectional 3 final last season.

PLAYERS LOST:
Antigo lost seven seniors to graduation, plus Jackson Charlesworth, who will be playing for the NAHL's Coulee Region Chill. Defenseman Matt Wolter was an All-State selection.

INJURIES:
None

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Alex Nagel (F)
Zack Levis (D)
Elijah Wickersheim (F)
Ryan Schmidt (G)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Matt Winter (D)
Adam Schmidt (F)

COACH MATT BORNEMAN SAYS:

We need our guys to step up and fill crucial roles.

#9 madison memorial spartans (17-8-1)

The Spartans have been off the radar for the last few years, but flew back in with last year's solid season.

PLAYERS LOST:
Memorial lost one player to graduation.

INJURIES:
No current injuries.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Ty Pelton-Byce (F)
Jack Andringa (D)
Riley Karns (F)
Jacob Padley (F)
Blake Komplin (F)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Colin Supple (D)

COACH JON SPENCER SAYS:

We believe we can be competitive in all our games.

#10 university school wildcats (21-5-3)

USM beat Wausau West in last year's state quarterfinals, but lost to Onalaska 4-3 in the semi-finals.

PLAYERS LOST:
The 'Cats lost seven seniors, including two All-State players (Bryan Botcher and Duncan Brown).

INJURIES:
Junior forward Jake Kandel will miss approximately two months.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Chris Keliher (D)
Tommy Ferrara (D)
Hayden Brown (F)
Nick Epperson (F)
Peter Barney (F/D)
Ben Hrabak (F)

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH:
Logan Geisness (F)

COACH TIM QUINN SAYS:

It's going to be very difficult to replicate the success that we had last season, but we have a lot of depth at every position, and a great group of kids all around, so it should be an exciting season regardless of the outcome.