For the Reporter

The Sno-King 14U A2 Bantam hockey team captured the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association’s (PNAHA) state championship last weekend in Spokane, earning a spot in the USA Hockey National 14U Tier II Tournament in Salt Lake City on March 26-30.

The team includes Kent’s Daniel Smith, a Rainier Middle School student, Maple Valley’s Hunter Jenkins, a Tahoma Junior High student, and Auburn’s Brayden Shaw (Auburn Mountainview High School), Landen Shaw and Dylan Herzog (Rainier Middle School).

The Junior Thunderbirds won the championship game decisively, 6-0, against the Seattle Junior’s AAA Bantam team. It was the Thunderbirds’ second shutout of the weekend.

The Thunderbirds beat the Tacoma Rockets in the semifinals, 4-2.

In pool play, the Thunderbirds went unbeaten – defeating Sno-King’s A3 team, 4-0, the Wenatchee Junior Wild, 4-2, and the Spokane Junior Chiefs, 5-4.

“This team competed with a lot of heart, class and determination,” said Doug Kirton, Sno-King’s hockey director. “We’re excited they have the chance to represent Sno-King at the national level.”

Sno-King 14U A2 is coached by Lloyd Shaw and Corey Schwab, both of whom have previous professional hockey experience.

The team has amassed a record of 46 wins, 14 losses and five ties and plays in the PNAHA and the Pacific Cascade Amateur Hockey Association (PCAHA) leagues. The Thunderbirds’ tournaments have included the Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament and Phoenix Invitational.

The Sno-King 14U A2 team consists of middle school and high school players from the Seattle area.