Sports

Senior-led Braves find region redemption

By Tyler Ohmann

02/21/2012

A 6-2 win over Jamestown on Saturday put the Bottineau-Rugby (BR) Braves right where they wanted to be when they began the season—the state tournament.

The Braves downed the Hazen-Beulah North Stars and the Jays to qualify as the third-seed from the west and get the chance to compete for a state title this weekend at The Ralph.

“We had a very good region tournament,” stated Braves Head Coach David Hoff. “We were able to accomplish one of our team goals which was to qualify for the state tournament.”

Hoff was also named the West Region Coach of the Year.

The Braves region tournament began with an 8-1 defeat of Hazen-Beulah on Thursday.

BR jumped out to an early lead as the state’s top scorer Logan Millican recorded his 37th goal of the season on passes from Cody Longie and Zach Kihle.

Millican assisted on a Harrison Aide goal later in the period to put the Braves up 2-0.

BR did not let up from there as senior Kyle Volk, Longie and freshman Luke Amsbaugh all notched markers in the second period to put BR up 5-1 through two.

Aide had two helpers in the period and finished with three in the game.

The Braves would score three more times in the final frame to cap an 8-1 win.

The first was tallied by senior Jackson Bernstein. Senior Nick Monson and Millican assisted on the play.
Millican would score later in the period and also notched a helper on the Braves final goal scored by Monson. Longie also assisted recording his fourth assist on the contest.

Cody Brooks stopped 23 of 24 shots in net for BR.
Things took a turn for BR in their second game of the tournament when they fell 5-1 at the hands of eventual tournament champions the Bismarck Demons.

Early penalty trouble cost the Braves a pair of goals in the first period.

The Demons added two more in the second and held off the Braves in the final frame.

Aide did notch the only Braves goal of the game in the third to cut the lead to three. Senior Ging Martin was credited with the assist.

Brooks was bombarded in net with 41 Demon shots sailing his way in the game. He stopped 36 of them.

“The guys were a little disappointed with our game against Bismarck High.We just couldn’t get going after a couple of penalties in the first period,” Hoff stated.

However, the game that sent the Braves to state was the 6-2 win over Jamestown in Saturday’s state qualifier.

The Braves and Jays had played two one-goal games during the regular season, with BR coming out on top in both contests, but the Braves put the quash on a close game Saturday.

“It’s awesome. It is what we were looking forward to all year,” Volk said. “Last year we didn’t show up and play well, but we did it this year.”

“After last year and losing to Mandan, we got all 12 guys back out there, the seniors, and to finally get to state it feels awesome,” Volk added.

Three first period goals got the Braves rolling in the game.

Cody Bedlion scored the first, with senior Taylor Neubauer notching the assist on the play.

Millican scored the first of two goals in the game later in the period. Aide assisted on the odd man rush.
Amsbaugh notched the third marker of the first period for BR, with Millican assisting.

Millican would score the lone Braves goal in the second period, and was again assisted by Aide, who finished with three helpers in the game.

The action locked up in the third period, but Volk came up big after a perfect pass threaded by Monson to help put the game out of reach.

“It was breathtaking. Senior year, it couldn’t have been better,” Volk said of the goal. “Nice pass from my linemate Nick (Monson), just taking the game away. It was awesome.”

Kihle, a senior, added another goal for Bottineau in the third. Aide and Amsbaugh assisted.

Brooks finished with 28 saves in another solid performance in net.

“I really liked the effort level of our players in the tournament,” Hoff stated. “We got scoring contributions from a lot of players. It was a solid tournament.”

Millican the magnificent

For his efforts this season Braves senior Logan Millican was named the WDA Senior Athlete of the Year. He heads to state the top scorer in North Dakota Class A hockey with 64 points (40 goals, 24 assists).

Millican was also named to the WDA All-Tournament team alongside teammate Cody Longie. During the region tournament Millican finished with four goals and five assists, all of which came in the Braves two wins.

With the player of the year came also Millican’s nomination for Senior Athlete of the Year for the entire state. He is one of two finalists alongside Grand Forks-Red River’s Casey Fugleberg.

Fugleberg is the leading scorer for the undefeated Roughriders this season with 52 points (25 goals, 27 assists) and has 158 career points in 97 games played.
Millican has 150 career points in 73 games and in only three seasons.

Braves to take shot at state

The Braves will open their state tournament bid on Thursday at approximately 12:30 p.m., against the east’s second-seed Fargo North.

The Spartans enter the tournament 17-6-1, finished second in the East Region tournament and were third in the East Region in the regular season.

“I don’t know much about them, but I know we are a good hockey team,” Volk said. “We’re going to dump and chase and go after them.”

The Spartans were fourth in the East offensively with 79 goals and second defensively with 38 goals allowed in 23 games.

BR was atop the West Region with 135 goals  and third defensively with 61 goals allowed in 23 games.

Notes:

• Bottineau-Rugby defenseman Cody Longie dislocated his shoulder during the tournament. According to Head Coach David Hoff it is a painful injury, but they are going to have him evaluated over the week to determine whether or not he will be able to play this weekend.