Left, Point-Rapids Red Panther Junior Hannah Bielke shoots and scores the team’s third goal against Lakeland Union High School en route to a win at Ice Hawks Arena Thursday night.

Story and photo by Robert Whitmire

The Point-Rapids Red Panthers Girls Hockey team secured a Thursday win against the Lakeland Union High School at the Ice Hawks Arena.

The Red Panthers team is a co-op team consisting of players from Ben Franklin Jr. High School, P. J. Jacobs Jr. High School, SPASH, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School and Wisconsin Rapids Assumption High School. The girls celebrated the arena’s Senior Night with a 4-0 win over Lakeland.

Senior players recognized before the game included Rachel Nolan, Amanda Milanowski, Taylor Gregorich and team Manager Bailee Sterling(SPASH), Rachel Metz (Assumption), Kiana Coombs and Vanessa Falke (Lincoln).

Freshman Megan Nolan (Ben Franklin) put the Red Panthers on the board at the 5:46 mark of the first period with an assist from Rachel Metz.  Metz lit up the board with two goals scoring the Red Panthers second goal at the 3:47 mark of period two unassisted and shorthanded, and the team’s final goal at the 9:33 mark of the fourth period. She was assisted by Lincoln sophomore Katrina Hassig.

SPASH junior Hannah Bielke scored an unassisted goal at the 3:23 mark of period two.  The Red Panthers peppered the Lakeland net with 35 shots. Lakeland recorded 21 shots on goal.

The Red Panthers own an 8-1 record in the Great Northern Conference.