This story is sponsored by Forward Bank
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Conference champion Stevens Point and runner-up Wausau West each had three players selected to the first team of the 2020-21 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Hockey Team, as voted on by the six conference coaches following the season.
Stevens Point sophomore forward Kade Smigaj was named Player of the Year and was among four unanimous first-team picks that included Wausau West junior goalie Adam Prokop and sophomore defenseman Brady Cleveland, and Stevens Point junior defenseman Cael Bolton.
Wausau West sophomore forward Thomas Gerum and Wisconsin Rapids junior forward Carson Gunderson rounded out the first-team picks, which were all underclassmen.
Smigaj led the conference with 35 points, finishing with a WVC-high 17 goals and second in assists with 18.
Bolton and Gerum tied for third with 27 points as Gerum led the conference with 19 assists.
Prokop allowed just 13 goals in seven games in goal for West, which finished 8-2, two games behind undefeated champion Stevens Point.
Marshfield had four players earn honorable mention honors – senior forwards Ian Haugen and Nick Urban, junior defenseman Seth Peterson and junior forward Payton Smith.
Smith had a team-high 17 points for Marshfield, with eight goals and nine assists. Haugen led the team with 10 assists, Urban, who surpassed the 100-point mark for his career during the season, had four goals and five assists, and Peterson had three goals and four assists this season for the Tigers.
2020-21 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Hockey Team
*denotes unanimous selection
First Team
Goalie: *Adam Prokop, jr., Wausau West.
Defensemen: *Cael Bolton, jr., Stevens Point; *Brady Cleveland, so., Wausau West.
Forwards: *Kade Smigaj, so., Stevens Point; Thomas Gerum, so., Wausau West; Carson Gunderson, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Second Team
Goalie: Jonathon Nafe, jr., Stevens Point.
Defensemen: Connor Healy, sr., Wausau West; Jacob Dekarske, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Forwards: Brady Dillingham, sr., Stevens Point; Lucas Langlois, sr., Wausau West; Carsen Gause, fr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Honorable Mention
Goalie: Dakota Blasky, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Defensemen: Seth Peterson, jr., Marshfield; Mason Keller, so., Stevens Point; Dane Kubisiak, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Forwards: Kyle Jaglinski, jr., D.C. Everest; Eddie Zynda, jr., D.C. Everest; Ian Haugen, sr., Marshfield; Payton Smith, jr., Marshfield; Nick Urban, sr., Marshfield; Reid Hojan, sr., Merrill/Wausau East; Jacob Sankey, sr., Stevens Point; Lucca Weinkauf, jr., Stevens Point; Cade Gruber, jr., Wausau West.
Player of the Year: Kade Smigaj, Stevens Point.