by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Thanks largely to a hat trick by Hayden Walters, the Sartell Squirt A hockey team upset the Moorhead Spuds’ perfect winning streak Jan. 3 at the outdoor rink by the Bernick’s Arena. The score was 4-3.
After that game, on the same day, Walters scored another hat trick to help defeat Hutchinson 9-0 inside the arena. The Squirt As are one of several Sartell youth hockey teams; there is also a Squirt B team and two Squirt C teams.
The Squirt A team’s current season record is now 17-4-1.
Guest of honor Sartell Mayor-elect Sarah Jane Nicoll welcomed the Moorhead team to Sartell and then dropped the puck to start the 90-minute game, a fast-and-furious melee on ice conditions that were somewhat slushy, far from ideal. Although the weather was windy and bitterly cold, a water layer on the rink had not had time to freeze by the time of the 2:45 p.m. game.
Two of Walter’s three goals were unassisted; the third was assisted by Ella Boerger. Sartell’s Tommy Franke scored the fourth goal. Although Moorhead outshot Sartell 20-14, Squirt A goaltender Quentin Sigurdson ably blocked potential goals.
“Even though ice conditions weren’t perfect, the kids kept working hard,” said Corey Hansen, father of Casey, a Squirt A player. “They played good all along in a very close match.”
In the second game, Hutchinson also outshot Sartell 33-10, but swift and expert play by the Sartell team managed to achieve all of the nine goals. Besides Walters’ hat trick, goals were also scored by Parker Comstock, Troy Lund and Franke.
“Hutchinson dominated from start to finish,” Hansen said. “Overall, Sartell had a great team plan with good hustle. We pretty much buried Hutchinson.”
The Sartell Squirt A team players are Boerger, Comstock, Franke, Carter Halstrom, Hansen, Mason Horgen, Carter Johnson, Tory Lund, Sigurdson, Logan Theisen, Billy Vogt and Walters. The team’s coaches are head coach Dave Walters and assistant coaches Tom Franke, Mark Halstrom and Bill Lund.
Sartell Mayor-elect Sarah Jane Nicoll drops the puck to begin a Jan. 3 game between the Sartell Squirt As and the Moorhead Spuds. The two Sartell players in the photo are Hayden Walters (left) and goaltender Quentin Sigurdson (right). In the background are three members of the Sartell Youth Hockey Association Board (left to right) Robbie Schultz, Chad Ritter and Eric Grahek. The Sartell team won the game against Moorhead and the following one against Hutchinson.
Members of the Sartell Squirts A hockey team practice just 10 minutes before their game with the visiting Moorhead Spuds.
As their team is welcomed to Sartell, the Moorhead Spuds line up just before the Jan. 3 game in Sartell.
Two visiting buddies, both members of the Moorhead Spuds, pause for a photo just before their face-off with the Sartell Squirt A team Jan. 3 outside the Bernick’s Arena. The boys are Bo Bitzer (left) and Abe Carlson. The two both said it was fun to visit Sartell for a chance to play the Squirts.
Members of the Sartell Youth Hockey Association Board pause for a photo with Sartell Mayor-elect Sarah Jane Nicoll at a Jan. 3 game between the Sartell Squirt A team and the Moorhead Spuds. From left to right are Robbie Schultz, Eric Grahek and Chad Ritter.