March 13, 2017 at 1:31 p.m.
Roeser wins Al Baker Award
Roeser wins Al Baker Award
Roeser was the 2017 recipient of the Al Baker Award, named after the former Hodag hockey coach and given to the senior who has "shown good sportsmanship, hard work and dedication to the goals of the hockey program," as the commemorative plaque states.
It was far from Roeser's only award on the evening. He was named team MVP for the second year in row, was the co-recipient of the character award and earned a scholar-athlete award for having a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater.
"Dylan is finally at the end and, again, I have a shortlist of kids that I've coached that have his work ethic and his ability level," RHS boys' hockey coach M.J. Laggis said. "He made the most out of it. His motor and energy and tenaciousness gave us chances when otherwise we maybe wouldn't have had them."
Roeser joins his father - and RHS assistant hockey coach - Tom Roeser as the only father-son duo to ever win the Al Baker. The elder Roeser won the award for the 1990-91 season, its second year of existence. Dylan Roeser led the team with 12 goals and 12 assists this season while bouncing between forward and defense.
"He's truly a two-way player, so he can go out there and can put a puck in the net. He forechecked with everything he had," Laggis said. "He back checked with everything he had. He'd go block a shot. That's what he gives you. He gives that ability to make a play on both ends of the rink. He's going to be a huge loss and I'm very proud of his work ethic over the course of four years."
That wasn't Roeser's only Baker Award on the night. He and fellow senior Logan Wild were presented with Hobey Baker Character Awards (no relation to Al Baker). The Hobey Baker, sponsored by Old Dutch snacks, is an award teams across the state can give to seniors who demonstrate good character and sportsmanship on and off the ice. Roeser and Logan Wild won the award for the Hodags.
Coach M.J. Laggis said Wild won the award for the respect he has shown to people during his four-year high school career, for his work effort in the weight room and his willingness to help teammate. Laggis said Roeser earned the award for a number of reasons, most notably the time he gives back to the Rhinelander Ice Association working with its in-house mite program - the youngest level of hockey the RIA offers.
"To me, it's one of the coolest awards a kid can get," Laggis said.
Wild also earned the Blue Line Award as the team's top defenseman. The senior finished with five goals and five assists on the season.
"Logan was that kid that (defense) is his position and it never changed. he played it and loved it," Laggis said. "He and a blistering shot sometimes. Other times he knew when to pull it down and walk with it and he did some really good things for us."
The Hodags handed out a number of other awards during the course of the evening. Sophomore Hunter Hicks was named the team's most improved award. Junior defenseman Matthias Schneider received the Mr. Hustle Award. Sophomore Freddy Wisner, who finished second on the team with 11 assists, won the Playmaker Award and Cole Spaulding on the team's Hodag Award.
"This is the award we're using for the kid that's in the weight room - and I know I've said weight room a lot tonight, but it's a big part of it - is a leader in practice, does every drill full tilt and you'll never hear a negative word out of his mouth," Laggis said of Spaulding.
Roeser, Wild, Spaulding and senior Tyler Blomdahl earned captains awards. Roeser, Wild and Spaulding were the captains throughout the season but the Hodags presented Blomdahl an honorary captain's award for his growth and leadership throughout the season.
Spaulding, Roeser and sophomore Bridger Flory earned the team's scholar-athlete awards.
"Something I think we need to do a better job with in the high school, as coaches, is recognizing academics," Laggis said. "I think it's really important to recognize the kids that have gone above and beyond."
The Hodags went 8-15-0 on the season and finished seventh in the eight-team Great Northern Conference with a 3-10-0-0 league mark. The Hodags lost in overtime, 3-2, to Wausau East/Merrill in the first round of the WIAA playoffs.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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