PAGE 6 THE PRESS MARCH 16, 2011
Above: Park River Red Machine squirt hockey team. (Photo: Submitted)
Red Machine impress again at world's
largest squirt hockey tournament
By Kevin Skavhaug
FARGO, N.D. ---The Park River Red Machine
Squirts won four games out of five last weekend at the
27th annual 'Fargo Squirt International Hockey
Tournament claimirig first place in the second tier of
the B division. Tile Red Machine continued their
success in the tournament in 2011. Over the last three
years, the Red Machin e Squirts have gone 15 and 2 in
the tournanent.
The Squiri International, billed as the "largest
Squirt (age 9-1 !) hockey tournament in the world",
saw the field of competitors increased to 128 teams
this year. Of" those teams, half were divided into class
A compention and half into class B. The Park River
Red Machine, who won the entire class B division last
year, were ousted in game one in their quest to defend
their title.
The Red Machine opened play against Des
Moines, Iowa and for the first period the Red Machine
controlled the game. Near misses early for Red
Machine snipers saw good scoring chances go by the
wayside, Austin Brandvotd hit a pipe dead on just two
minutes in, Logan Syrup rattled one off the post
moments later and other Red Machine skaters had
good chances as well but could not find the back of the
net. The first period ended in a 0-0 tie.
A tier a delayed intermission, Des Moines came out
skating and the Red Machine didn't. Des Moines took
control fi'om here on out and after getting a 1-0 lead,
the Red Machine couldn't get back on the fast track
they showed in file first period. In the end Des Moines
won 5 to 0 which sent Park River into bracketing with
the 31 other teams who lost their first round games.
The Red Machine showed their tournament resolve
and would not lose again.
In game two the Red Machine made up for the loss
with lots of hustle, crisp passing, and exceptionally
strong defense as they took a 9 to 2 decision away
from Devils Lake. That style of play only improved'
tbr the Red Machine as the toumament wore on. The
Red Machine began playing their best hockey of the
year and it would carry them to another shot at a first
place trophy.
Moving past Devils Lake, the Red Machine would
match up against their first competition from a Fargo
team this year. The Red Machine went oh to easily
dismantle the Fargo Flyers Black team 9 to 0 in what
would become known as the Hamster game. The Red
Machine skated hard in this one and their quickness
• and passing was the highlight of the day. Their attack
warranted their opponents throwing in the towel
midway through the second period as they welcomed
a running clock for the rest of the game. Adam
Zavalney and Gavin Miller were the scoring leaders in
the game, each getting early goals that set the tone for
the remainder of the contest. Evan McLaughlin also
tallied an early score. Because of the shutout win for
goalie Spencer Skavhaug, Roger the Hamster would
join the team and unofficially became the team's
newest mascot.
Next up for the Red Machine on Saturday night
were the Fargo Angels. Playing in their home rink,
the Angels looked bigger but certainly were not faster.
The smaller, quicker Red Machine skaters jumped on
the Angels early. Logan Syrup was tenacious in this
one as he had been throughout the tournament. Syrup
scored the first three goals of the game and Nathan
Zavalney added one for the Red Machine pacing Park
River to a 5 to 1 victory. The win moved Park River
to the championship game for this bracket Sunday
afternoon.
The championship game would place the Red
Machine against Eastview Black, a team out of Apple
Valley, Minnesota. Again it would be the quickness of
the Red Machine that would be the difference. As one
Eastview dad said midway through the first period,
"those boys are way too fast for us". That proved to
be the ease as Park River flew to a 5 to 2 win. As one
Park River coach would comment, "it was a lot Of
seeing the teamwork and hustle coming out'of this
group of kids, they really are starting to play good
hockey."
But it was more than offense that provided the
winning formula for Park River. The defensive play
of the Magnusson twins, Tom and Will, Nick
Thompson, Wyatt Jelinek and along with the team's
speedy playmaker, Jacob Erovick, they protected the
Red Machine end extremely well in the tournament.
The Red Machine surrendered only 10 goals over the
five games, five of which came in game one, while
scoring 28 goals over the course of the final four
games of the tournament.
Team members include: Adam Zavalney, Nathan
Zavalney, Billy Laaveg, Evan McLaughlin, Jacob
Erovick, Will Magnusson, Tom Magnusson, Logan
Syrup, Wyatt Jelinek, Lane Bell, Gavin Miller, Drew
Lien, Nick Thompson, Austin Brandvold, and
Spencer Skavhaug.
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Girls' seasons end at regionals
with tough comp,etition
Top: Flyers Shayna Ruzicka sadly leaves
the court with Sydney Larson who looks
at the clock as Central Valley celebrates
in the background. The Flyers led by 18
at halftime and had the lead until 4.6
seconds left in the game, in the 56-55
loss in the opening round of the Region
2 Tournament. Middle left: Valley-Edin-
burg Titans Brittany Estad looks for a teammate as she recovers the loose basket-
ball. The Titans fell to Thompson 68-55 in the opening round of the Region 2
Tournament in Grand Forks. Middle right: FordvilleLankin-Park River Flyers SycF
ney Larson puts up two of her 28 points in the Flyers opening round loss to Cen-
tral Valley in the Region 2 Tournament. Bottom left: Grafton Spoilers Hanna
Thompson wrestles the ball away from a Hillsboro player. The Spoilers downed
Hillsboro 50-21 in the opening round of the Region 2 Tournament in Grand Forks.
Bottom right: Grafton Spoilers Samantha DeSautel drives to the basket against
Dakota Prairie. The Spoilers fell to the Knights 53-48 in overtime in the semi-finals
,. BI
of the Region 2 Tou?nament.
Photo on Front: Fordville-Lankin-Park River coaching staff, assistant coaches
Roger Moe, Lori Beneda and Head Coach Kirby Erickson, nervously watch the final
seconds of the 56-55 loss to Central Valley.
