Watch out for these 12 players at the Kiwanis Festival boys hockey tournament
Dec. 26—JOSEPH YOON, Sr., F/D: The senior spent two months prior to the high school season playing for the Rochester Grizzlies of the NA3HL. Since joining the Tigers in the beginning of the season, Yoon has not missed a beat. Yoon is the leader of his team (53-0-3) in scoring with five goals, and 10 points. He is an elite skater, and has played extensively in both forward and defensive, giving the Tigers a multi-faceted weapon.
CLAYTON Deutsch, Sr. F: Kennedy is getting off to a slow beginning, going 1-5-0 in spite of a difficult schedule to begin the season. Deutsch has been consistent at best. He averages more than a goal per game (8-4—12) and averages 2.0 points per game. This season, he has had two hat tricks against New Prague, Section 1A champion.
T.J. GIBSON Sr., F. Century (5-2-0), is off to a strong beginning thanks to its depth and balance at the front, in defense, and in goal. Gibson, however, is the team’s goal-scorer and playmaker. He led the Panthers scoring in both the 2020-21 season as a sophomore and the last season as a senior. With nine goals and 17 points in seven games, he’s on track to repeat the feat.
BRETT LUDVIGSEN So. F: It’s no surprise that the Wildcats sophomore has had a breakout season. Ludvigsen scored 13 goals and had eight assists last season for a senior-heavy team. He has taken on a leading role in the scoring department and is now the Kiwanis Festival’s top scorer. He is fast and has a great shot. Through eight games, he has scored nine goals and 16 point.
JACK HODGINS Sr., G. The Raptors have a difficult schedule to begin the season. However, Hodgins has been very efficient in goal. He has a.904 save rate despite taking 46.8 shots per match. In four games, Hodgins has saved 169 shots. He also made a record 63 saves against Rosemount in a loss 5-2 on Dec. 3.
NOEL OLSONAWSKI Sr., G.: The Bruins (7-1-1) are North Dakota’s top high school hockey team at the moment. Olsonawski is a key reason. He is 6-1-0 and has a modest 1.35 goals against average, as well as a sterling.932 save rate. He also has an impressive defense in front. Olsanawski is now at 23 saves, having made 33 in the Bruins season opener on Nov. 22.
OLE FEVOLD So., F.: J.T. is the obvious choice here. Veney is a strong blue-liner that has college and junior scouts salivating. Mason Decker, senior forward, was the team’s top scorer last season. Fevold is Decker’s closest linemate. The sophomore winger has brought a presence to the Rockets — he has stepped right into the varsity and made an immediate impact, leading the team in scoring (5-5 — 10). Fevold plays fast and does not seem intimidated by the challenge of stepping into varsity.
XANDER CARTERKLEVEN, Jr. G: Lourdes has lost its top 2 scorers and its top 4 defensemen. The Eagles also lost their first-line centre Jack Roe last week to an injury that could end his season. Carter-Kleven has been able to handle all of this with great success. Carter-Kleven has been a goalkeeper for Lourdes for every minute of the game, recording a.912 save rate and one shutout. He has faced more than 40 shots per match and has been very busy.
BROCK BEHREND Sr., F. Behrend may not be the Cardinals’ leading scorer (3-1-1), but he is the team’s top goalscorer. This senior scored 10 goals in five games and was outstanding on special-teams. Behrend has three power-play goals, and a remarkable three short-handed goal. He has also been assisted by two power-play goals. Eight of his 13 points came from special teams.
COHEN RUSKELL Sr. F: Ruskell was the ‘Steady Eddy” in Mayo’s lineup. He is a senior leader and has scored a point in six out of seven Spartans games. Ruskell (6-6—12) enters the Kiwanis Festival with a five-game goal streak. His hot start is perhaps most notable: Only one of Ruskell’s points (a power play goal at Hibbing/Chisholm, Dec. 9) came on special teams.
BLAKE MILTON, Sr., G. The Tigers are 4-1 entering the Festival and yet haven’t had a player score more than four goals. This has been easy because Milton is a great senior goalie and the offense has been balanced. Milton has seen every minute of this season in goal, posting impressive numbers such as a 1.40 goals-against and a.921 save percent. His defensive team has been impressive in front of him too, keeping opponents to 17.8 goals per game.
BRADY ESPENSON (Sr.), D/F: Espenson is Windom’s clear offensive leader, scoring an average of 2.0 points per contest. The versatile left-shot player has scored seven goals over six games. He began the season by scoring a hat-trick and an assist against Austin in Dec. 1.