Sports

Fargo Freezes Avalanche in 19U title game

By Tyler Ohmann

03/06/2012

Knowing they had beaten every team that participated in the 19U State Tournament during the regular season the Bottineau Avalanche figured they had a pretty good shot at making and maybe even winning the state title last weekend.

The Avalanche did in fact make it to the title game, but fell to Fargo 14U 5-3. However, just making the title game was a feat in itself as Bottineau went 0-25 in their inaugural season eight years ago.

“It was definitely an honor to be playing in the championship game after getting beat in all 25 games our first year and eight years later being in the championship,” said Captain Morgan Klebe. “It was a tough game. Fargo is a good team, and we just got beat by a good team today.”

Bottineau fell into a 3-0 hole as Fargo’s Alex Woken scored twice and dished an assist to a third goal in the first and early second periods.

The Avalanche charged back on the Freeze with second period goals from Erin Severson and Tiffany Schuster. Ashley Blue assisted on the Severson goal and Severson assisted on Schuster’s goal.

The Freeze scored again to open the third and put Bottineau in a 4-2 hole. Blue scored for the seventh time in the tournament later in the third to pull within one.

Woken closed the door on Bottineau though at 4:39 of the third as she garnered a hat trick and put the game out of reach.

“We had an opportunity in the championship and we worked hard all year to get there,” Klebe said. “We definitely deserved it. All of our players , incare good, and we had a good chance to beat Fargo today.”

“We beat them earlier in the season, but they got better, we got better, and it was too bad we couldn’t beat them today,” Klebe added.

Bottineau did beat the Fargo 14U team 5-2 at the Jamestown Jamboree on Dec. 18.

Crunch time against Crosby

Bottineau nearly did not make it to the title game against Fargo. It took the Avalanche two overtimes to defeat Crosby in Saturday’s semifinal game.

“It was very intense,” Klebe said. “Crosby is a very good team. They beat us at the beginning of the year in overtime, but we got them when it mattered the most.”

However, it was the Avalanche who prevailed for the third time in their last four meetings, three of which went to overtime.

Blue scored both of the Bottineau goals and Natalie Bahr assisted.

The lone Crosby goal came from Makenzie Olson on the power play in the second period.

Bottineau netminder Jacie Ceglowski had an outstanding game with 42 saves against 43 Crosby shots, including eight saves in the two overtime periods.

However, Klebe said the Avalanche would not have gotten it done without an entire team effort.

“I think the biggest thing is that our team gets along really well and we all play really great together,” Klebe said. “Tiffany Schuster said last night that we don’t just play with our team, we play with our best friends, and I find a lot of truth in that statement.”

No Way Dawg

Having won 9-8 in overtime against the Mayport Ice Dawgs earlier in the season Bottineau anticipated a tough one in last Friday’s second round game against Mayport (Bottineau received a first-round bye).

Another nine-goal performance from Bottineau cinched the victory for the Avalanche 9-5.

Blue opened the game with an unassisted goal. It was the first of four goals in the game for Blue, who also scored later in the first, in the second and with 20 seconds left in the third.

The two team’s traded goals as Bottineau’s came from Bahr and Blue in the first and early in the second it was a 3-3 game. Olivia Knutson scored all three of Mayport’s goals.

Bottineau would rattle off three straight second period goals to capture the lead for good. Erin Severson led off the charge with one of five shorthanded goals on the day for both teams.

Blue also scored shorthanded later in the period and Bahr hit the game-winner at 10:47 of the period.
Mayport cut within a goal to start out as they began the third period with a pair of goals. However, Bottineau added three more in the final frame to take home the 9-5 win.

Scoring goals for the Avalanche in the third period were Shelby Pedie and Severson. Bailey Neubauer had three assists in the win. Also with assists in the game were Klebe, Blue (2) and Sonja Gilje.

Knutson finished with a hat trick and an assist in the loss for the Ice Dawgs.

Historic Season

The season was historic for the Avalanche, as the runner-up finish at state eclipsed last year’s third-place finish as the best any Bottineau 19U team has done.

The Avalanche also set a program best with 20 wins. They finished with a final overall record of 20-5.

“I’m just so proud over the accomplishments our team has made over the past years, and I couldn’t ask for a better team, and better friends, a better coach or better parents,” Klebe said. “We would have never been able to get this far without them.”

Klebe is one of three seniors that will graduate from this year’s team. Also seniors are Tiffany Schuster and Alyssa Acheson.

Note:

• Blue finished with 73 goals and 17 asssists on the season.