VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City Vipers squirt team would end up representing the entire state as they were the only team from North Dakota (out of 20) to reach the “elite 8” in the Championship Bracket of the Squirt International tournament this past weekend.
After going 2-0 in the seeding games Friday they’d win their first game in the 16-team Championship Bracket Saturday morning, but would lose a heartbreaker in overtime 3-4 Saturday afternoon. The Vipers would come back and win Sunday morning, however the tournament does not play a fifth/six place game. Gray Kasowski, Brody Kalbrener and Colton Gerlach would pace the offense for the Vipers with 14, 12 and 10 points respectively in the five games. The Vipers would get strong defensive play all weekend and goaltender Tyler Olsen would allow only nine goals throughout the tournament and record his first shutout of the year. The Vipers are coached by Shane Kalbrener, Kyle Roelfsema and Dylan Boyle.
Friday
VC 12 vs. Monticello, MN 1
Colton Gerlach- 3 goals, 1 assist; Gray Kasowski- 2 goals, 2 assists; Caleb Hayes- 2 goals, 1 assist; Riley Roelfsema- 1 goal, 1 assist; Gavin Wiebe- 1 goal, 1 assist; Brody Metcalf- 1 goal; Brody Kalbrener- 1 goal; Kayson Ziemba- 1 goal
Olsen- 8 saves
VC 7 vs. Des Moines, IA 0
Kalbrener- 3 goals, 1 assist; Kasowski- 2 goals, 2 assists; Hayes- 1 goal; Corbin Petersen- 1 goal
Olsen- 4 saves
Saturday
VC 8 vs. St. Paul, MN Capitals 1
Gerlach- 2 goals, 1 assist; Ziemba- 2 goals, 1 assist; Kalbrener- 2 goals, 1 assist; Kasowski- 1 goal, 2 assists; Petersen- 1 goal, 1 assist; Wiebe- 1 assist
Olsen- 12 saves
VC 3 vs. Arizona Hockey Union 4 (OT)
Kasowski- 1 goal; Ziemba- 1 goal; Roelfsema- 1 goal; Gerlach- 1 assist
Olsen- 27 saves
Sunday
VC 6 vs. Omaha, NE Jr. Mavs 3
Kalbrener- 3 goals, 1 assist; Gerlach- 2 goals; Kasowski- 1 goal, 1 assist; Beck Dietrich- 2 assists; Hayes- 1 assist
Olsen- 17 saves
The Vipers finished in the top 6 out of 80 teams