Floor hockey team to debut Jan. 23

The New Prague Adapted Floor Hockey team has a new look this year.

With Montgomery-Lonsdale High school no longer in existence, the cooperative program between the two schools was reformed with the new Tri-City United High School in Montgomery, with Le Sueur-Henderson High School in Le Sueur also added to the program.

The Trojans have 13 athletes on this year’s team. It is a young team, with only one senior, forward Cassie Malecha, but also an experienced squad that hopes to return to the state tournament in March.

The squad went 10-4 last season, finishing third in the Southern Conference and sixth at the state tournament.

Shellie Kriha returns as coach, and she is assisted by Lisa Josephson. They are getting help from several graduated players who are still part of the school district’s Transitions program.

With the expanded cooperative, the team gains a few more athletes to give them depth. The roster has increased from nine to 13 players.

Among the more experienced players are Matthew Schoenbauer and Alex Palma, who both had outstanding seasons last year and are scoring threats from anywhere on the floor.

Other Trojans with experience include senior Cassie Malecha, sophomores Stephanie Hayden and Jacob Malecha, freshman Sarah Oxborough and eighthgraders Noah Hayden and Charlie Zelinger.

With no experienced goaltender on the squad, Zelinger has volunteered to put on the pads and guard the Trojan nets this season.

New members of the team this year are sophomore Chris Pena, eighth grader Brooklyn Skluzacek and seventh graders Zach Crawford, Eve Johnson and Nicholas Welter.

The Trojans’ first game is Wednesday, Jan. 23, at St. Paul Highland Park. They host Winona at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, for their first home game.

The team will play a 10- game regular season schedule that ends February 27, with a state tournament qualifying game scheduled for the week of March 6. The state tournament will be at Bloomington Jefferson High School March 15 and 16.