Banner season on the ice

Banner season on the ice Marolt named league MVP; Myers coach of year as Ely claims crown

It was indeed a banner year for Ely’s high school hockey program.

Right down to including a banner. A conference championship banner will hang from the Ely Arena rafters next winter, after the Timberwolves claimed a share of the championship of the fledgling Two Rivers Conference this winter.

Ely and Mora tied for the title in the six-team circuit, which includes a slew of schools that formerly played as independents.

In addition to the league title, the Wolves swept the Two Rivers individual honors, with senior forward Drew Marolt being named the league’s most valuable player and head coach Jake Myers named coach of the year.

Marolt was also one of six Ely players named to the All-Two Rivers Conference team, and two other Wolves gained honorable mention.

The recognition comes on the heels of a season in which the Wolves racked up 14 regular season wins, the most for the program in a single year since 2000-2001.

Ely, which finished 14-12, was also seeded directly into the Section 7A quarterfinals for the first time in program history.

Marolt garnered MVP honors after collecting 41 points, a team-high, in 2023-24.

The first-line forward led the Wolves with 27 goals including several multiple-goal games, and earlier this winter he passed the 100-point mark for his career.

Myers, meanwhile, gained coach of the year honors in his third year at the helm.

The Wolves went from eight wins last season to 14 this year, and the total included three straight one-goal victories and a first-place finish in the inaugural Ely Holiday Classic, and a regular season sweep of section rival International Falls.

Five other Wolves joined Marolt on the all-conference team including senior Deegan Richards, who also eclipsed the 100-point mark for his career.

Richards was second on the team in total points with 34, recording 16 goals to go with 18 assists.

Junior goaltender Ben Leeson also won all conference honors, starting nearly all of the team’s games in goal and getting all 14 wins.

The first-year starter gave up 3.45 goals per contest and had a save percentage of .901.

Also earning all-conference recognition was senior defenseman Wes Sandy (two goals, six assists, eight points), freshman forward Owen Marolt (6-6, 12), and junior forward Jace Huntbatch (2-6, 8).

Earning honorable mention were two Wolves - junior forward Garrett Rohr (8-4, 12) and sophomore defenseman Jayden Zemke (6-5, 11).

The Two Rivers Conference includes Ely, Mora, Moose Lake Area, Ashland, WI, Burnett Blizzard, WI and Spooner, WI.