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1.9.01
THE BEST WE HAVE IN ICE
By Lee Samuels
The
next time you head to the ice rink and watch our Vegas teams play, look for the little things -- like who gets to the puck first, who wins the corner battles, who controls center ice, who wins the 'brush fires' which flare up during the opening minutes.
There's a beauty in a flow of the game, a tricky pass, quick snap shot, score, red light, sticks raised. Our parents, with hearts pounding, press against the cold rink glass, drink hot coffee and watch the bright colors of the teams fly past at high speed.
Geez, and we don't even pay admission to watch!
Although Las
Vegas hockey is in its infancy, with bigger and stronger players surely to come through our system, there have been quite a few special players who have been suiting up with Las Vegas written across the front of their jerseys.
These
are the ones who play with the heart and the fire necessary to suceed in such a demanding sport. Thanks for all of the e--mails sent in and to all of the bleacher parents who handed us their lists on pieces of paper for the top players, ages 20 and under, of all time, here in the city.
These are your selections. And who knows best, the Moms and Dads who travel with the boys, watch the games, live and die with the wins and losses.
THE TOP LAS VEGAS PLAYERS IN ICE
1. MICAH SANFORD
-- He carries the torch for every young Las Vegas ice player. He started in roller, went to ice as a teenager and was an immediate impact player. Sanford was a top scorer for the Junior B Las Vegas Black Jacks, went to AAA Vail where he played on the first line for the 17-and-under blueshirts and is now rostered with the Junior A Chilliwack Chiefs. He is a winger who has heart, speed, stickwork, the will to score and a chance to make it to the bigtime. There are a lot of Las Vegas ice parents rooting hard for him.
2. JUSTIN JOHNSON
-- From the ages of 10 to 13, he was regarded as the top player in the city. He starred and scored many game-winning goals for Las Vegas Mustangs teams coached by his father, Steve 'Doc' Johnson. Justin has the speed, power and a low-riding rifle-crack of a shot from just inside the blue line. He also has pure power to break out and be a threat to score at any moment in a game. He is now playing for the Shattuck St. Mary's 17-and-under midget team in Minnesota.
3. TRAVIS ROSEBERRY
-- A very strong, dominating center who has led his last three teams in goal scoring. He is a big-game player who eagerly challenges any over-heated defenseman. Travis can score from outside or power in and score a blazer from close range. He led AA Team Las Vegas bantams in goal scoring, powered in 35 goals for AAA Vail's bantam team and already has 20 goals for the vastly improved AA Las Vegas Mustangs 17-and-under midget team.
4. JOSH JASEK
-- A late bloomer who may emerge as the best of all. He came of age at 13, when he began to skate with speed, grace and power. Josh has extraordinary stick handling skills, is remarkably unselfish and is playing his best hockey right now, as a 15 year old for the AAA Riverside, Calif. Jets 17-and-under team.
5. PAUL LOWDEN
-- For years, he has been a dominating presence in the net for Las Vegas teams. He is a big, strong goalie who relishes taking on high-flying forwards who break out, angle in and power his way. He starred for the Las Vegas Mustangs for three seasons and has more recently been playing for the Shattuck St. Mary's 17-and-under midget team in Minnesota.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
MATT MOORE
-- He had the most explosive season ever in Las Vegas ice history, scoring 75 goals as a 10 year old playing for a Mustangs squirt team. Matt is now 14 and a winger for a 23-2-1 AA Littleton Hawks travel team in Colorado. Jason Allen, at age 8, scored 64 goals in one season. Eddie Samuels, at 10, had 53 goals for a Mustangs squirt team.
MARK OLLILA
-- He is an amazing story. Three winters ago, the bantam teams split in Las Vegas. The Mustangs, with Justin Johnson, stayed at the Sante Fe. Mark started and coached Team Las Vegas, led by Travis Roseberry and T.J. Craig over at the Ice Gardens on Swenson.
On Feb. 12, 1999,
coach Mark took his 11-14 team into Utah for the Great Western Tournament. There, Team Las Vegas upset the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes, 2-1 and beat the California Golden Bears, 8-3. On Feb. 15, Team Las Vegas took on one of Calfornia's great bantam teams, the AA West Valley Wolves who had just ousted the Mustangs, 7-1.
Roseberry got the early morning game cooking when, behind the net, he flipped a pass to his long-time winger Eddie Samuels. Eddie one-timed the shot, then described as "my biggest goal ever." The game was later tied 2-2 when, with 8:06 left to play, Roseberry shook loose and took a high-speed route to the net where he scored a goal which sent the Vegas fans in total bedlam. The score held up and the shocker is regarded as our biggest upset ever.
ROB PALLIN
-- Already, there is rink talk that he is one of our best coaches ever. This winter he inherited a 4-21 AA Las Vegas Mustangs 17-and-under midget team which lost games by 10 to 12 goals on a typical game night.
Rob
has managed to blend talent such as Travis Roseberry, T.J. Craig, J.C. Caron and Justin Grossman into a system which produces goals and wins games. The Mustangs are an emerging power with a record of 16-11-3. The credit goes to the players, of course. But the parents know better. Coach Pallin has laid in a disciplined style of hockey and has put all the right pieces together.
THE HONOR ROLL
(Players Named on 10 Ballots on More)
(In order of votes received)
T.J. Craig, Eddie
Samuels, Sean Fox, Justin Grossman, Cody Fulweiler, Josh Shiode, P.J. Miles, J.C. Caron, Matt Moore, Jason Allen, David Lewandowski, Spike Neely, Pat Eugenio, Jimmy Russo, Mike Sullivan, Eddie Del Grosso, Evan Zucker, Stringfellow Swan, Conrad Trimbath
1.3.01
THE BEST WE HAVE IN ROLLER
Rink board
parents are the special ones. They come in early for the warmup drills, drink hot coffee, watch players flash by, keep a steady eye on the scoreclock on the far wall. For the past eight seasons, there's been long road trips, fast-food dining, faraway arenas, big wins, heart-wrenching losses.
So,
with some of our hockey players away with travel teams, we have been asking who do you think is the best of the best. Who plays the hardest on offense, defense and during those firefights at center ice. Thanks for all of your responses. We added up all the e-mails, took some notes from Moms and Dads in bleachers and this is what it is.
It's not
my list, it's from you -- the hockey Moms and Dads who watch from the best place on earth, the rinkboards.
LAS VEGAS TOP ROLLER PLAYERS
20-AND-UNDER
1. MICAH SANFORD
-- The one and only who set every scoring record at his home rink at Crystal Palace on Rancho Drive. From the ages of 15 to 18, he captained Rolling Thunder and Tour Rebel teams which became the most feared in the Western region. Sanford scored goals from impossible angles, fired in buzzer-bearers and on defense roared back to shut down high-flying forwards. He was so good, bright-eyed younger players would stay to watch his late-night house league games. He had the ability to control the flow of a game and on power players, ran it to perfection. Sanford can score from many angles and he has a wicked back-hand which can send a puck into either corner or through the five hole. He is our Hall of Famer on the hardwood. He is now a winger for the Junior A Chilliwack Chiefs ice team.
2. PATRICK STEVENSON
-- A true power forward who played for the Tour Rebels at top speed and could strike at any moment. When the Rebels needed a super-clutch goal, Micah usually ripped a pass over to Patrick who could glide in at high speed, angle towards the net and rip in a low -riding laser. He made scoring look easy, a mark of a tremendous player. He now competes mostly in house league action.
3. BILLY TUFANO
-- The youngest on our Top Six. Beginning at the age of 13, this pure roller player became one of the best in the nation. He has spirit, a tremendous will to win and lifted every team he has ever played on, including house league teams at Crystal Palace where he has won over a dozen scoring titles. Tufano, 16, is now the fiery team leader on a Las Vegas Titans 16-and-under team.
4. LEROY GARCIA
-- A tremendous all-heart scorer who is the perfect positional player. On power plays, he was the left winger with teammate Micah Sanford running the plays "on top." Garcia has speed, power and can score from long range. He was an important part of the Tour Rebels three-year rampage through the Western region of the United States. He briefly played ice for the Las Vegas Black Jacks but said it "didn't quite fit." He now plays as an added player for visitng elite roller teams at national tournaments held here in Las Vegas.
5. FREDDY YOUNG
-- This former national speed skating champion could turn a game around at any moment with a blazing rush and a flash score. He was the heartbeat of the Tour Rebels 16-and-under team which was the best ever unit out of Crystal Palace. Freddy, one of the most popular players ever here, plays in pickup games today.
6. CHRIS FRANCO
-- He was voted "best goalie' by parents and players. He is a big-game player, a premier star in the net wih cat-like reflexes and a passion to defend at any cost.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
// LARRY SANFORD
-- He taught, coached and built, from scratch at his Crystal Palace roller rink, powerful travel teams which won many gold and silver medals at national tournaments. His efforts have been the groundwork for young players who have excelled in roller and later, in ice hockey.
// BRETT WATTS
-- He hustled, scrambled and was a thrilling scorer for the Las Vegas Titans 16-and-under team coached by Oren Galor.
// THE EDDIE, EDDIE LINE
-- From the ages of 10 to 12, Eddie Lewis and Eddie Samuels played on a Larry Sanford-coached travel team which toured the West and became a feared entry into any tournament. Lewis was a high-powered, high-flying forward who could shake loose and bolt down the floor and score at any moment. Samuels was an extremely hard worker, digging pucks out of corners while becoming a six-time scoring champion at his home rink. In house league playoff action Lewis vs. Samuels raging battles were historic. On travel teams, they were a perfect pair. Lewis, for the moment, is inactive with his family in New Mexico. Samuels is with the AAA Vail bantam ice team in Colorado.
THE HONOR ROLL
(LISTED ON 10 BALLOTS OR MORE):
Travis
Gunderson,
J.C. Caron, Brett Watts, Adam Naglich, Chris Fitch, Cameron Goodall, Michael Morton, Jason Allen, Eddie Lewis, Eddie Samuels, Dave Iannucilli, Andrew Leggiero, Mark Leggiero
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