Third title in a row for Div III Statesmen

Duncan’s Kahlil Fontana scored the overtime winner in a 2-2 final against Utica on March 30 to give the Hobart College Statesmen their third-straight NCAA Division III men’s hockey championship.

Fontana cut off a clearing attempt just in front of the crease and deked out a would-be defender, launching himself off the ice to push the puck past the goalie for the win. 

The move, reminiscent of Bobby Orr’s 1970 Stanley Cup-winning goal, drew a nod from Orr himself on Instagram, who wrote “Looks familiar…….” under the posted video.

Fontana was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. In 30 games played this season Fontana scored 10 goals and had eight assists for 18 points. 

The Statesmen finish the season with a 29-1-1 overall record.

Field hockey accolades near and far

Cowichan field hockey standout Sara Goodman earned a milestone 50th cap with Team Canada at the Nations Cup in Santiago, Chile in early March. The midfielder broke onto the national stage in 2018 and her first major tournament with the senior national team was the 2022 Pan American Cup, also in Chile.

Closer to home, Ashton Aumen, of the Cowichan Cardinals, won the prestigious Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association League’s Hibbert Trophy as the league’s Most Outstanding Player. She was also named Div. 2 MVP.

The Cardinals won the Kelman Trophy as the Div. 2 league champions and the Al Chedd Memorial Trophy as the Div. 2 playoff champions this season, too. Cardinals making the Div. 2 all star team were: Aumen, Julianna Cross, and Grace Paddle.

Cowichan Stellers players Alexandra Miller and Hayley Picard were named Div. 3 all stars.

Kerry Park officials selected for big games

Former Kerry Park Minor Hockey Association official Issac LaRoy was selected to work the U18 T1 BC Hockey Championships in Coquitlam, earning the gold medal game.

Current KPMHA official Matyas “Ty” Martiniuk was selected to officiate the U15 T2 BC Hockey Championships in Nanaimo earlier in March and his efforts earned him work in the bronze medal game.

Martiniuk is the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association’s reigning Official of the Year. His officiating career has been put on hold, however, as the teen was diagnosed with T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia earlier this month. Supporters can visit the “Ty Fights Cancer’ Facebook page to send their well-wishes and to get a link to a fundraising page. 

Former Cowichan Capital signs with Leafs

Luke Haymes, a former Cowichan Valley Capital (2021-22), has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs following his NCAA season at Dartmouth College. The Leafs announced on March 24, that Haymes, 21, inked a two-year contract with the franchise and has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies for the remainder of their AHL season. 

Haymes played the 2021-22 season with the Caps, scoring 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points in 52 regular season games. The Cowichan Capitals Rookie of the Year added another goal and three assists in four playoff games that season, too.

The centre attended a Maple Leafs development camp in July of 2023.

Senior stars strut stuff at basketball all-star games

The 2025 South Vancouver Island Basketball Association held its 36th annual Seniors Classic all-star games on April 5 at the Spectrum Secondary School Gym in Victoria. The games highlight the exceptional play and high school careers of some of the Island’s top basketball players for one final game. 

Players from schools up and down the Cowichan Valley participated. 

Playing for the North girls team were: guards Ruby McDougald of Brentwood College School, Violette Mueller of Duncan Christian School, who scored six points, and forward Elyse Henwood of Quw’utsun Secondary, who had four.

Playing for the North boys ‘A’ team were: guards Braydon Rodgers of Ladysmith Secondary, who scored two points and Julian Bishop, of Brentwood College School, who had eight. 

The North boys ‘B’ team included: forwards Grasyon Dunn of Duncan Christian School (seven points) and Temi Sapara of Brentwood College School (three points), as well as guard Eddie Kitsch of Quw’utsun Secondary, who scored 15 points en route to the game’s Most Offensive Player award.

Andrew Shepherd of Shawnigan Lake School was the boys ‘B’ team coach.

The annual all-star games have been taking place since the 1988 season.

One day last week Mother Nature offered a preview of summer with bright, sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s. It was the type of day most would like to be outdoors.

But in the Parkettes Gymnastics Center in Allentown, any thoughts of summer fun had to wait as more than a dozen youngsters were working hard in every corner of the building. Many were preparing for national competition.

The Parkettes are sending 11 youngsters — six girls and five boys —  to the USA Gymnastics Women’s and Men’s Development Program National Championships this week at the Mountain America Expo Center in Salt Lake City. The championships are the culmination of the development program season and national teams and national champions will be determined.

The level 10 girls who qualified are Tali Flanigan, Allanah Portalatin, Keira Gontkosky, Fayelee DeHart, Alondra Vasquez and Molly Ewer.

The level 10 boys who qualified are Cian Baillie, Charlie Epstein, Isa Najim, Brody Sculler, and Anderson Card.

In addition, the Parkettes had a level 6 Eastern national champion in Elijah Maeding, who had the highest score in the country for his age group and qualified to be a Future Stars national team member. Level 9 female gymnasts Cooper Caulfield and Mallory Gorski qualified for the Eastern championships in Michigan. Tyler Bilyj was an Eastern National qualifier and medalist.

“We have a good number of kids going to nationals, and it’s exciting because most of our level 10 team has qualified for nationals,” said girls team program director Tricia Scott, the daughter of Parkettes founders Bill and Donna Strauss. “It’s a big accomplishment, and we’re really proud of them because they put a lot of hard work in. They come in here five days a week and it’s a huge commitment. It’s nice to see the hard work pay off.”

Scott said what makes it especially gratifying is that most of the gymnasts going to nationals have been Parkettes for many years.

“It’s not like they just came over and were with us for a year or two,” she said. “They’ve been here since they were little and training up through the program. Sometimes they get to a certain point and they start peaking when they’re a little older. When they’re going into their junior year of high school, which is when the college recruitment starts, it’s really good for them to hit it at regionals and make it to nationals. That gives them a leg up on the recruitment process.”

While the gymnasts come from various school districts around the Lehigh Valley and region, they all have some common traits.

“They spend a lot of hours here and they’re very dedicated athletes,” Scott said. “Most of them do well in school, even though they’re here for a lot of hours. They learn time management at a very young age. They learn what they need to do to be successful in life, and it carries into adulthood for many of them. Two of the girls who are competing in nationals already have college scholarships. One is going to Temple and another is going to San Jose State.

“What is really rewarding as a coach is to see them come in here at a very young age, and you can see them grow and get better and move up in the levels and move up in the program,” Scott said. “And they get to this point and you see them have success in life. That’s why we do what we do.”

Portalatin, an Easton High product, is going to nationals for the third time.

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity to go to nationals,” said Portalatin, who is headed to San Jose State. “I am coming off my best competition ever at regionals. It’s nice to see the hard work pay off and have fun, too. I was second in the all-around and in the floor exercise. I am hoping to place really well in Salt Lake City. The goal is to hit my routines and be confident. There are hard days, but it’s 100% worth it and very rewarding. I have been with the Parkettes for about 10 years, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Flanigan, a Liberty High student who will soon graduate and continue her career at Temple, is also excited about nationals.

“I’m excited to compete for the Parkettes one last time,” she said. “I definitely have worked hard and put in a lot of dedication to get where I am. It has been really special. I can’t pick one best memory of my time here. It is just all the time I spent here with my teammates and coaches.”

On the boys side, Baillie, a Nazareth senior, is going to nationals for the fifth time after missing last year due to an injury. He is also going to Temple.

“I am excited for Temple because my brother, Taidhg, who is a year older than me, is already there,” Baillie said. “He loves the team and the school.”

The focus for now is on Salt Lake City.

“Last time I went to nationals, I finished second on the floor,” He said. “I’ve been on a competitive team here since I was 7, which is 10 years ago. I started here for physical therapy because I had some health issues when I was younger. My brother was here and he liked it. I kind of stuck with it because he did, and as I got older, I liked working hard. I’ve learned from experience that even when you have setbacks, you can overcome it with hard work.”

Another boys standout is Epstein, a Parkland High sophomore, who is also a qualifier for the Maccabi Games in Israel this summer.

“I enjoy doing something that not many people do,” Epstein said.

Boys team program director Kevin Hallinan is in his first year with the Parkettes after working in the region for over 20 years, and he’s hoping to carry on the Parkettes legacy.

“I’ve got some big shoes to fill with this program,” Hallinan said. “This is one of the most fun gyms I’ve worked at. I have really admired the staff and what they have done over the years. And we have many great athletes here who I have gotten to know this year. It’s quite a group of guys, and this is a wonderful place.”

Elijah Maeding’s name has been corrected from the original publishing of this story.

Originally Published: May 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM EDT

Most of the time, players who go into the transfer portal are looking for an opportunity for more playing time.

While more playing time would be nice, Hali Lawrence is more interested in her development as a goalie.

Lawrence, a 21-year-old from Okotoks, Alberta, recently decided to transfer to

St. Cloud State

after playing three seasons at Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut.

She is coming to SCSU knowing that there is not a high likelihood of seeing much playing time for the Huskies. St. Cloud State has two returning goalies who have both seen time as starters in fifth-year senior

Jojo Chobak

and freshman Emilia Kyrkkö. Plus, SCSU has sophomore Paige Hoogenstam on the roster.

Chobak split time with Sanni Ahola

for two seasons before taking a redshirt season in 2024-25. Kyrkkö, a member of the Finnish national team, split time with Ahola last season as a freshman.

But when Lawrence saw that former Finnish national team goalie Noora Räty was the Huskies goalie coach, she decided that it would be a good fit.

“I’m not coming in with any expectations,” she said. “I’m just excited to work and develop and continue to see myself grow with a program like that.

“(Räty) coached me once before in Minnesota. I had a lesson with her. I know she’s one of the best female goalies in the world, so it’s cool to have a chance to learn from her.”

In three seasons at Post, Lawrence was 1-7 with a 4.87 goals-against average and .862 save percentage in 14 games. Idalski understands why she chose SCSU.

“She’s excited to work with Noora because Noora has a track record of doing good things with goaltenders,” he said. “She wants to try to play overseas when she’s done and she wasn’t getting any of that (coaching) where she was. She’s happy to be in a program that’s trying to do it for real. She’s going to get some extra attention to make her game better.

“We wanted someone with some college experience and someone with just one year (left) and Hali fit that bill. It’s good for us. I don’t mind having four goaltenders. She understands the situation.”

CONTRIBUTED

Her last season before college, Lawrence played for the Calgary Fire Under-18 AAA team. She ended up beginning her college career playing club hockey for Minot State in North Dakota.

“My year was really tricky for recruitment,” she said. “I had offers from other players, but then COVID-19 happened. I lost what I had there. I ended up going online to get started because I didn’t want to take a gap year. After I got to Minot, I was emailing schools to see if I could play NCAA, because that was my dream. Post reached out, and a school in Canada. I chose Post because I thought it would be amazing to move to the (United) States for a few years.”

She only stayed at Minot State for her first semester of college and then transferred to Post. Last season, she played in seven games and was 1-3 with a 3.90 GAA and .862 save percentage for Post.

“It’s been really good. I love the school and everything,” Lawrence said. “I’ve met some really, really great people here. This has helped me become the hockey player I am and to have a chance to go to a school like St. Cloud. I’m really grateful for it. I have nothing bad to say about Post. The one hard thing is that our home rink is 35 minutes away from school.”

While Lawrence may see limited playing time, she said she plays with a lot of determination.

“I think the biggest thing for me is the no-quit attitude, never giving up on pucks,” she said. “The moment you give up, that’s when pucks go in. I’m good with getting to rebounds.”

Lawrence grew up in Okotoks, which is about 40 miles south of Calgary. Her father, James Lawrence, was a forward in the WHL and is the director for Team WestCan Female Elite Hockey Development.

Her younger sister, Mya, recently completed her freshman season as a forward for the University of Vermont. Her sister, Saydi, is a 16-year-old defenseman for Shawnigan Lake School in British Columbia.

She said that the move to St. Cloud State will significantly cut down on her drive time home.

“It’s way closer,” she said. “It’s like an 8-10 hour drive (from St. Cloud). Where I am now, it is like a 40-hour drive.”

She is looking forward to seeing what the competition is like in practice at SCSU. At Post, the Eagles went 25-78-6. They play in the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance. Post finished eighth in the NEWHA when she was a freshman, seventh as a sophomore and sixth last season.

POST UNIVERSITY

The WCHA is considered the best conference in women’s hockey. The Huskies have gone 50-50-9 and finished in fifth place (out of eight teams) in the WCHA in each of Idalski’s first three seasons. But that is a big turnaround after 12 straight losing seasons and finishing above sixth in the WCHA just one season (fifth in 2015-16 under Eric Rud).

“When I talked to Brian, it was really good,” Lawrence said. “I pretty much was asking about the team and the culture. It sounds like a really exciting team to be a part of, the competition and the conference. The work they put in to be a team sounds amazing.

“I think what impresses me about him is the culture he created. Everyone is on the same page and has the same goal. The way he keeps that going with a strong group of people.”

She is glad that her experience in the transfer portal is over and is looking forward to getting to SCSU.

“It was kind of a stressful process, having schools reach out and deciding which one would be best for you,” Lawrence said. “I had a few good options. I looked really into it and St. Cloud, by far, was my first choice after hearing about the coaching, the facilities and the team culture.”

Lawrence is working on a degree in criminal justice.

CONTRIBUTED

DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2025 All-Academic Team for Men’s Gymnastics on Tuesday and Navy’s squad was at the forefront of the release with 17 honorees. First awarded in 2022, the conference has given out these accolades to student-athletes that have a cumulative 3.0 or better GPA and includes freshmen who achieved a 3.0 GPA during their first academic semester in the fall. 

Navy’s 17-man list of honorees consists of seniors William Champagne (Operations Research), Sabastian Gordon (Operations Research), Vishal Mandava (Operations Research), Riley Rose (English) and RJ Spears (Chemistry); juniors Matthew Petros (Computer Engineering), Benjamin Venters (Chemistry) and Danilo Viciana (Quantitative Economics); sophomores Daniel Gurevich (Cyber Operations), Brian Solomon (Data Science) and Benjamin Thurlow Lam (Aerospace Engineering); and freshmen Saran Alexander (Robotics & Control Engineering), Payton Guillory (Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering), Justin Lozano (Mechanical Engineering), Michael Romo (Physics), Jonah Soltz (Aerospace Engineering) and Matthew Zeigler (Chemistry). Of note, Petros stands first in the Class of 2026 in Academic Order of Merit for his perfect 4.0 GPA through five semesters at the Naval Academy.

The Mids rounded out their season over the weekend of April 18-19 at the 2025 NCAA Championship. Competing as a team in the national event for the ninth straight time, four Mids advanced from Friday’s qualifying meet at Michigan to the event finals of the NCAA Championship on Saturday. At the end of Saturday night, Isaiah Drake found himself on the podium as an NCAA All-American in the all-around competition. The individual honor was the second of his career and just the third overall all-american award in program history since 1973.

Samantha Fantasia netted 16 goals this past season. Now the women’s hockey star from Billerica has pocketed a major award from Endicott College. The swift-skating forward received the Female Athlete of the Year award from the Beverly college. Fantasia produced a terrific senior season, collecting 27 points in 28 games and earning a plus/minus rating […]

Originally Published: May 6, 2025 at 5:18 PM EDT

May 6, 2025

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Alaska

Lindenwood

Long Island

Stonehill

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — The five Division I independent programs have finalized plans for a postseason tournament, to be held next March 5-7.

The tournament will be known as the United Collegiate Hockey Cup, and be held at Centene Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo., the venue that hosted an NCAA Regional in 2024 and Lindenwood plays its home games.

Besides Lindenwood, the other four teams are Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Stonehill and Long Island. Notably absent from the list is Tennessee State, the Nashville-based school that has previously announced its intention to start playing this season. Due to funding concerns, that proposition, however, is still up in the air.

This has been in the works for a while, as first noted by College Hockey News during last season. And the schools got together to create postseason “independent” awards for 2024-25.

“The ability to compete for a championship is an important part of every student-athlete’s experience, and we are excited this event will provide that opportunity for each participating program,” said Stonehill athletic director Dean O’Keefe. “We appreciate the St. Louis community welcoming this inaugural event to their region, and we look forward to Stonehill being part of this Division I postseason tournament.”

The five-team tournament will include a play-in game, with all teams guaranteed at least two games over the three-day competition.

“We are thrilled to bring this tournament to the St. Louis market,” Lindenwood athletic director Jason Coomer said. “This event not only provides a competitive platform for our student-athletes but also showcases the growth and quality of independent NCAA hockey programs on a national stage.”

Added Alaska AD Brock Anundson, “This tournament is about creating meaningful postseason opportunities and demonstrating the strength of these hockey programs in the NCAA landscape. We’re grateful to Lindenwood and the St. Louis community for hosting this inaugural event.”

Alaska was 12-14-6 a year ago, and had seasons of 17 and 22 wins the two years prior to that. Long Island finished with over 20 wins and in the 20s in the Pairwise, but will have a new coach next season; Brett Riley took the job at Ferris State and is being replaced by his cousin, Brendan.