Last Updated on Thursday, 21 January 2016 10:02
By Andrew Vitalis
How impressive was Baldwin-Woodville’s 14-game winning streak earlier this season? Consider this: During that stretch, the Blackhawks outscored their opponents 107-37. Baldwin-Woodville scored seven or more goals in a game nine times and allowed two or less goals eight times. How about this: During the same stretch, leading scorer Brandon Connett tallied 26 goals and 25 assists!
The streak was impressive to say the least and is one of the reasons why Baldwin-Woodville has raised eyebrows within the Middle Border Conference and throughout Western Wisconsin. Now 16-3 overall, the Blackhawks are tied with Somerset for the conference lead. Baldwin-Woodville lost to the Spartans by one goal on Jan. 12. The two teams play again in Somerset on Jan. 28, most likely for the conference crown.
While defensively the Blackhawks have been good, you can’t help but pay special attention to what Baldwin-Woodville has been able to do on offense this season. In addition to junior sniper Brandon Connett (31-32--63), the Hawks have three players who have already scored over 40 points this season (Connett, Gavin Hessler and Landon Albrightson) and have nine players who have reached double digits in points. Connett, who leads the state in goals (as of Jan. 19), averages over three points per game, and as a team, the Hawks score at over seven goals per game. The Hawks will need every bit of power on offense down the stretch as they play four of their last five games, including three conference battles with Somerset, Regis/Altoona/McDonell and rival New Richmond, on the road to close out the regular season.
Big Rivers Conference
Speaking of flourishing on the road, the Rice Lake Warriors (11-8 overall) recently won three of four games on the road, including pivotal wins over conference foes Chippewa Falls and River Falls. During both of those wins, Rice Lake shut out their opponent 2-0. The Warriors have now shut out their opponents five times this season. Junior netminder Hunter Holmes has been peaking at the right time for the Warriors and just in time. Rice Lake finishes the regular season with four of their last five games against conference rivals including a Feb. 2 battle with third-ranked Hudson.
After two losses in late December, the Hudson Raiders are once again flying now winners of their last five games by a combined score of 31-7. Goalie Anthony Howard has been one of the best in the business, posting a goals-against average of 1.03 and a save percentage of .938. The junior has already notched five shutouts this season including his most recent masterpiece in Eau Claire (11-0 win over Eau Claire North on Jan. 14). As a team, Hudson started the season shutting out four of their first five opponents.
Mississippi Valley
If you like to look at trends around the state to help predict how the rest of the season may pan out, you may want to start penciling in the Onalaska Hilltoppers as one of the teams to beat come playoff time. Skating into this week with a 14-2 record, Onalaska has flexed its muscles in devastating fashion since the first week of January, outscoring their last four opponents by a staggering margin of 40-1. The only goal given up during that stretch was a third-period tally by Aquinas/GET/Holmen on Jan. 5. As a team, the Hilltoppers have allowed just 23 goals all season.
As dominant as they are on defense, Onalaska has also been lighting the lamp on a consistent basis on offense, making them one of the most balanced teams in the state. Tyler Ebner leads the team in scoring with 56 points (24-32). Three other players have scored 30 or more points this season and the Hilltoppers have an eye-popping seven players who are averaging more than one point per game. It’s not a surprise that Onalaska is ranked ninth in the state.
Badger North
In Badger North country, the fans are flocking to Waunakee to see the one-two punch of Jacob Thousand and Blake Ripley. Both players are currently in the top five in scoring in the state and are adding to their numbers in historic fashion. Thousand (30-23--53) and Ripley (21-27--48) have combined for 102 points through 15 games, helping the Warriors to a 12-3 season record. Thousand and Ripley have been so good that Thousand has been held without a point one time this season, while Ripley has scored at least one point in every contest.
Thousand, who is currently second in the state in goals, has scored three or more goals in a game five times this season and has registered six points in a game twice. As for Ripley, the talented winger has scored four or more points in a game seven times already this season, including two hat tricks. The duo is the main reason why the Warriors are scoring over seven goals per game this season and have scored 10 or more goals in a game six times. Throw in Parker Elvy (13-23--36) and Waunakee has three players who are averaging more than three points per contest.
Andrew Vitalis writes columns in LPH geared towards Wisconsin hockey. He can be reached at lphprep@yahoo.com.
