Spartans Primed for State Championship Run

State runners-up in 2022-23 season

SUPERIOR, Wis.- Last season, the Superior girls’ hockey team reached the state championship, only to fall 3-0. This season, they’ve won 13 of their first 14 games. With 10 games to go in the regular season, these Spartans are ringing in the New Year with a winning attitude.

“We’re off to a good start, I like the way our team is progressing,” says Doug Trentor, the head coach of the Superior girls’ hockey team.

“I think we have a lot of depth, a lot more depth than any years before,” commented Autumn Cooper, who scored a team-leading 31 goals in the 2022-23 regular season. “We can play three full lines and consistently keep them going and we can rely on them each period to score some goals.”

Just about everything has gone right for the Spartans this season. Their good fortune began in the offseason when Trentor was named both the Wisconsin and national girls hockey coach of the year. “I was overwhelmed, and you just never anticipate something like that, but the recognition from other coaches across the state, I couldn’t be more thankful, it was quite the honor.”

When he’s not behind the bench, Coach Trentor is a school psychologist, providing him with skills he can use as a coach. “Well, I think it helps me with me.” says Trentor, who led the Spartans to their first state tournament in 17 years. “You know, when things are down and not going the way we want (them) to, I think I can take my training and my practice and apply it to myself, and therefore, that makes me a better coach for the girls.”

On the ice, Superior’s forward duo of Autumn Cooper and Makaela Reinke has provided the Spartans with 47 goals through 14 games. “We have a really good relationship on the ice,” says Reinke, who scored 30 goals in last year’s regular season as a sophomore. “I kind of know where (Autumn) always is going to be at, and she knows where I’m going to be at, so it makes it really easy because we’re both fast players. We kind of just can kind of rush the puck and it’s just like kind of perfect.”

“She’s been playing really well, and it’s been nice to be able to be on a line with her and be able to get some things going this season.” says Cooper, who will be playing for Bemidji State following her high school graduation later this year.

In front of the net, Kaylie Nault has proven to be one of the best goalies in Wisconsin over the last two seasons. “I was handed the pads when I was probably six, and I just loved it ever since.” smiled Nault, who’s sporting a .916 save percentage this season.

“What separates her from many other goalies is one, is she’s super humble, but she also doesn’t get rattled,” says Trentor. “Kaylie can have a down game, and you couldn’t really tell, she’s going to give you everything she’s got until the final buzzer sounds.”

“I think Kaylie just brings a whole extra line of defense that we can rely on back there in the net,” says Cooper. “She’s been playing great so far this year, so I’m really excited to see her continue.”

The Spartans have some giant goals for themselves in the postseason, but they understand what it will take to complete their checklist. “A lot of hard work,” says Reinke. “I think that’s going to be the main thing is just making sure we come in every day and work really hard because that’s the only way, really.”

“One game at a time, one practice at a time,” commented Trentor. “We know we’ve got to get better, game in and game out, and we’ve got a tough section to come out, and whoever comes out of our section is going to have a very good chance at the state tournament in Madison.”

Superior returns to the ice on Friday at Hibbing Memorial Arena to take on Hibbing/Chisholm. The following day, the Spartans return to the Superior Ice Arena to face the Eau Claire Area Stars.