MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – The Madison Metro Lynx girls high school co-op hockey team has some unfinished business going into this year’s WIAA state tournament. After finishing runners-up at the state tourney in 2020, the 2021 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We don’t take any moments for granted because of that,” said head coach Kathryn Anderson. “A lot of juniors played right here (Alliant Energy Center) two years ago, and they didn’t realize it was their last season. So, we are coming out here, we are doing it for the program, and we are not taking anything for granted at this point,”
The #3 seeded Lynx are 22-3 on the season and are taking on the #2 seed DC Everest co-op who are 20-3 this year. The semi-final matchup is scheduled for Thursday night at 6:15 a.m. at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
The Lynx huddle up for instructions during practice at the Alliant Energy Center Wednesday morning(Tim Elliott)
The Lynx lost to DC Everest earlier this year, 2-1.
“When we lost to them, I think it was a reality check for our team,” said Rachel Mirwald, a senior at Verona Area High School. “And after that, we really kind of picked it up and yeah, I think we are ready, ready for tomorrow,”
Coach Anderson says in that first meeting, her team was struggling with injuries.
“I think we were battling a lot of things when we played them first in the season — some injuries. There was also a lot of pressure on us because we hadn’t lost at all, so we kind of look at that like a blessing in disguise because we are now ready more than ever to play them again,” said Anderson.
The Lynx is a team comprised of student athletes from various high schools in Dane County and beyond including Middleton, Dodgeville, Edgewood, Madison Memorial, Madison West, Mount Horeb, and Verona.
“It’s been the time of my life,” said Kaya Pelton-Byce, a senior at Madison Memorial High School. “I’ve been skating with these girls since I was like 7, most of them. And this year we just want to give our all because it’s our senior year,”
“It’s something special because they don’t see these girls they skate with every day at school,” said Anderson. “Because they don’t see each other all the time, it creates a different kind of a bond and you know, we are more of a family because of that,”
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The Lynx run drills at practice as they prepare for the state tournament(Tim Elliott)
The top seeded team is the Xavier co-op from the Fox Valley. According to the WIAA, that team is made up of athletes from 17 different high schools. They are 22-3-1 on the season and will take on #4 Onalaska (23-4) in the first semi-final match up. Puck drops for that one at 4 pm also at the Alliant Energy Center.
To get to the state tournament, the Lynx defeated Viroqua co-op in the sectional final, 7-2. They’re hoping to continue that success in the state tournament.
“We’re an aggressive team and I think we compete hard. We are hard workers, we don’t give it up,” added Mirwald. “We are just going to give it 100% and see what happens, see where it takes us,”
The winners of the two semi-final games on Thursday will play for a state championship title on Saturday at 12:10 pm again at the AEC.
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