Superior scores 10 times to eliminate Pines co-op

Playing top-seeded Superior proved to be a challenge for the Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op on Tuesday in a sectional semifinal.

Superior beat the Northland Pines co-op 10-2 in Superior to end the co-op’s season.

“Overall, I think it was a very good learning experience for our girls, especially for the ones that will be returning next year,” coach Andrea Harman said. “They got to see the place that we need to be at in order to move on to even the first, second playoff rounds,” Harman said. “Superior is a better team in my opinion than Valley Union. They play at a high pace, they play a lot of Minnesota teams. My assumption is they will go to state. Overall, it was really good. It was a good learning experience. We had some fun.”

The Spartans scored 10 times on 40 shots. They scored all 10 of their goals in the first and second periods. Superior’s Autumn Cooper, Mikaela Reinke and Addy Benson had two goals each to lead the way.

Lakeland’s Taylor Heleniak scored once and assisted another in her final prep hockey game. Her goal made it 2-1, Superior’s lead, in the first period. She scored just 13 seconds after the Spartans did. Lilly Beitler was credited with the assist.

Heleniak also had one of the assists on a goal by Antigo’s MacKenzie Wissbroecker in the third period. Schmidt had the other assist on the power play. 

The co-op totaled 10 shots in the game.

Leading 4-1 after the first period, Superior quickly expanded their lead in the second. Cooper scored 21 seconds into the period with assists by Benson and Maddy Bachand. Thirty-five seconds later, Reinke put the puck in the net, assisted by Bella Thompson and Gabby Olson. The Spartans quickly led 6-1.

“The first period was great,” Harman said. “Second period we came out, I think they were down on themselves a little bit. They scored six in that second period, and I think the girls just got down on themselves, and it is hard to come back when it’s 10-1. In-between the second and third, … we just said, ‘Now it’s time to have fun. Now we get those girls out there that don’t get to see ice time.’ The third period was some of the best times in hockey that I’ve seen … this year. It was really fun.”

The Northland Pines co-op committed just one penalty. That led to a Superior power play goal in the second period by Emma Ferg.

Jenna Uhrine started in net for the co-op. She made 30 saves in the loss.

The new Northland Pines co-op finishes their first season with a record of 7-13. They also beat Houghton 5-0 on the road on Feb. 3 in a game that featured two referees.

Harman said she couldn’t have been more thrilled with how things went this year with Pines taking on the remaining players from the defunct Rhinelander/

Antigo/Lakeland Northern Edge co-op at the start of the season.

“This was our first year as a bigger co-op. Last year, we had a co-op with a few of the U.P. schools which has been great,” she said. “We added Northern Edge, and I was a little bit nervous with that coming into the season knowing that they were rivals at one point. And not knowing how the girls would mesh, if there was going to be cliques … it ended up being one of my favorite seasons so far. Seeing these girls come together and form a family, a sisterhood, so many lifelong friendships between them — it was amazing. To me, it was a big accomplishment for the co-op, and I hope it stays for years to come.”

Brett LaBore may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].