Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
A midweek clash in Sault Ste. Marie Girls High School Hockey League action took centre stage on Wednesday, December 10th at the Rankin Arena as the first-place Superior Heights Steelhawks (3-0) squared off against the fourth-place St. Mary’s Knights (0-3). The Steelhawks entered the night unbeaten, and by the final buzzer, they extended that streak with a strong offensive showing from start to finish.
The game opened with plenty of scoring. Superior Heights struck first at 9:47 when Alexe Villebrun netted her 9th of the season, assisted by Zara Zavoral and Grace Curran. The Knights answered shortly after, at 6:23, as Ashlyn Kobzick continued her impressive season by burying her 4th goal, set up by Dana Fitzsimmons and Jasmine Wilson.
The Steelhawks regained the lead at 3:05 when Zara Zavoral scored her 2nd of the year, assisted by Olivia Anthony. Just moments later at 2:17, Villebrun added another—her 10th of the season—with helpers credited to Sophie Marcellus and Curran. St. Mary’s cut the deficit before the break when Kobzick struck again, scoring her 5th, unassisted at the 30-second mark to make it a busy 4–2 period.
Superior Heights took full control in the middle frame, exploding for five unanswered before the Knights could respond. Grace Curran opened the scoring at 14:53 with an unassisted tally—her 3rd of the campaign—before Alana Johnstone added her 3rd less than a minute later, also unassisted.
The Steelhawks kept rolling as Chloe Austin scored her 1st goal of the season at 12:23. The Knights briefly slowed the momentum when Kobzick completed her hat trick at 11:17, scoring her 6th of the year unassisted.
But Superior Heights quickly regained the rhythm. Curran struck again at 10:47—her 4th—with help from Zavoral, and Ava Mount made it even tougher for the Knights with her 5th goal, unassisted at 10:24.
The Steelhawks added to their lead early in the third when Kyle Hemsworth scored her first of the season at 11:22, assisted by Calista Hodkinson. Just minutes later at 7:16, Curran completed a standout performance by recording her 5th of the game, with assists going to Olivia Anthony and Zara Zavoral.
Kobzick once again responded for St. Mary’s at 6:22, scoring her 7th of the season and fourth of the night, unassisted, but the Steelhawks closed the scoring at 4:04 when Villebrun completed her own hat trick—her 11th of the season—on a play set up by Zavoral and Curran.
Maika Steinburg handled the crease for the Steelhawks, while the Knights split their goaltending duties between Alex Lepore and Natalia McDonald.
League action continues Friday, December 12th as the St. Mary’s Knights travel to Thessalon to face the CASS Huskies at 7:30 p.m. The Superior Heights Steelhawks return to the ice on Wednesday, December 17th, meeting the Korah Colts at the Rankin Arena with puck drop scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
