Excited, too, in Year 2
Flying Warriors set to open second season
The puck drops on Year Two of the Brainerd/Little Falls Flying Warriors girls' hockey team Tuesday night at Little Falls Exchange Arena.
Flying arriorsHead coach: Rod Peltoma, third seasonCareer record: 21-27-4 (.438)2008-09 season: 6-6-2 conference, 10-14-2 overallAssistant coaches: Brad Hubred, Brian Arndt, Stephanie Sustercich, Todd DahlScheduleNov. 17, vs. Detroit Lakes at Little Falls 7 p.m.Nov. 20, at Crookston 7 p.m.Nov. 21, at East Grand Forks 1 p.m.Nov. 24, Rocori at Little Falls 7 p.m.Nov. 27, at Buffalo 7 p.m.Nov. 28, vs. North Wright County at Buffalo 1 p.m.Dec. 1, vs. Sartell/SRR at Sartell 7 p.m.Dec. 4, Pequot Lakes at Brainerd 5 p.m.Dec. 8, at Alexandria 5:15 p.m.Dec. 10, St. Cloud Ice Breakers at Brainerd 5:15 p.m.Dec. 17, Willmar at Little Falls 7 p.m.Dec. 22, Fergus Falls at Brainerd 7 p.m.Jan. 5, Moorhead at Brainerd 7 p.m.Jan. 7, vs. River Lakes at Richmond 7 p.m.Jan. 12, at Fergus Falls 7 p.m.Jan. 14, Alexandria at Brainerd 5:15 p.m.Jan. 16, at Bemidji 1 p.m.Jan. 19, Sartell/SRR at Little Falls 7 p.m.Jan. 21, at St. Cloud I 5:15 p.m.Jan. 23, Bemidji at Brainerd 3 p.m.Jan. 28, at Willmar 7 p.m.Jan 30, Bloomington Jefferson at Brainerd 2 p.m.Feb. 1, at Moorhead 7 p.m.Feb. 6, Robbinsdale Armstrong at Little Falls 2 p.m.RosterSeniors: Lisa Orth (F), Molly Peltoma (F), Amber Arndt (D), Sarah Gorvin (D), CJ Arndt (F), Kayla Bjorge (F), Kayla Andrusko (D)Juniors: Sarah Sorenson (F), Hailey Joyce (F), Brooklyn Motschenbacher (D), Elizabeth Desrocher (F), Kierra Howard (G), Emily Doss (F)Sophomores: Bailey Andres (D), Brenna Holmes (D), Jodi Bertrand (G), Katie Benson (F), Zoe Wolhart (F-D)Freshmen: Alayna Ernster (F), Emily Stark (F), Eryn Dahl (D), Maddie Hastings (F), Maren Brown (F), Sierra Hanowski (F) 0 Right Insert Quote 155
Entering the 2008-09 school year, Little Falls was suffering from low numbers and Brainerd was facing budget cuts. The cooperative was a way to share costs and bolster the roster. There were enough players for a first-time junior varsity team.
The Flying Warriors finished 10-14-2 and lost 4-0 to Bemidji in the Section 8-2A quarterfinals. They play Detroit Lakes in Tuesday's opener.
Captains of the Brainerd/Little Falls Flying Warriors girls' hockey team are Amber Arndt (left), Sarah Gorvin and Molly Peltoma. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey » Purchase reprints of this photo.
"The first year went excellent," coach Rod Peltoma said. "I thought the girls really developed good chemistry very quickly. A lot of friendships that were developed have been retained. I think girls from both schools respect each other and support each other and have learned to become very good teammates."
The Flying Warriors return eight players, three on defense, five at forward.
Sarah Gorvin, Amber Arndt and Brooklyn Motschenbacher return to the blue line.
"They all come with varsity experience, so they have to shore up the back side," Peltoma said. "We've got some younger players coming in, sophomores and freshmen, and we have a couple of juniors and seniors who were on the junior varsity, who will be vying for spots."
Forwards back include Lizzy Desrocher, Sarah Sorenson, Hailey Joyce, CJ Arndt and Molly Peltoma.
'They played more varsity periods than anybody else," Rod Peltoma said. "We're hoping we can develop some balance. We're going to have get scoring from three lines. We're going to try and come up with line combinations that will put pressure on the other team.
"We've got some good, young kids coming in with a fair amount of skill who are certainly going to be helpful. But it will certainly take them a few games to adapt to varsity speed, to the varsity physical side of things."
In net the Warriors will be inexperienced as Jodi Bertrand and Kierra Howard have not played a varsity minute.
"Kierra played some JV games last year, but there's no varsity experience between them," Rod Peltoma said. "They will be tested early."
The coach said the program has about 30 girls, enough for varsity and JV teams.
"There will be some varsity kids that will play a period or two of JV because they're allowed to play four periods in a day," he said. "In fact a good share of the girls will play four periods at the beginning of the season just to get them that experience.
"I would say after Christmas is when we kind of sort things out, determine line combinations that are more solid, as well as who's performing, as well as who's earned spots."
Despite the lack of varsity experience Peltoma doesn't regard this as a development year.
"We're a pretty inexperienced team, but I have to say we're very excited about the girls that we have," he said. "We don't drop off significantly. I think we have a little bit of depth. We're hoping that the girls, with some experience, will certainly allow us to have some success.
"I don't think it's a development kind of year. I look at this team as having the ability to progress, and I feel we will progress quickly. I think we will be very competitive as the season moves along. I think we certainly will be a team at the end of the season that will challenge in the section, I really do.
"We've moved up a few ninth-graders. We will work them in. I'm sure by Christmas a lot of them will be getting regular varsity shifts. We have some girls who played JV last year, who really worked hard, who are going to be contributors as well. Our JV program is certainly beneficial."
The Flying Warriors have added Pequot Lakes, Bloomington Jefferson and Woodbury to their schedule. They will play Bemidji and Moorhead twice apiece for the first time.
"It's a more challenging schedule," Peltoma said. "That's what we want. There's not one game that's a soft game."
Flying Warriors roster
Seniors: Lisa Orth (F), Molly Peltoma (F), Amber Arndt (D), Sarah Gorvin (D), CJ Arndt (F), Kayla Bjorge (F), Kayla Andrusko (D)
Juniors: Sarah Sorenson (F), Hailey Joyce (F), Brooklyn Motschenbacher (D), Elizabeth Desrocher (F), Kierra Howard (G), Emily Doss (F)
Sophomores: Bailey Andres (D), Brenna Holmes (D), Jodi Bertrand (G), Katie Benson (F), Zoe Wolhart (F-D)
Freshmen: Alayna Ernster (F), Emily Stark (F), Eryn Dahl (D), Maddie Hastings (F), Maren Brown (F), Sierra Hanowski (F)
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.