Annandale will have three girls on the North Wright County River Hawks hockey team this season. The seven-school cooperative of the Wright County Blades was dissolved earlier this year and two new co-ops were formed. Buffalo, Maple Lake, Rockford and Delano were absorbed into Buffalo’s high school program and St. Michael-Albertville, Monticello and Annandale will form the North Wright County River Hawks. Annandale’s three athletes, senior Alicia Bame, sophomore Marissa Bame and junior Christina Walker are the most girl hockey athletes the school has had. There are also two eighth-grade skaters who will probably consider joining the River Hawks next year, athletic director Denny Harmoning said. The River Hawks alternate between arenas in Monticello and St. Michael for practice and for hosting home games. The three Cardinals join a fairly young team. Most are underclassmen who have been playing varsity with the Blades, said River Hawks coach Tim Hanson, a third-grade teacher in the St. Michael-Albertville district. “I would say that balance on our team has been our key so far this year. We have three even lines and five defense that have done a nice job of buying into our system.” “Our main focus at this point of the year is on team defense. Our goal is to limit good scoring chances by opposing teams and only allow them low quality shots. We’ve been outshot every game, but a majority of the shots we’ve given up are from the outside, which is important for us,” he said. “In our inaugural season, I’m very happy with our 3-1 start. The girls have worked hard and are improving each and every day. We need to focus on the little things, blocking shots, backchecking and playing sound defense if we are going to continue to have success.” Hanson was with the Blades for six years before the team was dissolved. Three of those years he was an assistant and he spent three more as co-head coach. The Blades were in existence for eight years before the dissolution. Annandale has had at least one athlete involved for the last several years. The River Hawks’ next game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, against Rogers on the Hawks’ home ice in St. Michael.
River Hawks Coach: Tim Hanson Seniors – *Ashley Tenny, Alicia Bame, Celeste Dehmer, Kristine Diers, Jolene Bourgeois. Juniors – Mallory Maurer, Megan Dingley, Jessica Ryan, Emily Bourgeois, Kendra Christiansen, Christina Walker, Steph Miller, Katherine Foster. Sophomores – Marissa Bame, Courtney Gamrath, Stephanie Bondhus, Brooke Maier, Kristina Weber, Jennifer Miller, Kim Franklin. Freshmen – Kerry Blomberg, Anna Sombrio, Laurie Barger, Mandy Thurmes, Amy Bruner, Alyssa Bier, Andrea Thurmes, Natasha Bame, Shelby Stanger. Eighth grade – Kara Foster, Katie Blomberg. * Denotes captain
Schedule Home games are listed in bold. November Saturday, Nov. 12, Cooper, 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, St. Cloud Icebreakers, After JV (MAC Arena) Thursday, Nov. 17, Buffalo Tuesday, Nov. 22, Mound Westonka, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, Irondale, 7:30 p.m. December Thursday, Dec. 1, Princeton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, Rogers, 7:30 p.m. (STMA Civic Center) Tuesday, Dec. 6, Cambridge-Isanti, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, Bloomington Jefferson, 7:30 p.m. (STMA Civic Center) Thursday, Dec. 15, Maple Grove, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony, 7:30 p.m. (STMA Civic Center) Tuesday, Dec. 20, Mound Westonka, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, Willmar (Owatonna Tournament) Wednesday, Dec. 28, Owatonna (Owatonna Tournament) Thursday, Dec. 29, Hutchinson (Owatonna Tournament) January Friday, Jan. 6, Princeton, 7:30 p.m. (St. Michael-Albertville Ice Arena) Tuesday, Jan. 10, Rogers, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, River Lakes, 7:30 p.m. (Richmond Arena) Tuesday, Jan. 17, Cambridge-Isanti, 7:30 p.m. (Isanti Arena) Friday, Jan. 20, Buffalo, 7:30 p.m. (STMA Ice Arena) Tuesday, Jan. 24, Mound Westonka, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, Princeton, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, Rogers, 7:30 p.m. February Friday, Feb. 3, Cambridge-Isanti, 7:30 p.m.
