This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
West Valley City • Hockey isn't sponsored by the Utah High School Activities Association, but the boys — and girls — who represent their schools on the ice take their sport as seriously as any football or basketball player.
Hockey, a "club sport," doesn't receive the same attention garnered by "official" sports, but once a year, the best up-and-coming players enjoy their moment in the spotlight at the Utah High School Hockey All-Star Game.
On New Year's Day, 21 of the most promising players from high schools in the North (Davis and Weber counties, Cache Valley, Murray, Salt Lake City) faced off against 21 players from the South (Utah County, Sandy, Park City and the west side of Salt Lake County) at the Maverik Center.
The North topped the South 5-2 in a hard-fought game that was tied at 2 apiece in the third period before the North broke through with a 3-goal barrage.
"It was cool to see all the best kids from High School Hockey come and get together and show their skills," said Viewmont sophomore P.J. Tanner, who scored an early goal that gave the North a 1-0 advantage.
Being named an All-Star has been a long-held dream for East High sophomore Nick O'Cain. "I've been to every All-Star game since I was 8," said O'Cain, whose older brother, Kyle, scored the game-winning goal for the North three years ago. "When I was 8 years old, my words were, 'I want to play in the All-Star game.' That was all I wanted to do. High School All-Stars. That was my dream."
Notching a goal and an assist in a winning effort made the experience even sweeter for the sophomore.
"I feel great," O'Cain said afterward. "I feel pumped. I feel like I could play another game."
Utah High School Hockey (UHSH) is in its 35th year. Participation has dipped slightly in recent years, said Mike Holmes, a member of the UHSH board. He blames the economy, noting it costs $300 to $600 or more a season for ice time, equipment, referees and other costs.
Still, UHSH President Dirk Facer is excited about where prep hockey is headed. This year, 18 schools have a hockey team, from Sky View in the north to Timpanogos in the south. If schools don't offer a team, students are invited to play on countywide independent teams. About 600 kids statewide are involved in high-school hockey.
At some schools, hockey is surpassing other sports in popularity.
"They've made inroads," Facer said. "I know, up north [at schools like Viewmont], sometimes we have bigger crowds at the hockey games than they do at the basketball games. There's certain pockets where it's real popular."
Last year, about 3,000 people attended the state championship game between Viewmont and Skyline. The Eagles won in sudden-death overtime, advancing to the national championships in Chicago, where they went 3-1.
"The encouraging things were the packed house we had at Steiner [officially called the Salt Lake City Sports Complex] and then Skyline doing well [at nationals]," said Facer, who hopes for a similar turnout at this year's state championship game in early March.
Even with a bad economy, Holmes believes hockey will always attract a certain kind of "rough and tumble" kid. Hockey players are "aggressive, in-your-face, self-confident," he said.
Even players like Park City High School forward Laura Kubicki, the only girl on either team.
"I try to hold my ground," Kubicki said.
Said Holmes, "She's a cute little girl, a nice little girl. On the ice, she's a tough as the next one."
Game recap
The North got goals from
P.J. Tanner, of Viewmont,
Nick O'Cain, of East, Zach Hudson, of Logan, Andrew Berquist, of Judge Memorial, and Craig Peterson, of Ogden.
Brenton Stewart, of Uintah, and Tyson King, of Copper Hills, scored for the South. —
2010-2011 Utah High School Hockey South All-Stars
Goalies
Dalton Neathery • Bingham
Erik Stivers • Alta
Waylon Williams • Timpanogos
Skaters
Kevin Delvie • Juan Diego
Nate Evans • Alta
Brady Fisher • Lone Peak
Jess Fletcher • Brighton
Dimitri Fuskandrakis • Bingham
Tyson King • Copper Hills
Laura Kubicki • Park City
Tyson LaSpina • Bingham
Brennan McGeath • Alta
Chaz Megeath • Riverton
Andy Merriman • Timpanogos
Tao Murphy • West
Miles Perrett • American Fork
Brody Phillips • Uintah
Skyler Pierce • Maple Mountain
Matt Psaras • Jordan
Dallin Sisk • Timpanogos
Brenton Stewart • Uintah