Mites visit Queen City and Host Redwings
The Athens Mites traveled to Cincinnati on Saturday, February 20th for a double header against the Indian Hills Winter Club Select team.
The short-handed mites soon learned the definition of “Select”. Facing a very balanced attack of passing and solid defense, the mites (Consisting of: Wyatt Wood, AJ Sammons, Mason Michigan, Jackson Kohn, Dominic Norris, Bostic Eason, Henry Welsh & Moss Woods in goal) skated hard and did not give up. The Mites went down 8-0.
In the second game, the four “Mirts” (Nicholas Barga, Storm Walburn, Eli Kennedy & Finn Mitchell) were able to stop by and lend a hand and Wyatt Wood was between the pipes. Again all the mites skated very hard which developed a lot more scoring chances. However, the Indian Hills squad proved too strong and topped the Cats 9-3. Scoring for the Mites were Barga(2), Kennedy.
But the weekend was not over. After the trek back from the Queen City, the Mites (once again with nearly a full squad) took on the Redwings from Easton. It was obvious from the start that the Mites were happy to be in the friendly confines of Birda Arena. The attacking Cats peppered the Redwings goalie from the drop of the puck, but were repeatedly denied. Nicholas Barga got the scoring going in the first with a laser through the 5 hole. He then added another in the second. The visitors were keeping things close but Storm Walburn tickled the twine for the go ahead goal in the third and Jackson Kohn added an insurance goal a little later (Kohn’s first of the year). The Mites held on for a 4-3 win giving Moss Woods his first victory as goalie.
Woods continued his strong skating into the rematch. After Barga got things going with a goal assisted from Mitchell and Kennedy, Moss put the “biscuit in the basket” for his first career goal! In the second period with the score knotted at two, Woods, from a seemingly impossible angle, lit the lamp for a second time. The Redwings would not go quietly as they snuck one by Goaltender AJ Sammons just before the the buzzer sounded to end the second period (Only the 3
rd on 15 shots). However, the mites rallied and behind yet another Barga goal and two from Kennedy the Mites rolled on to a 6-3 victory.
Photo: Bostic Eason looks to keep the puck in the offensive zone.