Feb 28th, 2008
Scratch Beginnings
West Fargo's Cassie Beckerleg spent four successful years playing for the Fargo North-West Fargo high school girls hockey cooperative. So Beckerleg admits to some unease when she found out the Packers were going to field their own team for the first time this season.
She would be leaving a powerful program that won two North Dakota state titles during her time there to one that was starting from scratch.
“I wasn't happy about it right away. I didn't want to get a new team my senior year,” said Beckerleg, a defenseman who was the only West Fargo athlete to play with North last year. “But when I found out that it was a lot of girls that I knew, friends of mine, then it was a lot better. Things have turned out great.”
Winning has a tendency to put that shine on things. The Packers are 18-3-0 this year and enter their first state tournament as the second seed behind North. West Fargo plays seventh-seeded Hazen-Beulah (10-10-1) in the first round today in Purpur Arena in Grand Forks.
West Fargo's only losses have come to North (twice by 2-0 scores) and Fargo South.
“I knew we would be competitive, but to do as well as we've done is a little surprising,” West Fargo coach Pat Johnson said.
Johnson's hopefulness came from coaching a West Fargo under-19 youth team that included many girls who would skate for the Packer varsity.
“We won that league last year with mostly eighth- and ninth-graders, and we had played some JV teams from Minnesota, so I saw that we could compete,” Johnson said.
The Packer roster is dominated by young players. The team consists of nine freshmen, six sophomores and four seniors. West Fargo's all-freshman top line of Kacie Johnson (the coach's daughter), Kaylee Lothspeich and Katlyn Springer has accounted for 42 goals and 83 points.
Goaltenders Amanda Olson, the starter, and Alison Sund have combined for a 1.20 goals-against average and a 92.4 saves percentage.
“We might not be the most skilled team. There are more talented teams out there, but we do simple things well and we will outwork other teams,” said Johnson, who's used the same philosophy to build a successful softball program at West Fargo. “That will go a long ways.”
Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008
Tags: beginnings, scratch