Ice Bears Make History as Conference Champs

Wins continue to pile up for the co-ed Ice Bear hockey team as the team has flipped their 2019 season’s record around from a 8-14 record to a 14-6 record while winning a conference championship.

The team’s returning players are stronger and more skilled, including two HUHS students, Odin Klebba and Tyler Wenzel. For both players becoming conference champions was one of the best memories. This was the first time the team has won the North Shore Conference Championship.

“Winning the North Shore Conference for the first time in team history was special, and I am extremely happy that his group of guys had the opportunity to experience that,” head coach Mike Driscoll said.

The Ice Bears went undefeated fighting for the championship. They had to beat off WNS, Cedarburg and Homestead.

Driscoll said fundamentally the team is not much different compared to last season. However, the team did base the season around the three building blocks of work ethic, attitude and discipline.

“If any of these things were not brought to a game or practice the players understood it would impact the number of minutes played in games,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll believes “buying into the system” was the leading factor that flipped the team around from last season. “It takes a mature, dedicated and mentally strong athlete to not only buy into a system but in turn run it in the midst of a game,” Driscoll said. “The team is lucky to have four strong captains this year that have guided the team in the right directions as well.”

According to Driscoll the team worked harder and at a faster pace during practice. “When other teams would get fatigued later in the game we were relatively fresh compared to the other team on the ice,” Driscoll said.

Wenzel has seen the team grow together as believes that’s one of the reasons the team is succeeding. “We’ve had more time as a team together, last year there were a lot of new freshmen or just new players,” Wenzel said. “Coaching hasn’t changed too much. I think it was more team chemistry,” Wenzel said.

In order for the Ice Bears to advance to the State Championship with three other teams they would have to win their section. Last season the team lost in the first round of their section tournament.

“If we can beat Bayport that would be a great stepping stone if we could win our section,” Wenzel said. “It would be a tough battle to get to state but I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Klebba believes the team could make it to the section finals.

“It is a tough road to get to state, however, I believe when the team plays to our full potential we can skate with any other team in the state,” Driscoll said. “I think hockey is one of those sports where any team can win, the teams that outwork other teams usually work their way to the top.”