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Tigers Reach Schmitz Classic Finals

By Pat Rupp, 12/29/16, 8:15AM CST

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Gerold and Kelley provided a late goal/assist and two shootout goals to help advance the Tigers the championship

Tigers Reach Schmitz Classic Finals

by Pat Rupp

Somewhere Farmington sports legend Louie Schmitz is smiling.

The Tigers reached the finals of the annual eight-team team holiday tournament named in his honor after a dramatic come-from-behind 1-1 tie with Red Wing Wednesday night at Schmitz-Maki Arena.

Farmington’s Jenna Gerold tied the game on an assist from Bailey Kelley in the game’s final seconds to force a best two-out-of-three shootout to see which team advanced to Thursday night’s title game with New Prague.

In the shootout, the first two Tiger shooters, Gerold and Kelley, each found twine while goaltender Abby Bollig stopped both Wingers shooters, including superstar Junior Taylor Heise.

Red Wing entered the game with a lofty 10-3-1 marked and ranked 12th in the state Class A rankings. With the tie Farmington will take a 7-5-1 mark into the title game with New Prague.

“We played a solid game and definitely had chances to get us on top but we just didn’t capitalize on them,” Farmington coach Jon Holmes said. “We knew it was going to be a very stingy game if we played our game well and they played their game well.” 

The stat sheet bore out Holmes’ analysis of his team’s many opportunities as the Tigers outshot their guests by a decisive 44-27 margin.

Bollig was steady throughout and brilliant in the shootout, finishing with 26 saves, including the one on Heise who Holmes calls “…maybe the best player in the state for her age level.”

“I really would have liked to see us put a few more on the board and notch an official victory,” Holmes said, “but I was proud of how we competed right up to the final buzzer and were able to come away with the shootout win.”

Holmes said that New Prague also has a star caliber player in their lineup in the person of Catie Skaja. She and Heise leave early Thursday morning to play for the Team USA 18-U team at the world junior championships.

Even without Skaja on the ice the Trojans should provide a good test for the Tigers who have gone 6-1-1 over their past seven games. New Prague (7-4-1) is ranked eighth among state Class A schools.

 

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