sports

JENNA SEAVER’S PURE HAT TRICK LEADS PIRATES TO AN 8-2 WIN OVER ROCK RIDGE

December 9, 2022

The Crookston Girl’s Hockey team is 2-0 on the season at home this year after defeating Rock Ridge 8-2 behind senior Jenna Seaver’s second-period true hat trick scoring three in a row to spark the win. “I have to give credit to my teammates,” said Captain Seaver, “I just got in front of the net, and they got the puck to me.”

FIRST PERIOD
Crookston started quickly dominating the offensive zone to start the game and capitalized when Addie Fee was able to sneak a rebound as the Pirates jammed the Rock Ridge goal to make it 1-0 just 5:44 into the game. Rock Ridge’s Natalie Bergman came into the Crookston zone against three Pirate defenders, used one as a screen, and sniped a shot past the Crookston goalie to tie it up at one apiece with two and a half minutes to go in the period. Crookston scored two times in the last minute and a half of the period. Reese Swanson came into the Wolverine zone, and the goalie gave her a lot to shoot at to the far side, and that is where Swanson placed it to provide Crookston with a 2-1 lead. Just over a minute later and with 27 seconds to go in the period, Crookston’s Ashlyn Bailey shot from the top of the circle was on net; Rock Ridge goalie Nola Kwiatkoski got her stick for the initial save but couldn’t pull it in, and it dribbled in behind her to give Crookston a 3-1 lead at the end of one period. “We wanted to set the tone and start quickly, which I think we did,” said Crookston head coach Emily Meyer. “Kamebelle was a little lost out there as it was a different pace than we’ve been playing the last few games, and she was saying it was hard to adjust. They had a nice shot in the upper corner on her in that period.”

SECOND PERIOD
Rock Ridge started quickly in the second period when junior centerman Sydney Speltz flew into the Crookston zone and was being checked by two Pirates and still got off a wrister that went top shelf. It pulled Rock Ridge within one as the Pirates lead was now 3-2. 13 seconds later, the Pirates Swanson answered by tracking down a puck in the Wolverines corner, bringing it out and going directly at the Rock Ridge net and tucking it by and the Pirates were on top 4-2. Then it was time for the Seaver show!!! The Pirates had a two-person power play, and Cassie Solheim shot was tipped by Fee, and Seaver was there to punch it in to make it a 5-2 lead. In a span of five and a half minutes, Seaver netted two more, her second on a nice play by Fee, who was behind the Wolverines net, made a backhanded pass to herself off the backboard, and put it in front to Seaver for goal number two. Her third goal came on a rebound off a Solheim shot. “It was a lot of fun seeing a kid like Jenna go out there and score a hat trick,” said Meyer. “She has been working hard and hasn’t had that many opportunities. We put her up on the second line, and she really stepped up, shot the puck well, and got those rebounds. That’s how she scored those three goals.” Crookston ended up being shorthanded in the game, as Grace Fischer skated warmups but was too sick to play, and in the second period, Taylor Field of the Pirates was taken off with a lower-body injury, “Hopefully, it’s just s a stinger, and she’ll be back ready to go,” said Coach Meyer.

THIRD PERIOD
There was only one score scored in the third period, and it came 42 seconds in when Fee was able to tip one past Wolverines’ second goalie, Daisy Andrews, for her second goal of the game. “Moving Addie back up to forward after she played defense that last two games, I mean, that’s where she does her best work, she was excited to be up there, she used it to her advantage and had a great game,” said Meyer. Crookston did have eight penalties in the game and gave up a power play goal, “We play a fast, physical type of game, and our strength causes officials to call the penalty where we are just going for the puck and knock some people down and get the call against us,” said Meyer, “but we do have to stay out of the penalty box.” The Pirates have given up just three power-play goals in 30 chances, but on the other end, they have scored only four power plays goals in 29 tries but have scored three short-handed goals.

Crookston ranked #7 in the latest Minnesota State Class A polls, improves to 7-1-1 on the year, and will travel to International Falls on Saturday for a 3:00 PM varsity-only game against International Falls. The Broncos are in the same Section as Crookston and are 0-7 on the year, being outscored 51-13. “We plan to take four lines, three sets of defensemen with us,” said Meyer. “We are going to start Julia Buhler in goal, as she deserves it for her play in the JV games, and Kailee Magsam is still out sick. We’ll roll everyone through and hopefully come away with a victory.” The Crookston at International Falls game will be on KROX RADIO tomorrow, starting with the RiverView Health pre-game show at 2:30 PM. Rock Ridge is 4-6 on the season and will be at Detroit Lakes tomorrow afternoon.
JV – Rock Ridge won 5-3.

Scoring	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Rock Ridge	1	1	0	2
CROOKSTON	3	4	1	8

1st Period
5:44 – Crox – Addie Fee (2) (Jenna Seaver, Reese Swanson)
14:27 – RR – Natalie Bergman (Mayme Scott, Katie Johnson) (PP)
15:19 – Crox – Reese Swanson (6) unassisted
16:33 – Crox – Ashlyn Bailey (4) (Cassie Solheim, Taylor Field)

2nd Period
4:26 – RR – Sydney Spelts unassisted
4:49 – Crox – Reese Swanson (7) unassisted
6:19 – Crox – Jenna Seaver (1) (Addie Fee, Cassie Solheim) (PP)
8:46 – Crox – Jenna Seaver (2) (Addie Fee, Brynley Coleman)
11:54 – Crox – Jenna Seaver (3) (Cassie Solheim)

3rd Period
0:42 – Crox – Addie Fee (3) (Jenna Seaver, Brekken Tull)