Wausau Pilot & Review
MIDDLETON – The Central Wisconsin Storm will be playing for another state title after earning a dominating 4-1 win over the Cap City Cougars in a semifinal at the 2024 WIAA State Girls Hockey Tournament on Thursday at Capitol Ice Arena.
The Storm (21-4-1) moves on the state championship game against the Bay Area Ice Bears (21-5), a co-op of teams from De Pere and the Green Bay area. Game time is 2 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be televised live on WAOW-TV 9 of Wausau and live-streamed at waow.com.
The Storm, a co-op of players from D.C. Everest, Marathon, Merrill, Mosinee, Wausau East and Wausau West high schools, will be playing for their fifth state title to go along with others won in 2008, 2012, 2017 and 2022.
Cap City, a co-op of teams from Sun Prairie and the Madison area, scored first on a power play just 2:38 into the game before the Storm took over, scoring four unanswered goals to win going away.
Ava Rode tied the game at the 9:46 mark of the first before Tristan Wicklund gave Central Wisconsin the lead 20 seconds into the second period.
The 2-1 lead held until the third with the Storm scored twice on power plays, first by Wicklund 2:47 into the period and another by Gabi Heuser at the 7:21 mark.
Claire Calmes only had to make nine saves in goal for the Storm as they dominated play, peppering Sun Prairie with 34 shots on goal.
Storm 4, Cougars 1
Cap City 1 0 0 – 1
Central Wisconsin 1 2 1 – 4
First period: 1. CC, Teegan Davis, pp., 2:38; 2. CW, Ava Rode (Sophie Bohlin, Jayden Yirkovsky), 9:46.
Second period: 3. CW, Tristan Wicklund (Gabi Heuser, Madi DePuydt), pp., 0:20.
Third period: 4. CW, Wicklund (DePuydt, Heuser), pp., 2:47; 5. CW, Heuser (DePuydt), pp., 7:21.
Saves: CC, Sofia Marinelli 30; CW, Claire Calmes 9.
Records: Cap City 10-17-1; Central Wisconsin 21-4-1.
