CEC Well Represented In WCHA Final Face-Off

Wes Vork – NSO File Photo

Mar 5

Wes Vork-NSO

Measuring the success of a sports program can sometimes be difficult. Do you measure success by wins and losses? Do you measure it by players who go on to play at higher levels, or do you measure success by the academic standards reached by your players? Regardless of how success is measured, the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls hockey team stands as a model for programs across the state.

Ridder Arena in Minneapolis will be the site of this weekend’s WCHA Womens Final Face-Off with the University of Minnesota, UMD, Bemidji State University and Ohio State University playing for a chance to move on to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Frozen Four and a shot at the national title.

The single elimination tournament begins at 12:07 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, when top-seeded Minnesota Duluth faces sixth seeded Bemidji followed by second-seeded Minnesota against fifth seed Ohio State. Saturday’s winners will play for the title and an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament on Sunday at Ridder Arena. A quick look at the roster reveals that three of the four teams hold players from the CEC girls hockey program.

One of the hottest teams in the nation is the UMD Bulldogs, who have 2005 CEC captain Kirsti Hakala as one of their defenseman. As a senior at UMD, Hakala has played in 34 of 36 games for the Bulldogs this season. Her CEC roots date back to the very beginning of the program as a member of the first Cloquet U-12 team 13 years ago. In the team’s first year of existence, it went to state and finished third.

As a seventh grader, Hakala played on CEC’s first high school team. Longtime CEC head coach Dick Bartholdi remembers the six-year defenseman and her skating abilities well, telling NSO, “As a youth in Alaska, [Hakala] was trained as a very good figure skater and was and is an amazing backward skater. She was unbeatable one on one because of that skill.”

UMD and Hakala’s first round opponent will be the BSU Beavers, who are making their first ever Final Face-Off appearance. CEC alums Montana Vichorek and Sadie Lundquist have helped BSU reach this historic mark.

Vichorek, a sophomore at BSU, helped CEC to two state tournament berths. In 2005, the Jacks finished second and in 2006, they placed third. Vichorek, a terrific all around defenseman for the Lumberjacks, brought that same style to BSU. She has led all defensemen in scoring, both as a freshman and this year as a sophomore. Her success at the next level is no surprise to Bartholdi who stated, “Montana has always been the complete package as a player on defense–very strong, great efficient skating stride with hands and shooting. I think she still has an upside and could play internationally if she chooses.”

Vichorek is quick to credit her success to the CEC program and those around her. “Cloquet is a really big hockey town with a lot of good players and coaches. This really pushes you to be the best you can be. The great players like Michelle [Maunu]and Kirsti, along with many others, helped me get to where I am today. They are amazing leaders and role models and put up with the younger girls like Sadie and I. Michelle was my “d” partner for a couple years and she definitely pushed me to be the best that I could be.”

Vichorek’s BSU teammate Sadie Lundquist was a five-year starter for the Lumberjacks, leading them in scoring all five years. Her biggest goal perhaps came in the state tournament when, as an eighth grader, she scored in double overtime to help the Jacks advance to a second place finish.

It is that same grit and toughness that Lundquist is remembered for at CEC that the underdog Beavers will need to win the tournament. Coach Bartholdi had nothing but praise for Lundquist, telling NSO, “Sadie was the ultimate rink rat in her time here. She always worked hard and set an example for the younger players. Her greatest assets are her hands and her toughness…and good things happened when she was on the ice.”

Still, Lundquist is just happy to be a part of it all. “Playing in the final four this weekend is a huge step for our program and I’m excited and so honored to be a part of a history making year.” She continued on to say, “It’s also exciting that there are three teams with CEC players because it shows the success of old teammates and friends. Obviously we want to win and move on, but it’s awesome that so many of us have been successful.”

Playing for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers is CEC defensive standout Michelle Maunu. In order to play against her former teammates, the Gophers’ senior captain will need to lead her team past Ohio State University in first round action—a task she is more than up for. “I am really excited. Playoffs is always my favorite time of year. It’s a new season for everyone and no matter who you are playing it always is a great game.”

Maunu is looking forward to possibly competing against her CEC teammates, adding, “Being able to play former teammates is always a great time. It’s awesome to be able to see them being successful at this level. Honestly, when I’m playing the game I rarely think of the fact that I am playing a high school teammate, but it’s always great to see them after and be able to hang out and chat for awhile.”

Maunu, one of the most accomplished players to come out of CEC, was a four sport athlete who went to state in all four sports for the Lumberjacks and Eskomos. Through hard work and dedication, Maunu earned a total of 20 varsity letters. It is that work ethic that Coach Bartholdi remembers most, stating, “Michelle worked very hard to get where she is at now. She shot thousands of pucks in her driveway and played hockey whenever she could.” Maunu also has the distinction of possessing the hardest shot of any former Lumberjack, which is something that Bartholdi also remembers well. “She struck terror in opposing goalies with her incredible shot, which often disarmed goalies when she shot the stick right out of their hands,” he reminisced.

While they each want their respective clubs to win and move on to the national championship, the one thing they unanimously agree on is how their time in the CEC program prepared them for this moment. As Vichorek points out, “There is a tremendous work ethic that gets instilled in your mind. Throughout my years in the Cloquet program the coaches taught me a lot. The foundation to compete at the next level was instilled in me at Cloquet.”

Lundquist agrees and points out that the CEC youth programs and the high school coaches deserve the credit. “My youth and high school coaches helped me endlessly. I really owe a lot of the player I became to my high school coaches because they reached out before we were even old enough and helped prepare us for that level of hockey.”

Maunu points out a more subtle benefit of being a part of a successful program, commenting, “I think the main thing about the CEC hockey program that helped prepare me for college hockey is the teammates that I competed against every day in practice. Being able to play with and practice with people like Johanna [Ellison], Kirsti, Liz Palkie, Tamara [Price], Montana, Sadie, and Paige [Thunder] (all of us that ended up playing Division 1) made the competition level in practice that much better. We pushed each other to do better which, in turn, has made us better hockey players.”

On his part, Coach Bartholdi is just happy for the girls and what they have done for the CEC program. “All of these girls have given CEC hockey the recognition that allows CEC to schedule the best teams in the state and has allowed our small hockey community to be recognized as one of the best girl’s hockey programs in the state…It takes great players to make that happen and these four have gone a long way to make that recognition happen.”

If Coach Bartholdi has a favorite in this weekend’s WCHA showdown he didn’t mention it, but no matter who wins it should make for a great reunion. Lundquist probably summed it up best by saying, “Even though I play hockey for Bemidji and we’re doing well, I will always cherish, remember and miss the days I wore a purple sweater…Cloquet is a great town and community to grow up in playing hockey.”

NSO would like to say good luck to all participating in the WCHA showdown!

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com