Season ends in rough fashion for Waseca girls’ hockey squad

It was a tough end to what was a stellar season for the Waseca High School girls’ hockey team.

Entering Section 1A as the No. 3 seed and receiving a bye in the first round, the Bluejays faced a heartbreaking 10-1 defeat in the semifinals to No. 2 Albert Lea — the defending section champions — on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The loss evened their record to 12-12, their best finish since the 2016-17 season, when they went 14-10-1.

“The score does not indicate how we played at all,” coach Chaz Benson said. “In the first two periods, we stayed right with them. The third period just got away from us.”

Ten minutes into the opening period, Waseca had a rare breakaway opportunity. After eighth-grade forward Maizee Storey took the initial shot, junior forward Izabela Slechta cashed in on the rebound.

The moment which Benson described as “taking the wind out of our sails” was losing starting goalie Ilamay Draheim a few minutes into the second period. The Bluejays were forced to send senior goaltender Alicia Kelly out on the ice with only a minute of warmup time.

“Ilamay is such a core of our team,” said Benson. “Losing her definitely didn’t help us at all.”

Draheim ended the night stopping 25 of 26 shots.

Kelly faced 27 shots in less than two periods, 17 in the final period.

Benson commended the effort.

“I thought she did well considering the situation,” he said. “Coming in cold is not easy. She had some really good saves,”

Waseca rallied around Kelly, allowing only two additional goals in the second period to keep it a 3-1 game. “Those two goals were rebound goals,” Benson explained. “I tell the girls all the time that the goalie’s job is to stop the first one and the other players need to clear it out.”

Albert Lea put the game away with seven consecutive goals in the third period.

“I think we were playing a little too tight knowing Ilamay wasn’t behind us,” said Benson. “Once we started hanging our head in the third, that’s when stuff went sideways.”

Albert Lea outshot Waseca 53-11.

“That’s a good team they have,” said Benson. “I’m excited to play them next year.”

When the game ended, both Albert Lea and Waseca gathered in the center of the rink, kneeled, and bowed their heads — some in prayer — before leaving the ice.

After preparing to leave the arena, many of the Jays embraced each other in the final moments they would be together this season. It didn’t matter in that moment that Maddy Benson was a freshman and Madelyn Malecha was a senior. They were all one big happy family celebrating a bittersweet end to a great season.

“This was a special group of girls,” Benson said. “This season went really well as a whole. We will be losing a good group of seniors, but the future’s going to be bright.”

He said the group worked hard and bought into a winning attitude.

“You could tell with the culture of the locker room and how we played on the ice that we were going out every night expecting to win,” he said. “They’re having fun out there, and we hope in the future to keep the ball rolling with that.”

Four players will graduate this spring: Cece Huttemier, Malecha, Timmi Volkmer, and Kelly. 

“All of them are great kids and leaders,” said Benson. “I’m excited to watch what they do throughout their life. I’m so proud of them.”