Local Stars Shine as Beaver Dam Claims Badger Crown, Stuns Arrowhead Late

The Beaver Dam Golden Beavers girls hockey co-op staged a late rally to defeat Arrowhead 4–3, capped by Brenna Rhodes’ game-winning goal with just 22 seconds remaining in regulation, Thursday, Feb.12, in Beaver Dam.

After trailing 1–0 at the first intermission, Beaver Dam responded with two second-period goals and two more in the third to complete the comeback. Arrowhead struck first at 11:18 of the opening period, then extended its lead to 2–0 early in the second on a power-play goal.

The Golden Beavers answered midway through the second when Macy Damon converted on the power play off assists from Emersen Damon and Rhodes. Rhodes then evened the score at 2–2 later in the period.

Arrowhead regained the lead early in the third, but Addie Smedema tied it at 3–3 at 5:47, assisted by Rhodes and Audrey Lont. With time winding down, Rhodes netted her second goal of the night at 16:38, again assisted by Emersen Damon, to secure the dramatic win.

Emersen Damon finished with three assists, while Rhodes recorded a four-point night with two goals and two assists.

Mayville sophomore Arianna Wallace was strong in net, stopping 23 of 26 shots. Arrowhead held a slight 26–24 edge in shots and converted once on the power play (1-for-1), while Beaver Dam went 1-for-4 with the advantage. Wallace made key stops during third-period pressure to keep the game within reach before the late winner.

Mayville junior Lilian Mansueto helped drive puck movement and offensive zone possession during Beaver Dam’s rally, while Horicon sophomore Lena Rueckert anchored a defensive unit that limited second-chance opportunities and helped kill penalties in a physical contest that featured 18 total penalty minutes.

Arrowhead received two goals from Elizabeth Robinson and one from Rylie Nissen in the loss.

Beaver Dam outscored the Warhawks 4–2 over the final two periods, showing resilience and late-game poise to secure the one-goal victory, bringing the team to 17-6-1 on the season.

Golden Beavers Edge Janesville 3–2, Claim Outright Badger Title

The Beaver Dam Golden Beavers girls hockey co-op secured the outright Badger Conference championship Tuesday night with a hard-fought 3–2 win over Janesville at the Beaver Dam Ice Arena.

Beaver Dam built its offense on balanced scoring, getting goals from Brenna Rhodes, Emersen Damon, and Addisyn Mueller. Rhodes opened the scoring, while Damon and Mueller added key tallies to help the Golden Beavers maintain control in a tight contest.

Olivia Bates fueled the attack with two assists, while Emersen Damon added two assists to her goal for a three-point night. Macy Damon and Rhodes also contributed assists as Beaver Dam generated steady pressure, forcing Janesville goaltender DeMarrasse to make 39 saves.

Janesville stayed within striking distance on goals by Kligora and Murphy, but Beaver Dam netminder Dot Baker turned aside 13 shots to preserve the victory down the stretch.

With the win, the Golden Beavers capture the conference crown outright, adding another milestone to an already strong season heading toward postseason play.