Two marlins girls' players are top 10 in state in stats

With one game left in the regular season, Mitchell Marlins girls’ hockey players Haley Stahl and Hannah Spates are ranked in the top 10 of the South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association in statistical categories.

Stahl, a forward, ranks eighth in the state in goals (20), ninth in points (26) and third in power-play goals (3).

Stahl’s marks are all team-highs for the Marlins, who are 7-10-3 this season.

The team’s main goalie is Spates, who has 550 saves this season, second in the SDAHA. Spates is 247 saves behind league leader Anna Veazey of the Rushmore Thunder.

In addition to Spates and Stahl, forward/defenseman Kylie Barrington ranks 12th in assists (9) and 13th in points (20).

As a team, the Mitchell girls are averaging 2.75 goals per game and are in sixth place in points, two points behind Oahe.

The Marlins’ final game is Friday against Aberdeen at the Aberdeen Odde Ice Arena.

Mitchell boys’ team progressing this season

Last year the Mitchell Marlins boys won the South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association championship.

This year has not been quite as successful for the Marlins, as they are 2-15. Still Marlins’ coach John Lord said he is proud of his young squad’s development.

The Mitchell boys are tied for seventh place in the league and are averaging 1.65 goals per game while their opponents are scoring 6.35 goals per game.

“It certainly hasn’t been a winning season for us,” Lord said. “It’s a young group, they work hard, they come prepared and they are learning.

“Practice to practice, game to game, all we ask for is just to get better,” he said. “Is that going to put us in a championship game this year? Maybe not, who knows, but they are certainly developing for the future.”

This season, sophomore Jacob Cersosimo is leading the Marlins’ offense with seven goals and five assists.

Alex Murtha is the team’s second-leading goal scorer with six, and Jordan Grosdidier has nine points, which ranks second on the team.

“Last year’s offense was the best in the state hands down. The guys who were on the team last year never had to step up; they didn’t have to be the goal scorers,” Lord said. “This year they are having to learn how to step up and score goals. … The second half of the season has been a big improvement from the beginning.”

Gauger first in saves

Mitchell Marlins’ varsity goalie Weston Gauger has 448 saves this season.

Gauger, who has played 729 minutes, which ranks first in saves in the South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association.

This season Gauger has faced 534 shots on goal and has a .839 save percentage.

“A goalie is just like a skater. When the team is having a winning season everything is great but when the team is losing it can look like it’s a bad season,” Lord said. “This year it’s been a little different for Weston. Last year he was the only goalie and he had some ups and down but in the state championship I thought he had his best games.”

Gauger has played in all of the team’s 17 games this season but has shared some time with Tate Sutherland, who has played 137 minutes.

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