Girls hockey preview: Moose Lake Area

110719.S.PJ.GirlsPux_MLAWEB.jpg — Moose Lake Area goalie Jo Wekseth stops a shot during the 2018-19 season. The Rebels will need seniors like Wekseth to step into a ledership role on a talented but young team. (Pine Journal file photo)

By Jamey Malcomb

November 07, 2019 at 5:20 AM

Head coach: Chris Gamst

Assistant coaches: Amber Ketchmark, Josh Gamst, Nate Painovich

Returning starters: Jo Wekseth, sr., G; Jamie Benzie, sr., W; Lexi Bonneville, sr., W; Gabby Gamst, soph., W; Savanna Gamst, sr., D/C; and Rachel Painovich, soph., D/C.

New faces to watch: “We have a very talented group of hardworking seventh and eighth graders who last season won the 12-U B state championship,” head coach Chris Gamst said. “It adds immediate depth to our team, which was shorthanded last season due to injuries and low class numbers. There are seven girls from the state championship team who will see immediate ice time on the varsity.”

Team strengths: Goaltending and team speed.

Biggest challenge: “Youth,” Gamst said. “It will be a challenge to see how quickly the new players can adapt to the quickness and more physical style of play of high school hockey.”

By Jamey Malcomb

Jamey Malcomb has a been high school sports reporter for the Duluth News Tribune since October 2021. He spent the previous six years covering news and sports for the Lake County News-Chronicle in Two Harbors and the Cloquet Pine Journal. He graduated from the George Washington University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in history and literature and also holds a master's degree in secondary English education from George Mason University.

Girls hockey preview: Moose Lake Area

Rebels talented, but youth and inexperience will be a challenge; first home game Thursday, Nov. 7, against Duluth Marshall