Volume 2 Issue 6 | January 2020
The State Tournaments Have Begun – Let’s Keep it FUN!
By Jack Weinberg, AHAI High School Committee Chairman
This is a great time of year. Teams and fans are excited to put it all on the line in the 2020 Illinois State Hockey Championships. The energy is palpable, and the stakes are high. This is what everyone has been preparing for all season long!

That excitement is what makes this time of year so fun. Each of us has a duty to keep it that way…. FUN!

The players do not need to feel any added pressure, the looser they are the better they play. Everyone needs to remember that the other team is not our enemy they are our opponent. Fans, cheer hard for your team. They are our children, our classmates and our friends. Hockey is a game for life. It is likely that you will compete against each other for years and when you get to the adult league you will find that those same opponents are now your teammates.
2020 COUNTDOWN TO STATE
Our Countdown to State Newsletter is coming to your email inbox on Friday, February 14th!

Please click HERE to view the 2020 Illinois High School State Championships Central Illinois Division bracket and schedule.
HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
2020 Illinois State High School Hockey Championships
By Chicago Blackhawks
In conjunction with the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI), the Chicago Blackhawks will host the 2020 Illinois State High School Hockey Championships, presented by Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Chevy Dealers, at the United Center on Saturday, March 21.
 
The event will feature a full evening of action with the Illinois Girls’ State Championship (3:00 p.m.), the Boys’ Red Division State Championship (6:00 p.m.) and the Boys’ Combined Division State Championship (8:00 p.m.). The first 10,00 fans in attendance will receive a Bluetooth speaker, also presented by Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana Chevy Dealers.  
ALL-STATE GAMES
31st Annual AHAI All-State Games Set for Monday, February 10
By Ned Forsberg, AHAI All-State Chairman
For the past 30 years, AHAI has been conducting a High School All-State game for the boys and girls varsity divisions statewide. This year will mark the 31st year of this very special event. The 2020 Boys and Girls High School All-State games will be played on Monday, February 10, 2020 at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois. The Girls game will start at 6:40 pm and the Boys game will begin at 8:35 pm.
Admission to the High School Hockey All-State Games is FREE. Can't make the game? The SHL Network on YouTube Live * will be streaming both games with Max Anderson, Taylor Rammelt and the rest of the SHL Network's great crew!
* The SHL Network is sponsored by CCTY Bearing, OPRF Hockey, Stormy’s Tavern & Grill, Cognitive College Advising, GBN Hockey, Carmel Hockey and Brink Personalized Nutrition.
FORMAN'S JANUARY TOP 25 RANKINGS
Loyola Gold is gaining steam at the right time. The Ramblers have been somewhat down this season, at least by the team’s long-standing tradition, but with league playoffs and the state tournament right around the corner, Gold looks poised to strike.

Loyola honored its 10 seniors before a Jan. 11 game in Lincolnwood against Scholastic Hockey League rival Saint Viator. The Ramblers went on to win 4-1, with a hat trick from senior AJ Cornelison. And on Monday, Jan. 20, the Ramblers blanked St. Ignatius 3-0 in Northbrook to win the 2020 Jesuit Cup, with goals from JC Cervieri, Nick Braun and Freddy FitzSimons. Goaltender Yianno Nikas earned the shutout and Braun received the Player of the Game honor.
Forman's Top 25 Rankings As Of January 25, 2020
1. New Trier Green  
2. Glenbrook North  
3. Saint Viator  
4. Providence Catholic 
5. Barrington 
6. Stevenson  
7. Glenbrook South  
8. Loyola Gold  
9. St. Ignatius
10. Benet Academy 
FORMAN'S VARSITY SPOTLIGHTS
Leyden Senior Arnoni Savors Illinois Hockey State Tournament, Especially This Season
Anthony Arnoni, a four-year varsity player for co-op Leyden, is a left-handed shooting defenseman who is excited, to put it mildly, for the home stretch of his senior season. “It is very hard to pinpoint one single (hockey) memory, but I would definitely say that the state hockey tournaments have been my favorite,” he said.
Maine Looking to Make Waves with Late Season Surge
Nick La Valle is in his 15th season coaching, his first at the high school level.

The 50-year-old La Valle, who lives in Des Plaines and is a cyber security engineer for Discover, leads co-op Maine. He previously has coached at Niles, Team Illinois, Glenview and multiple tournament teams. He began coaching girls’ hockey teams in 2010.
Memorable Regular-Season for Warren
The Warren Blue Devils want to skate alongside the elite teams in Illinois. More so, Warren wants to be an elite-level team – and this season has been a great stride in that direction. Warren is among a 4-team tie for first-place in the 12-team Champions League of the North-Central Division. The Blue Devils are 15-6-1 and their 31 points are the same as Lake Forest, PREP and New Trier Blue. New Trier White (14-6-2) is inches away from the top spot with 30 points.
FORMAN'S JV SPOTLIGHT
Danny Sullivan - Glenbrook South

Danny Sullivan is a junior, left-handed shooting defenseman for Glenbrook South, an aggressive defenseman who admittedly loves winning puck battles in the Titans’ defensive end, leading to the breakout.

“I always have jumped into the corner for battles because I think battling for the puck is a lot of fun and one of the reasons I’ve played hockey for so long,” said Sullivan, 16, who lives in Glenview and skated for the Titans’ JV team last season too.
IHSHL LEAGUE REPORTS
Illinois West January Update
By Brian Meek - Illinois West held its annual Varsity All Star Game on January 21st at Willowbrook Ice Arena. The game was spirited and high scoring and all spectators were well entertained throughout. After 60 full minutes of play, the away team, Team Mrofcza, scored on the fourth shootout goal for a thrilling 16 – 15 win over Team Dombro. Will Misicko was named player of the game for Team Dombro while Sam Ruffolo was named player of the game for Team Mrofcza. Goalie Rhett Bergevin from Team Mrofcza was selected Goalie of the Game. Thanks to all the players, coaches, officials and fans who helped make this a very fun event. Click the button below to read the full January update which includes final regular season standings for 2019-2020.
The Scholastic Hockey League (SHL) Proudly Presents the 2020 All SHL Team! Brian Dolby of New Trier Green received Player of the Year honors. Click button below to view the complete list!
Loyola, Upper Fox Valley and New Trier top the Scholastic Division, while Lake Forest High School, Glenbrook and Maine lead the Founders Division. Click button below for Pam Flores' full January update.
IHSHL North Central Division's January Update
By Christopher Waters - The North Central Conference has been around since 2012 and in these eight seasons, none have been as competitive as this season.

Many of the regular season races went down to the last weekend and tiebreakers had to be used to determine the champion. Click button below to find out who came out on top in all North Central Conference divisions.