With the fall sports season just completed, girls hockey has already begun. The Mound Westonka/Southwest Christian girls hockey team open up their season this week with home games against Woodbury on Thursday night and Northfield on Saturday afternoon. Both teams are Class AA and will be a great test to the White Hawks young squads.
Next week, the girls travel to South St. Paul on Tuesday and Alexandria on Friday before starting a three-game home stand Saturday night vs. Willmar. Captain Montana Courneya is the only senior on this year's team, returning with 10 other players from last season's state tournament team. Assistant captains this season are juniors Sydney Leonard, Gretta Pioske and Emily Wendorf. All four players have been on varsity since eighth grade and part of two state tournament teams.
While young, this year's skaters are very balanced and as talented as any squad that the White Hawks have ever put on the ice. They have skill and the ability to grind teams as well. Sophomore Ashlyn Roth takes over in goal this season, completing a transition from skater to varsity goaltender in two seasons. Courneya and Wendorf are joined on the blue line by sophomores Sage Finck and Natalie Miner and eighth-grader Ali Butler.
Up front, the line of Leonard, sophomore Camryn Hargreaves and junior Ellie Schmid return. Pioske anchors another line with sophomore Greer Hardacre and freshman Elli Lundquist. Another newcomer to the program, Gisella Harder, brings a lot of speed and skill to center juniors Tori Lacomy and varsity newcomer junior Ashlee Johnson. Eighth-grader Georgia Harmer will rotate in as a forward and defenseman this season and brings speed and skill to the lineup as well.
Left to right: Sydney Leonard, Emily Wendorf, Gretta Pioske and Montana Courneya
This year's schedule was purposely made more difficult to help prepare the White Hawks for their new section, 5A. Eleven games are scheduled against Class AA schools and non conference Class A stalwarts Chisago Lakes, South St. Paul, Simley, and others. Scrimmages against four other Class AA schools and Orono are intended to prepare the White Hawks for the post season. MW/SWC has its work cut out for them in Section 5A, which includes Breck, Delano, Holy Angels, Minneapolis, Orono, and Pine City. Hopefully by playoff time this team is ready and conditioned for a strong playoff run.
Come cheer on the White Hawks. They should be very entertaining to watch.
