By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
After announcing his resignation effective at the end of the season, Stevens Point Area Senior High hockey coach Jack Stoskopf called this year his senior season.
Now Stoskopf and his eight seniors will have one final chance to win the state championship that has continuously eluded the Panthers. Three times in the last four years SPASH has reached the WIAA state championship game, only to leave the ice as the state runner-up.
The Panthers (21-2) kick off this year's WIAA State Tournament Thursday morning with an 11 o'clock game against Fond du Lac (16-6-1). If SPASH wins, it would take on the Eau Claire Memorial (17-6)/Madison Memorial (16-5-2) winner Friday at 5 p.m. at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison. The state championship game is Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
"This is my last opportunity," Stoskopf said. "It's my 14th year, 11th trip (to state) and eighth in a row and it's my last chance.
"I'm not talking about it being my last chance because it's the same for our seniors. It would be nice for us to win one."
Some hockey observers believe the Panthers will put themselves in the title game. SPASH has been ranked No.1 in the state's High School Hockey Report since the beginning of the season. With No. 4 Wausau West (17-5-1), No. 7 McFarland/Oregon (17-3-3), No. 10 Superior (14-9) and No. 2 Waukesha Catholic Memorial (19-4) in the other bracket, Stoskopf said people already have his team going for the gold.
"Everybody has us in the championship game already and we don't like that," he said.
"For us, we have one game on our schedule. If we win Thursday, then we can play Friday night," said Stoskopf, whose team won at Fond du Lac 3-2 in December.
SPASH has also faced Wausau West twice, beating them by scores of 3-1 and 2-1 (in overtime).
The team's state championship game experience should be a plus to the Panthers. Stoskopf said two-thirds of the team has played in two title games and a couple have been in three state championship games.
"I think our experience will definitely be a help," Stoskopf said.
One other aspect that could aid SPASH is the team's balance and depth. Eric Anderson (17 goals,15 assists for 32 points) is SPASH's leading scorer but seniors Adam Kostichka (12-14-26), Justin Danielski (11-15-26) and freshman Joe Pavelski (13-8-21) aren't far behind.
"We don't really have any superstar on our team. We have a bunch of hardworking, disciplined kids," Stoskopf said.
SPASH's defense isn't a one-man unit either. Defensemen Josh Pagel, Joe Richter, Mark Lutz and Derrick Schultz help keep the puck away from sophomore goalie Shaun Kruzitski. When the puck does get to Kruzitski, he has saved 92.5 percent of the opponent's shots on goal. His 1.35 goals against average and save percentage are the best of any goalie in the state tournament.
The longtime coach also likes his team's attitude. He said his players just keep going about their business on the ice.
"What's neat about our team is they're concerned when (the opponent) scores but they don't care," Stoskopf said. "These guys are persistent and don't worry about the score until the end of the game."
But when Stoskopf and seniors Anderson, Kostichka, Danielski, Pagel, Noah Johnson, Jake Swenson, Derrick Schultz and Jesse Miech leave the ice for the final time this weekend, their hope is that the score is in favor of SPASH and the Panthers are clutching the state championship trophy.