Mites Win Beckman Memorial in O.T. Thriller

IRONWOOD, MI - Monday, March 3, 2008 - The Polar Bear Mite team took 1st place at the Betty Beckman Memorial tournament over the weekend. Winning all five of their games in Tier 1. There were 8 teams in Tier 1 of the 18 teams at the tournament.

The Bears opened up the tournament with a win on Friday night, defeating Mqt.'s Casa Calabria 3-0. Tyler Morrison scored with 9:10 remaining in the first assisted by Mitchell Hissa. The game remained at 1 to 0 until the third period when Nathan Garnell scored assisted by Morrison. Brett Heil added an insurance goal unassisted. Matthew Clemens had his first shut out of the season as the Bear goalie.

In Game 2 the Bears Played Negaunee Lions to a 6-0 victory. Scoring for the Bears were Ethan Roehm (3goals), Ross Peterson, Gavin Mattson, and Brett Heil. Assists went to Mattson and Heil. Matthew Clemens earned his second shut out of the tournament.

In game 3 the Bears faced Mqts Exchange Club. The Bears won 3-0. Scoring were Morrison, Mattson and Heil. Clemens had his third shut out in as many games.

Game 4 went to Bears 8-1. Peninsula Medical's Kyle Michelson opened the scoring with 5 minutes remaining in the first period. The Bears responed with 8 unanswered points. Roehm scored followed by Garnell on a great centering pass from Sydnee Lorenson. The rest of the Bears scoring went Roehm from Morrison, Mattson from Morrison, Garnell, Heil, Peterson, and C.J. Sorenson, assisted by Mattson and Peterson. Clemens was the goalie again.

The wins put the Bears in the Championship game against Newberry. The game was scoreless through the first period. In the second period Bear Ross Peterson scored assised by Roehm with 1:31 left in the period. Gavin Mattson took the next face off to the net for a goal with 1:19 remaining in the second.

Newberry's Jeff Kahilly then scored twice in the third period to tie up the game. Both goals were unassisted. The game went to Overtime. Overtime would be played 5 on 5 for 6 minute periods.

The first overtime went scoreless as the goalies stopped everything even close to the nets. In the second over time there was a scrum in front of the Newberry net, where Gavin Mattson put home the game winner assisted by Roehm and Heil.

The team defense was excellent all weekend long. Heil, Morrison, Hissa, Sorenson, and Peterson allowed very few shots on goalie Matthew Clemens, who only gave up 3 goals for the entire tournament. "There was not one kid on our team that didn't contribute both on offense and defense all weekend," said the Coaches.

The Mite team was sponsored for the tournament by Rosa Corp of Merriweather MI.

Paulette Clemens