The overall record was 10-15 with an opening round loss to Northern Lakes 3-1 up in Breezy Point. With the 10 wins, it is the second-best record in team history dating back to 1998. This season’s 10 wins just behind the 13 wins in the 2013-2014 season which was coach Friedrichs first year with the program.
The 2017-2018 Eagles consisted of 16 players. Seniors Aubrey Hartfiel, Weston Schug, Alec Doran, Max Nelson and Logan Beckstrom. Juniors Corbin Kollar, Tyler Ruppelius, Zachary Piehl and AJ Buntrock. Underclassmen Austin Rydberg, Jacob Bahe, Tucker Rhodes, Luke Mehelich, Jaden Keo, Nate Kerzman and Caden Weber. Ten of the 14 skaters reached double digits in scoring which tied for the most in team history.
The 2013-2014 team had 36 players and 17 seniors on the team.
This year the Eagles had an average of 4.5 goals per game. A total of 107 goals were scored which was the second most in team history, 114 goals were scored in 2013-2014.
Schug and Hartfiel were the first Eagles players to score 50 or more points in a single season. Fifty-two points from Hartfiel set a team record for most points in one season.
Some other individual accomplishments included Schug finishing his career with 77 goals and 43 assists. 77 goals put him first all-time in Eagles history, 43 assists is 2nd all-time, and 120 points are 1st all-time.
Hartfiel finished his career with 94 points. Fifty-nine assists are first all-time in Eagles history, and 94 points are third all-time. Doran is first all-time scoring for a defenseman in Eagles history with 11 goals and 40 assists, that is 10th all-time.
The Eagles had six players on the Two Rivers Conference All-Academic Team (GPA 3.5 or above). The players are Schug, Buntrock, Mehelich, Nelson, Ruppelius and Weber. 13 players had a GPA of 3.0 or better. Schug was the Scholar-Athlete of the year with a 3.91 GPA.
The players voted on three awards for the team: MVP - Schug (second year in a row), Most Improved - Rydberg, and Best Sportsmanship - Kollar.
Team captains were seniors Schug, Doran and Hartfiel. Team managers were Emily Hartfiel, Madison Blom, Ashley Miller and Sam White.
Coach Friedrichs asked the parents to help in getting their kids off of electronics and spending some time doing weight training, shooting pucks, stick handling and rollerblading.
“The team is progressing each year after a record-setting year of 13 wins my first season as coach,” said Friedrichs. He also noted that each of the last four years they have increased their win total from four to five to seven and finally getting back to double digits this year with 10 wins.
The previous four years it has been tough running only a varsity team. Next year they will field two teams.
“With a JV team you will see a better product on the ice. Players will have to compete for varsity time which will make each player better and ultimately will make the team better,” said coach Friedrichs.
In closing, Friedrichs thanked the boys for everything and said "Remember to do the right thing when nobody's looking. If you think its wrong then its wrong. Do the right thing all the time."
“For the program to grow we need the two towns of Becker and Big Lake to come together and build a rink,” Friedrichs said. “Once the rink is built the program will triple in participants just like Monticello did when they built their rink.”
The land has been purchased east of town near the Friendly Buffalo in Big Lake, but funds are needed to build the facility.
