Last weekend the 16U B Hockey team, the Heat, went to state in Palmer. The team consists of people from five different towns. From Tok, there is Teagan, Dawson, Creede, and Jeffry. From Glennallen, there is Ethan, Kaden, and Brooklyn. From Delta, there is Jocelyen, and formerly from Delta, Emilia. From Utqiagvik, or Barrow, there is Stephan. And finally, from Healy, there's Owen.
The Heat was set up for three different games. In their first game, against Fairbanks, the team won 9-2. The second game against the Mustangs was tough, and the team lost 2-4. The third game though was the biggest letdown of the whole season. In Hockey, there are 3 periods, and for the first two and a half, they were winning 2-0 against the Palmer Pioneers. With six minutes left, the team felt ecstatic. They would be going to the championship! Then the goalie got a puck shot past her into the net. The team was upset but they were still determined and thought there was no way we could lose. In the final six minutes of the game, the goalie let in 5 goals. The team was devastated with the final game being 2-5.
Throughout the Heat's hockey season it was always the same outcome. They could easily beat Fairbanks but always lost to the Mustangs and the Pioneers. During this season the team grew, learned together, and improved immensely. The fact that they were beating Palmer thrilled them. When the team lost they felt emotionally wrecked, but they still had a lot of fun and are proud of how they played and how much progress they made over the year.