Sports

Bottineau 19U extend win streak to five

By Tyler Ohmann

12/11/2012

During their first two games goals came easy for Bottineau 19U and it translated to three straight wins. While the goals didn’t come quite as easy this past weekend, as Bottineau was treated to some better competition, both defense and goalie stepped up to keep Bottineau undefeated.

On Friday Bottineau defeated a hard-nosed Clearwater, Manitoba team 3-1, thanks in most part to Ceglowski, who had 56 saves.

Saturday Bottineau stole a game on the road from Crosby, as they defeated the Comets 5-3.

Bottineau closed out the successful weekend on Sunday with a 6-3 victory over visiting Watford City.

“We had three good wins,” said Bottineau 19U head coach Matt Johnson.

The successful weekend began on Friday as Bottineau hosted the Canadian team from Clearwater.

Bottineau scored once in each period and Ceglowski allowed only one goal in the first period to earn a 3-1 victory.

She finished with 56 saves in the win, as Bottineau was out shot 57-30.

Ashley Blue scored the first and final goal for Bottineau, while Natalie Bahr notched the game winner. Karlee McCloud assisted on the first Blue goal. The other two goals were unassisted.

Mandy Hendrickson scored the lone goal for Clearwater.

“They were a pretty good team out of Canada,” Johnson said of Clearwater. “So it was good to get a win.”

On Saturday Bottineau continued their win streak as they traveled to take on Crosby. The Comets were able to score three times, but Bottineau rallied to win 5-3.

“They have a pretty quality team over there, so that was good,” Johnson said.

On Sunday Bottineau played perhaps their most impressive game in a 6-2 win over Watford City.
Bottineau struck early in the game as Bailey Neubauer fired in a shot from the point. Bahr assisted the goal that put Bottineau on top 1-0 early in the first.

Kalie Skarda tied the game just over a minute later with an unassisted marker for Watford City.
McCloud scored 30 seconds later to regain the Bottineau lead. Blue assisted on the goal.

Blue notched another assist, as did Alexis Kihle to extend the Bottineau lead later in the period as Paige Vad hammered in a rebound to put Bottineau up 3-1.

Watford City answered before the period ended, as Skarda again found the back of the net.

However, Bottineau was too much for Watford City as Blue scored twice in the final frame and Kihle also added a goal to close out a 6-3 victory.
Neubauer and Bahr earned assists on the first two goals of the third period for Bottineau.

Despite allowing one goal late in the final period, Ceglowski stood strong in the net with 13 of her 27 saves in the game coming in the third.

“For sure our goalie, Jacie Ceglowski,” Johnson said. “She’s been unreal, especially on Friday. I’d say that it starts in the net for us.”

However, scoring has come from a number of sources and both lines for Bottineau, which also has contributed to success according to Johnson.

"We’ve been able to get scoring from quite a few different people, which helps us,” Johnson said.

Bottineau tests will get even tougher in the upcoming weekend as they will travel to Bismarck for the annual Bismarck Jamboree. There Bottineau will face likely state opponents in two Fargo squads.

“That will be tougher,” Johnson said. “There will be a couple of teams that will likely be on top of the conference.”

At 5-0 Bottineau certainly has gotten off to a hot start, but they know it will be a struggle to stay undefeated.

“We’d like to stay in the win column, but we know we have some tougher challenges ahead,” Johnson said.