Westonka Goaltender Leads White Hawks to Top Seed

Westonka's varsity girl's hockey team has earned the top District 2A seed and will begin their postseason run at the Thaler Ice Arena on Saturday, Feb. 11, against the winner of Wilmer vs. Mankato West.  

The White Hawks gained the top seed with an overall record of 16-9-1. The season included signature wins against Big Nine Conference leader Rochester Mayo, Missota Conference leader Chaska and a tie against Mississippi Conference leader North Wright County.   

The girls finished their Wright County Conference schedule with a 5-3 record.

The list of individual accomplishments was highlighted by Samantha Scobee being named a top-ten senior goalie for all of Minnesota. The prestigious award was announced Feb. 2 by Let’s Play Hockey and puts Samantha in an elite class of goaltenders.  

With an overall goals against average (GAA) of 1.94 and a save percentage of .934, Scobee led the conference and was key player in the White Hawks' successful regular season.  

“Samantha has been a leader on and off the ice," head coach Chris Erickson said. "She’s played every minute of every game, and she’s been lights out all year for us. This award is well deserved.”

Win against Cambridge, drop last game vs. Orono

On Jan. 31 the White Hawks beat Cambridge-Isanti 3-2 before a home crowd that came out en masse for Senior Night.

Fittingly, Westonka's seniors stole the show.  

All eight seniors—Katie Holman, Christina Loma, Emily Halvarson, Kia Johnson, Nina Chase, Michele Mahoney, Samantha Scobee and team manager Mikayla Gierszewski—were recognized after the first period.

Kia Johnson opened the scoring with her 8th goal of the season, and Emily Halvarson netted the game-winning score, her team-leading 5th game winner of the season.  

Senior goaltender Samatha Scobee turned away 25 shots on goal.  

In the last regular season game on Feb. 2, Orono beat the White Hawks 2-1.  

Westonka opened the scoring midway in the second period when Nina Chase took a shot from the top of the circle, which was stopped by Orono's goalie with a sprawling leg pad save. Jess Nkhata scored her team-leading 20th goal of the season when she crashed the net and pushed both the puck and the goalie into the net.

Orono tied the game two minutes later after the White Hawks took an ill-timed high sticking penalty, and the Spartans capitalized on the power play.

Mound outshot the Spartans 15-8 in the third period, but Orono scored the game winner early in the period on a breakaway.