Fergus Falls Bantam A Sweeps Districts
The District 15 Hockey tournament is usually the wrap up of a long season that brings out the biggest rivals and is a tournament where anything can happen. Fergus Falls VFW Bantam A team was the host team this year and seeded 4th. Friday night excitement brought Fergus against the 5th seeded Detroit Lakes Lakers; this rivalry did not disappoint! Many fans lined the glass of the North Rink to get a view of the show.
PHOTO by MELISSA BABOLIAN
Shane Zierden set the tone about 30 seconds into the period with a goal assisted by Lukle Norgard and Gavin Goepferd. Sam Dirkman added extra insurance moments later after connecting with a solid pass from Dakota Komestakes. The Lakers slipped one past the Otter netminder, Tim Nanson at the end of the period.
Second period brought the Lakers out in full attack as they scored three consecutive goals.
Third period had Otter fans on edge as the Lakers had the lead by two goals, Zierden helped them relax a bit hustling his way past the goalie after a solid connection from Griffin Babolian. The determination and hustle that the Otters displayed in the period was one that will be remembered for a long time. Brayden Nelson took the opportunity, while shorthanded, to speed his way past the Lakers and tie the game with an unassisted goal. The remainder of the period saw aggressive hustle from both sides but left the game tied.
Overtime was put on the clock and Nanson stopped the one shot the Lakers took and Komestakes scored the winning goal with assists from Babolian and Jack Welde. This sealed the win for the Otters with a 5-4 victory. Nanson made 21 saves in the game.
PHOTO by MELISSA BABOLIAN
PHOTO by MELISSA BABOLIAN
Saturday morning the Bantam A Otters faced another intense rival in the Alexandria Cardinals, who had earned the top seed. It was a back and forth battle in the first period with Nelson putting one in the net with assists from Leighton Buckmeier and Zierden.
The Cardinals came on strong in the second with three goals. The Otters managed to put another point up from another Nelson goal that was assisted by Norgard and Geopferd.
Third period had the fans sweating and the players leaving it all on the ice. The persistence paid off as Nelson recorded a hattie with his third goal of the game, assisted by Goepferd. That started the momentum the Otters needed to finish the task at hand. Babolian sailed an unassisted goal in the net with 6:20 left in the period. Zierden worked his speed and grit to the net after a pass from Nelson to tie the game with only 2:30 left. The anticipation was thick as the crowd was on the edge of their seats, with 26 seconds left Zierden sent a pass to Sam Dirkman, who sent a slapshot bar down putting the Otters over the top. Otters win 6-5 over the Cardinals.
Sunday brought a crowd to watch the showdown between the Moorhead Spuds and the hometown Otters. The whole first period went with strong defensive plays by both teams and left the period scoreless, only upping the intensity in the arena. Within the first 30 seconds of the second Zierden rattled the Spuds goalie by setting it in the net after connecting passes from Nelson and Goepferd. On a power play Komestakes won the faceoff passing to Norgard, Norgard took a strong slap shot from the blue line sneaking right past the Spuds goalie. Moorhead answered back with one goal leaving it in the Otters favor 2-1 at the end of the second.
Third period brought major anticipation and the setting of the stage of an epic third period. The Otters kept rising to the challenge; Goepferd scored an unassisted goal. Moorhead pulled their goalie with moments left and Nelson took advantage of the empty net at 11.4 seconds left of the game and ensured the Otters a 4-1 victory.
Goaltender Tim Nanson was unstoppable this weekend taking 35 shots alone in the final game and a total of 86 for the weekend.
The VFW Bantam A team will head to the Regional Tournament in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota this coming weekend. Also advancing to Regions will be the Alexandria Cardinals as they beat the Moorhead Spuds in a play-in game.
The VFW Bantam A team is coached by Jerid Adamson and Aaron Goepferd. Captain Leighton Buckmeier, Assistant Shane Zierden, Davis Shol, Brayden Nelson, Riley McGovern, Michael Schmidt, Adam Kennedy, Gavin Goepferd, Luke Norgard, Griffin Babolian, Jack Welde, Dakota Komestakes, Sam Dirkman and Goaltender Tim Nanson would like to thank the VFW Post 612 for their sponsorship throughout the season. Another thank you to their families for the support through the years. Another special thanks goes to the Fergus Falls Hockey Association for the time, effort and foundation that has been laid as many of these players head to start their high school careers next season.
