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Traverse City North Stars, Kalkaska K-Stars headed to youth hockey nationals after winning state titles

brendan quealy, the record-eagle, traverse city, mich.
·5 min read

Mar. 18—TRAVERSE CITY — Northern Michigan hockey will get plenty of representation under the national limelight as both the Traverse City North Stars and Kalkaska K-Stars are sending teams to the USA Youth Hockey National Championships.

The TC North Stars Bantam AA boys team won a state championship in the 14U division, sending them to Denver, Colorado, for nationals March 30-April 3. The K-Stars girls team won the 14U Tier II state title, qualifying for nationals, which also take place March 30-April 3. They will head to Irvine, California.

For the North Stars, this is the program's first trip to nationals since 2007 as they become just the second team in Grand Traverse youth hockey history to qualify to compete among the best in the United States. The North Stars spent the majority of the season ranked No. 1 in Michigan and are currently ranked 11th nationally.

The North Stars opened state championship competition with a thrilling comeback victory in overtime. After trailing 3-0 to Compuware AA, the North Stars scored four unanswered goals that forced extra time. Compuware scored three goals in the second period before Blake Weaver got the North Stars on the board thanks to assists from Brody Sorenson and Drew Charland.

In the third, Spencer Anderson lit the lamp twice, the second coming with just 46 seconds left to knot the game at 3-3. Kaid Pawlanta and Charland assisted on Anderson's goals. And it would be Charland that played overtime hero, scoring an unassisted goal just 41 seconds into the extra period to move the North Stars along in the championship bracket.

The semifinal was a high-scoring affair between the Grosse Ile Islanders and the North Stars. That high scoring was mostly the North Stars as they went on to win 16-3.

Finding the back of the net for Traverse City was Weaver (1), Sorenson (2), Stoch Schultz (2), Anderson (2), Graiden Insana (5), Rowan Blain (3) and Kelvin Kloosterman (1). Assists went to Sorenson (1), Blain (1), Insana (1) and Pawlanta (1).

In the championship match against the SCS Saints Red, the North Stars needed another comeback to take the title. Sorenson got the North Stars on the board in the first period for a 1-0 lead on the assist from Blain. But the Saints scored two straight, one in the first and one in the second, to go up 2-1.

The North Stars would not be denied, however, as they scored four straight times on two goals from Anderson and one each from Insana and Pawlanta to win 5-2. Assists went to Sorenson (1), Insana (2) and Kloosterman (1).

"At the start of the season, we knew we were one of the top teams coming in," said Insana, the North Stars' team captain. "We've played a lot of the top teams and done pretty well against them, so I feel like we've got a pretty good chance. I know the team is really excited for it."

Insana said it would be "crazy" to win nationals.

"Two years ago, we didn't think we'd be anywhere close to even winning states, so to even get to nationals is already crazy," Insana said. "Winning would be the craziest thing ever. I still can't believe states happened."

Insana's father, Jon, is the head coach, and his mother, Ashley, is the team's manager. Ashley said the North Stars, after a state runner-up finish last season, came back with "a vengeance" this season.

"They have a true commitment to each other, on and off the ice," Ashley said. "They're really like a family, and it's great to see the way they support one another."

The North Stars are hosting a fundraiser Wednesday at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City from 6:30-8 p.m. There will be a community skate with the team for a $10 admission that includes skate rental. Those attending can also purchase slices of pizza and drinks and participate in a silent auction to help raise money to get the team to Denver. BC Pizza is giving 100 percent of its pizza sales from 3-8 p.m. Thursday to benefit the North Stars

As for the K-Stars, they head to nationals for the second straight year. Eight of the current K-Stars made the trip last season, so that experience should help, according to head coach Jason Owens.

"It'll be a battle, and the girls know that," Owens said. "It's going to be exciting. They're going to walk into the rink with national championship patches on their jerseys. It's going to be a lot of fun."

The K-Stars roster consists of area players Lydia Owens (Cadillac), Sara Outman (Cadillac), Gillian Evina (Williamsburg), Madison Peppin (Lewiston) and others from the across northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. They went into the state tourney ranked No. 1 and topped No. 2 Belle Tire, 4-1, and then beat Livonia, 2-0. The K-Stars finished bracket-play with an 11-2 win over the Detroit Bulldogs.

"As the girls started playing together, it was pretty clear they had a competitive team and all of them had it in their mind that they wanted to win a state championship. Every step of the way, these girls kept progressing and progressing and progressing, and building off their mistakes, and building off their strengths," Owens said.

In the quarterfinals, the K-Stars baked Honeybaked by a 5-1 final and then beat Kensington Valley, 4-0, in the semifinals. The K-Stars took home the state championship, defeating Saint Clair Shores, 2-0.

"They believed in themselves and they believed in each other," Owens said.

Kalkaska heads to nationals ranked 12th in the country and compete in three round-robin games, quarterfinals, semifinals and championship finals.

"This experience is going to be unbelievable. We're going to be competing against the top teams in the nation," Owens said. "I know these girls are going to be nervous. ... It's going to come down to skill and hard work. We're all going out there for the same reason."