With no seniors, Midgets girls hockey team looks for youth to step up

• McKenna Love

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Dickinson forward McKenna Love tries to gather the puck in a girls hockey game against Bismarck on Dec. 10, 2011. Love is one of three juniors for the Midgets, who have no seniors.

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The Dickinson Midgets girls hockey team’s official team colors are orange and black.

They could easily add green to the palate because that’s what the Midgets expect be this season: a very inexperienced team that hopes to gain experience as it goes and churn out some victories along the way.

“Even though we’re a pretty young team, we have a lot of talented skaters,” said Lauren Hansen, Dickinson’s second-year head coach. “So far, the girls are working together pretty well. We still have quite a bit to cover, but I think they have a good fighting chance of making some improvements and working together a lot better than we were two weeks ago.”

Dickinson doesn’t have a senior on the roster and lost eight players from last year’s team that had a 1-21 overall record, including seven players who could have returned.

Sophomore Rachel Lantz, who had two goals and two assists last season, is one of a handful of experienced returners the Midgets are looking to for a boost this season.

Lantz said the influx of young players — Dickinson had five new freshmen and four new eighth-graders on the roster — is a slowly developing aspect that

“We have a lot of new players, but we can work together really well and we have a lot of talent on our team,” Lantz said. “Starting off, I’d say we are about the same, but I think we have the potential to work up to (being) better than we were last year.”

Juniors McKenna Love, Michaela Biel and Cassidy Goodrich are the lone upperclassmen for the Midgets, though sophomore goaltender Kelsey Gillen returns after making 10 starts last season.

Love, and sophomores Kayla Wallace and Megan Weidner will take the lead on the offensive end as they are spread out on lines with newcomers. Sophomores Victoria Kuntz and Brittney Chamberlain are expected shore up the defensive end.

Love is the team’s top returners scorer with three goals and one assist in the 2011-12 season.

Dickinson took a hit by losing its top two scorers, including Madison Kinzel, a senior who led the Midgets with nine points (seven goals, two assists) in the 2011-12 season. She had been one of the team’s leading scorers since she was an eighth-grader.

The Midgets were outscored 233-18 last season.

Hansen said the team is looking to this season as a fresh start.

“(We are) not really looking back, just kind of looking forward and trying to make improvements, build week to week and practice to practice and, hopefully, game to game,” she said.

Dickinson Midgets

Head coach: Lauren Hansen (second season)

Last season: 1-21 overall (1-17 state standings), did not qualify for Class A state tournament.

Season opener: vs. Williston, 5:15 p.m. today at Dickinson Recreation Center.

Returners: McKenna Love, Jr., F; Cassidy Goodrich, Jr., F; Michaela Biel, Jr., F; Rachel Lantz, So., F; Kayla Wallace, So., F; Victoria Kuntz, So., D; Brittany Chamberlain, So., D; Megan Weidner, So., F; Kelsey Gillen, So., G; Brenna Chamberlain, Fr., G.

Newcomers: Amaya Johnson, Jr., F: Paige Fahlstrom, Jr., G; Bree Jordan, Fr., F; Hallie Hoffer, Fr., D; Abby Wandler, Fr., F; Kira Zastoupil, Fr., F; Kelsey Calhoun, Fr., F; Codie Myers, 8th, F; Caleigh Devenport, 8th, F; Remi Love, 8th, F.

Lost: Kennedy Takle, D (graduated); Madison Kinzel, F; Kyleigh Brydl, F; LeAnne Brydl, G; Kenadee Fritz, F; Brittney Haas, F; Stephanie Horcharenko, F; Emily Suwyn, F.

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