If early-season successes are any indication, it's likely to be another season near the top of the standings for the Mitchell Marlins girls varsity hockey team.
The Marlins, who have been practicing since early October, are already 4-0, and they have no designs on slowing down. Through four games, Mitchell has scored 39 goals and surrendered just seven, and experience likely has a great deal to do with it.
Everyone from the Marlins' squad that placed third at the state tournament last year returns in 2021-22, and they’ll have two key contributors — Brooke Jarman and Kate Nash — for a full season in 2021-22 after they joined the team midway through last season.
Already this season, Jarman has 14 goals and four assists. Nash and Kelsey Amick — the leading scorer from a season ago — each have seven goals to go with three and nine assists, respectively. In all, seven different Marlins have put the puck past an opposing goalie at least twice so far, and nine have at least two assists.
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In addition to the forward line that’s led Mitchell to 199 shots in four games, coach Chris Tronnes expects a strong defensive core to be another strength and believes varsity depth is only going to improve during the season.
“I’d like to be able to roll all three lines in consistently to save our legs a little bit, but some of our younger girls are coming along,” Tronnes said. “I think we’ll be alright as the season progresses.”
In net, Sadie Kludt has saved 56 of 63 shots faced for a .889 save percentage.
The focus moving forward for the Marlins is to keep improving in preparation for what they hope to be another state tournament appearance. In each of the past three seasons, Mitchell has finished third at state, with Aberdeen proving to be the hurdle on which the Marlins have stumbled on each occasion. This season, though, Tronnes is optimistic about the team’s ability to take that next step.
“I think what they’re really striving for is beating the teams like Aberdeen and Sioux Falls — those teams that we’re close to but haven’t quite got over the hump,” Tronnes said. “Hopefully this year, we can make that happen.”
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While the Marlins have yet to be tested for a full game, when they take the ice again for three games in three days, an opportunity to measure themselves against both programs awaits. Aberdeen comes to Mitchell on Dec. 17 before the Marlins play at Sioux Falls on Dec. 19.
If the Marlins perform well in those contests, it will be a boost of confidence at an early stage of the season. Regardless, the end goal remains to reach the state tournament and perform at a high level.
“There’s some expectations for the team this year when talking to people around the state, so hopefully they can live up to it, and I think they will,” Tronnes said.
