One thing that jumped out at last week's state large-school prep hockey tournament in Wasilla was the monumental impact of very young players, particularly on West, which repeated as state champion.
The Eagles featured a 21-player roster, and two-thirds were freshmen and sophomores -- eight freshmen and six sophomores. And many of those young players made critical contributions.
West goaltender Isaiah Saville, just a freshman, allowed a mere one goal in three games, and the team defense in front of him was stout, limiting the number of Grade A chances he faced. Coach Nathan Shasby often played just four defensemen, with only one senior, Alex Bardsley (hat trick in the title game) logging big ice time on the back end. The Fair brothers, junior Mac and freshman Olin, played big minutes. Along the way, freshman Christopher Lottridge and sophomore Parker Pickett got significant time in various games, and Shasby usually leaned on the four D who were playing best at the moment -- Bardsley and the Fair brothers all received big minutes in all three games.
Up front, the Eagles were also young. Max Helgeson, a freshman, scored three goals in the first two games. He played on a line with a sophomore (Tanner Edwards) and a junior (Garrett Bruner). If memory serves, the Eagles also employed an all-freshman line -- Sullivan Mack, Jacob Cummings and Sawyer Courrier.
Runner-up Chugiak flourished with a sophomore, Jack Walters, in goal. And it featured an all-junior first line -- Zachary Krajnik centering Andrew Beckett and John Hammer -- that was explosive.
Upstart Eagle River, a semifinalist in its first state tournament after upsetting West Valley in the first round, featured a sophomore goaltender in Trent Burnham. And its top line was comprised of three sophomores -- Joshua Linn center Sutton McDonald and Ben Hinckey.
Granted, many Alaska players(often juniors and seniors) still in high school head Outside to play junior hockey, so their high school teams do not get the benefit of their talent.
Still, young players stepped into lineups this season, and stepped up in a big way.
All of which means -- unless many of these young guns head Outside next season -- is that some of the best high school teams this season should have experience and talent coming back next season.