Four goal games from Crass, Van Slyke lift Wausau West, D.C. Everest to Marathon Cup title game

The Wausau West hockey team’s hopes of a 19th straight Marathon Cup championship is still alive after an 11-1 win over East-Merrill United in the first semifinal at Greenheck-Turner Community Center on Thursday night, a game broadcast live on 98.9 WXCO. The Warriors (6-0 overall, 2-0 WVC) took charge early with a six goal outburst in a roughly five minute stretch of the first period. Chase Crass scored four of those goals and reached the 100 point mark in his varsity career with the third goal. Hendrix Damrow added two goals, Owen Pergolski had a goal and three assists and Julian Scalcucci made 22 saves for West, who will face off with D.C. Everest in the title game at 7:30 pm on Saturday. EMU (1-5 overall, 0-2 WVC) got a goal from Brody Klebenow and will meet Mosinee in the consolation game at 5:30 pm on Saturday.

Like Wausau West, D.C. Everest earned their spot in the Marathon Cup championship game behind a four goal effort from one of their captains. Cole Van Slyke lit the lamp four times in leading the Evergreens to a 6-1 win over Mosinee in the second semifinal. Van Slyke opened the scoring with a penalty shot goal late in the first period then added three more goals in the second period as Everest (3-3 overall) pulled away. Aiden Haupt and Hayden Johnson each scored shorthanded goals 15 seconds apart in the third period to put the game out of reach. Griffen Bunnell was rock solid in goal as the Evergreens will try to earn their first Marathon Cup championship since 2006, which is also the last time that Wausau West didn’t win the tournament. Mosinee (2-2 overall) got a goal from Tyler Baars midway through the third period to avoid the shutout.

You can hear the Marathon Cup championship game between Wausau West and D.C. Everest Saturday night at approximately 7:30 pm on 98.9 WXCO, online at wxco.fm, mobile devices by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.