U-19 Ice Dawgs win Montana State Championship

This past weekend the Glasgow U19 Ice Dawgs hosted the Montana State U19 Girls' State Tournament. In the five-team round robin, Glasgow gave up only 2 goals while scoring 35 points against their opponents.

The girls faced off against the Missoula Lady Bruins in the championship game. Glasgow goalie Cheyenne Farrar put up 14 saves in the 1–0 shutout. Glasgow had 31 shots on goal. The only goal scored came from Tyana Rasmusan, assisted by Carly Wesely 6:11 into the final period. The fans at the Valley Event Center nearly blew the roof off with the goal. Missoula pulled the goalie with just over one minute remaining. This gave Missoula six skaters on the ice to try to tie the game. The defensive strength of the Ice Dawgs over-powered the Bruins and French nearly scored an empty net goal at the end of the period. Glasgow was charged with just two penalties, Berkley Svingen for body checking and MaKaylah Bell for tripping. 

In game one, Glasgow played Missoula, winning 3–0. Farrar had 16 saves; the Ice Dawgs had 33 shots on goal. Scoring goals were Svingen, unassisted. Paris French had 2 goals, one assisted by Chelsey Wixson, the second by Janice Griebel. Glasgow committed seven penalties during the game; Svingen had two calls for body checking and one for roughing. French also was called twice for body checking and once for roughing. The other penalty was committed by Carly Wesely for holding the opposition’s stick.

In game two, Glasgow played Bozeman, winning 12–0. Farrar had three saves and the Ice Dawgs had 54 shots on goal. French and Elizabeth Holom both had hat-tricks during the game. Savannah Hallman scored 2 goals. Wixson, Sage Sukut, Sadie Sukut and Tyana Rasmusan each added goals. Assists were credited to Hallman with 2, Wixson, French, Sage Sukut, Holom, MaKaylah Bell, Janice Griebel, Wesely and Debra Griebel. Penalty minutes were served by Janice Griebel for elbowing and Bell for roughing.

In game three, Glasgow played Miles City, winning 6–1. Farrar had 11 saves; the Ice Dawgs had 55 shots on goal. French scored 2 goals, and Sage Sukut, Holom, Brinne Chappell and Svingen each added 1. Assists were given to Rasmusan (2), Wixson (2), Debra Griebel, and Janice Griebel. Penalty minutes were given to French, twice for roughing, and Chappell for tripping.

In the fourth game, Glasgow played Kalispell, winning 13–1. Farrar had seven saves; the Ice Dawgs had 41 shots on goal. Players scoring goals were French with her second hat trick of the tournament, Rasmusan, Svingen and Wixson each with two. Bell, Janice Griebel, Hallman and Wesely each added 1 goal. Assists were by Hallman (2), Chappell (2), Rasmusan, Janice Griebel, Svingen, French and Wixson. Penalties were served by Sadie Sukut for hooking, French for tripping, Rasmusan for tripping, Bell for hooking and Sage Sukut for hooking.

This ended the round robin portion of the tournament and set up the undefeated Ice Dawgs for the championship game. 

This group of young girls started playing hockey in the fall of 2004 and after talking a couple of fathers into a coaching job, they set on a journey that would take them through two different states and one Canadian Province during the years to follow.

That first season with no ice in Glasgow, they traveled weekends to Rockglen, Sask., Canada, to practice. They signed up to play in the Wood River Saskatchewan League and set out to play in a sport dominated by Canadian boys. This was full-check hockey, and these girls, aged 12 and under, were ready to play. They emerged from the locker room on the day of their first game, dressed in all the required equipment, and bright red lipstick. On that day these girls suffered their worst loss. A blasting 54–0 game that had the opposing team firing 110 shots on goal. But, they were not defeated on that day, and each game that they have played since that day has led to stronger team spirit, skill, determination and finally to a state championship.

The Montana U19 Champion Ice Dawgs will now travel to Rapid City, S.D., to compete in the Northern Plains District Presidents' Cup alongside state champions from North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Six other teams have been invited to participate in the 10-team tournament.