Willmar Cardinals Winter Preview: Girls Hockey

COACH

Rick Dahle (1st year)

ASSISTANT COACHES

Ross Dahl, Veronica Williams

2005-06 SEASON

Willmar finished 2-23 overall and 2-14 in the Central Lakes Conference; lost 4-0 to Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato in the first-round of playoffs.

KEY DATES

Season Opener: Today at Benson Civic Center vs. Morris/Benson Area, 7 p.m.

Central Lakes Conference Opener: Friday at Fergus Falls, 7:15 p.m.

Home Opener: Nov. 28 vs. Hutchinson, 7 p.m.

Holiday Tournament: Dec. 27-29 at Owatonna

Section quarterfinals: Feb. 10 at high seed

ROSTER BREAKDOWN

(Name, Year, Position)

Abby Schueller, senior goalie

Ashley Hutton, sophomore forward

Libby Flickinger, senior defense

Kelsey Johnson, senior defense

Jennie Mattison, freshman defense

Allie Sweep, junior forward

Kelsey Swanson, senior defense

Emily Kack, junior forward

Nikki Serbus, senior defense

Erin Sheehan, freshman forward

Samantha Sing, junior defense

Carlie Freese, freshman defense

Chelsey Wierschem, sophomore forward

Sarah Hulscher, junior forward

Chelsey Beilhartz, senior forward

Taylor Sandberg, sophomore defense

Ali Sing, freshman forward

Amanda Croonquist, sophomore goalie

Allison Johnson, freshman goalie

OUTLOOK

Willmar has good experience on defense with Libby Flickinger (CLC honorable mention), Kelsey Johnson, Kelsey Swanson, Nikki Serbus and Sam Sing all back. Goalie Abby Schueller sat out her junior year, but is back trying to duplicate the success she had in goal as a sophomore (CLC honorable mention).

Scoring was the big need a year ago as only 33 goals were tallied, 15 of those against winless Little Falls in Willmar's only two wins.

Chelsey Wierschem, Ashley Hutton and Chelsea Beilhartz should lead the attack. Wierschem and Hutton were both CLC honorable mention last year and Beilhartz was two years ago. In all, 13 players have won letters.

For the first time, Willmar will field a junior varsity team, which will play a duplicate schedule.

Fourteen players on the roster include two juniors, two sophomores, seven freshmen and three eighth-graders.

Nick Dahle is the new head coach. The Crookston native and the owner of Cullen's Home Center spent the past six seasons coaching in the youth program. Ross Dahl will be his assistant coach. Dahl had guided the Willmar program since its inception in 1998, including two state tournament visits. Veronica Williams, who played four years of club hockey at St. Cloud State, will coach the JV.

FROM THE COACH

Rick Dahle: "We have a lot of experience at blue line, but they'll be learning a new game. The high school league has instituted new rules to speed up the game. The game was migrating towards the boys' game with more physical play, clutching and grabbing. The focus now is on skating and keeping two hands on the stick. Contact on a player not carrying the puck is now illegal. It should make the game more exciting and I do think we'll score more. I'd like to settle on three lines, but it's a little undecided right now. Our forwards will be expected to play center as well as wing, if need be. We've also got some seasoned players on offense and some nice young players. We'll be floating several players from the jayvee to the varsity each night; you can play four periods, just not four in a row."