By Paul Lecker
Wausau Pilot & Review
Wausau West senior goalie Adam Prokop was named to the first team for the third-straight season and was picked as the Player of the Year on the 2021-22 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Hockey Team, as voted on by the six conference coaches following the season.
Prokop allowed just 19 goals in eight conference games with a WVC-best 91.5 percent save percentage as West finished second in the standings at 8-2.
Conference champion Stevens Point had two first-team selections, both unanimously, as defensemen Cael Bolton and forward Kade Smigaj were repeat first-team picks.
Rounding out the first-team picks were Wausau West defensemen Tyler Cleveland, Wisconsin Rapids forward Carson Gunderson, and West forward Thomas Gerum. Gunderson and Gerum were also repeat first-team honorees.
Smigaj led the conference in goals with 17 and points with 27, while Gunderson was second with 15 goals, and Gerum tied for third with 10.
West junior Grant Halmstad was a second-team pick at forward, and senior Cade Gruber and junior Judah Leder were honorable mention choices at forward as well for the Warriors.
D.C. Everest senior goalie Breyden Sabatke and Merrill/Wausau East senior forward Eli Pagel were honorable mention choices.
2021-22 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Hockey Team
(*denotes unanimous selection)
First Team
Goalie: *Adam Prokop, sr., Wausau West.
Defensemen: *Cael Bolton, sr., Stevens Point; Tyler Cleveland, sr., Wausau West.
Forwards: *Kade Smigaj, jr., Stevens Point; Carson Gunderson, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Thomas Gerum, jr., Wausau West.
Second Team
Goalie: Jonathon Nafe, sr., Stevens Point.
Defensemen: Mason Keller, jr., Stevens Point; Dane Kubisiak, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Forwards: Carsen Gause, so., Wisconsin Rapids; Lucca Weinkauf, sr., Stevens Point; Grant Halmstad, jr., Wausau West.
Honorable Mention
Goalie: Breyden Sabatke, sr., D.C. Everest.
Defensemen: Noah Peterson, jr., Marshfield; Triston Reissmann, sr., Marshfield; Simon Bienvenue, sr., Stevens Point; Jacob Dekarske, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Forwards: Kyle Jaglinski, sr., D.C. Everest; Payton Smith, sr., Marshfield; Eli Pagel, sr., Wausau East/Merrill; Jackson Schroeder, fr., Stevens Point; Cade Gruber, sr., Wausau West; Judah Leder, jr., Wausau West; Josh Dekarske, so., Wisconsin Rapids.
Player of the Year: Adam Prokop, goalie, sr., Wausau West.
