The Cook County members of the North Shore Bantam A hockey team are (L-R, front) Chase Bronikowski, Cameron Roy. (L-R, back) Connor Somnis, Timothy A. Miller, Josh Prom, Ethan Sporn.
Six kids (ages 13-15) from Cook County played hockey for the North Shore Storm Bantam A hockey team this year, and the team compiled a great regular season mark of 23-13-2 before heading off into playoffs where they were seeded Number 1 for District 11.
Any athlete has to make some sacrifices to play his or her sport, but kids in Cook County have to make big sacrifices to pursue their dreams of playing organized hockey, traveling 55 miles (or more) one way just to attend practice. And as for playing games, most games are another 50 miles (or further) down the road from Silver Bay.
With as many as three practices a week, carpooling is the norm, said hockey parent Casey Bronikowski, adding, “But it helps that Paul Sporn is the coach because he gives a lot of kids a ride to practice.”
Cook County athletes who played for the the Storm this winter were Cameron Roy, Chase Bronikowski, Connor Somnis, Tim Miller, Ethan Sporn and Josh Prom.
The North Shore Bantams’ A team won its first district game against Cloquet 5-3, but fell the next day 3-2 to Duluth East. The Storm won one more game in Districts before advancing to the regional tournament at the Eveleth Hippodrome where the top three teams from District 10, 11, and 12 squared off to see who would advance to state. While they played well, the Storm won one game and lost two games to bow out of the tournament, ending its fine season.
Most, if not all of the six Cook County hockey players will advance to the Silver Bay varsity squad next year, leaving the Bantams behind. Jacob Bilben from Cook County High School will be returning to the varsity.
Grand Marais senior Frankie Miller will be one of nine seniors ending his hockey career with the Silver Bay varsity this year.
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