MONROE - March Madness isn't just relegated to basketball, as the madness will spill over to the ice as eight hockey teams duke it out for a state title Friday through Sunday at SLICE.
Monroe will host the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association's high school Division 1 state tournament for the first time ever this weekend.
"I haven't won one yet," Monroe senior co-captain Drew Nafzger said of a state championship in hockey. "Having the home ice advantage will help because our crowd will get loud and we will see what happens."
The Monroe Avalanche high school team qualified for the WAHA Division 1 tournament for the ninth straight year. In the past teams had to win in the playoffs and qualify for state. Avalanche high school head coach Cary Bush said now every team makes it to state since so many former teams have developed WIAA hockey programs.
"It's not as big as it used to be," Bush said. "It's special being able to play at home for a state championship."
Bush said that Monroe was scheduled to host the U-16 state tournament, but the tournament was canceled due to a lack of teams. Instead, Monroe received the high school Division 1 state tournament.
"We are excited about it," Monroe assistant coach Jim Bruce said. "I think the expectation is this team can get to the championship."
The Monroe Avalanche high school team will open the state tournament at 8 a.m. Saturday against DePere. If Monroe wins, they would play the winner of the game between Hudson and Marinette at 6 p.m. Saturday. Last year Monroe finished second at state.
"We are not taking anything for granted," Bush said. "We are taking it one game at a time. We have our work cut out for us. We have a challenge ahead."
Kenosha, which is looking to win a fourth straight championship, enters the state tournament as the favorite. Kenosha has beat Monroe three times this year and Monroe tied them once.
The Monroe Avalanche high school team completed its second year in the Northern Illinois Hockey League, which is comprised of Chicago-area and Rockford teams. Monroe finished sixth in the NIHL season. Kenosha finished third in the NIHL season and second in the league tournament.
Monroe players understand the only way to get another shot at Kenosha in the title game on Sunday is to win in the first two rounds.
"They are definitely the team to beat," Bush said. "We are hoping to make it to the championship. If we finish in the top four, that would be what I expect. Third place would be great. We can play with Kenosha. It's not a guarantee that they would beat us. I think anything can happen at that point."
Bush said one area that Monroe has struggled this year is scoring goals. Monroe will rely on Nafzger, Mount Horeb senior co-captain Thomas Massman, senior Ron Draves at center and senior Kramer Henning at wing to lead the attack.
"We have to be able to put the puck in the back of the net four or five times," he said. "That's a team effort from the defenseman."
Massman relishes the challenge.
"It's huge," Massman said of having the state tournament at home. "A lot of the home crowd should help us. I want to prove to everyone that Monroe is a championship kind of hockey program."
Monroe started the year with 16 players, but Bush said due to injuries, suspension and with a couple of players moving up to play a higher level of hockey, the team is down to 11 players.
"We are really short handed," Bush said. "We just don't have a third line. We had it at the start of the year."
Having a hot goal tender in hockey is like having an ace pitcher in baseball. Bush understands that if Monroe goal tender Kyle Bruce and the defensemen can get hot working together that could carry a team.
"If you have a goalie stopping shots and playing great then that gives the team confidence to play better in front of you and you may get some breaks," Bush said.
Monroe will host the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association's high school Division 1 state tournament for the first time ever this weekend.
"I haven't won one yet," Monroe senior co-captain Drew Nafzger said of a state championship in hockey. "Having the home ice advantage will help because our crowd will get loud and we will see what happens."
The Monroe Avalanche high school team qualified for the WAHA Division 1 tournament for the ninth straight year. In the past teams had to win in the playoffs and qualify for state. Avalanche high school head coach Cary Bush said now every team makes it to state since so many former teams have developed WIAA hockey programs.
"It's not as big as it used to be," Bush said. "It's special being able to play at home for a state championship."
Bush said that Monroe was scheduled to host the U-16 state tournament, but the tournament was canceled due to a lack of teams. Instead, Monroe received the high school Division 1 state tournament.
"We are excited about it," Monroe assistant coach Jim Bruce said. "I think the expectation is this team can get to the championship."
The Monroe Avalanche high school team will open the state tournament at 8 a.m. Saturday against DePere. If Monroe wins, they would play the winner of the game between Hudson and Marinette at 6 p.m. Saturday. Last year Monroe finished second at state.
"We are not taking anything for granted," Bush said. "We are taking it one game at a time. We have our work cut out for us. We have a challenge ahead."
Kenosha, which is looking to win a fourth straight championship, enters the state tournament as the favorite. Kenosha has beat Monroe three times this year and Monroe tied them once.
The Monroe Avalanche high school team completed its second year in the Northern Illinois Hockey League, which is comprised of Chicago-area and Rockford teams. Monroe finished sixth in the NIHL season. Kenosha finished third in the NIHL season and second in the league tournament.
Monroe players understand the only way to get another shot at Kenosha in the title game on Sunday is to win in the first two rounds.
"They are definitely the team to beat," Bush said. "We are hoping to make it to the championship. If we finish in the top four, that would be what I expect. Third place would be great. We can play with Kenosha. It's not a guarantee that they would beat us. I think anything can happen at that point."
Bush said one area that Monroe has struggled this year is scoring goals. Monroe will rely on Nafzger, Mount Horeb senior co-captain Thomas Massman, senior Ron Draves at center and senior Kramer Henning at wing to lead the attack.
"We have to be able to put the puck in the back of the net four or five times," he said. "That's a team effort from the defenseman."
Massman relishes the challenge.
"It's huge," Massman said of having the state tournament at home. "A lot of the home crowd should help us. I want to prove to everyone that Monroe is a championship kind of hockey program."
Monroe started the year with 16 players, but Bush said due to injuries, suspension and with a couple of players moving up to play a higher level of hockey, the team is down to 11 players.
"We are really short handed," Bush said. "We just don't have a third line. We had it at the start of the year."
Having a hot goal tender in hockey is like having an ace pitcher in baseball. Bush understands that if Monroe goal tender Kyle Bruce and the defensemen can get hot working together that could carry a team.
"If you have a goalie stopping shots and playing great then that gives the team confidence to play better in front of you and you may get some breaks," Bush said.
