Coming into Sunday night’s Arizona High School Hockey Association D3 championship game, the Tucson Junior Roadrunners were riding a 22-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents in the regular season and playoffs by a score of 135-32.
They came up short 3-2 against Pinnacle in the AHSHA D3 championship at Mullett Arena at Arizona State.
Tucson fell behind early in the first period when Pinnacle forward Tyler Smith scored a power-play goal 2:02 into the game on an assist by Thomas Wright.
With 3:20 left in the second period, Pinnacle scored again on a goal by Riggs Butler, assisted by Greysen Amoroso.
Tucson rallied late in the first period when Lucas Planer of CDO, a D1 commit to Paul Smith’s (N.Y.) College, scored with 1:08 left, assisted by Nathaniel Friesen (Rincon/UHS).
In the second period, Tucson was held scoreless.
Pinnacle managed to net one goal when Wright scored with 9:35 left in the period.
Tucson goalie London Simpson (Marana) faced 29 shots through two periods.
In the third period, Tucson got within one goal again when Cedric Reeves-Tate (Ironwood Ridge) scored at 9:22 left on an assist from Phoenix Meadowcroft (Catalina Foothills).
Tucson outshot Pinnacle 15-6 in the third period but was unable to tie the game.
Pinnacle is a powerhouse hockey program in Phoenix, winning the Division 1, 2 and 3 state championships this year.
Tucson’s leaders this season:
Nathaniel Friesen — 25 goals, 20 assists
Cavin Ryder (CDO) — 21 goals , 17 asssits
Lucas Planer — 18 goals, 14 assists
Matthew Weber (Ironwood Ridge) — 10 goals, 15 assists
Phoenix Meadowcroft — 10 goals, 9 assists
Goaltenders
London Simpson, 8-0, .918 save percentage
Logan Mertes (Ironwood Ridge), 12-0, .819 save percentage
John Mertes is a local high school softball umpire whose sons have come through the Tucson Junior Roadrunners club program. He is a Catalina High School graduate who once was a stringer for the Tucson Citizen.
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