Season Recap: Wausau West Hockey

2025-26 Overall Record: 24-2. Wisconsin Valley Conference: 9-1 (Tie for 1st)

During the current sports era, especially in the pros and college leagues, there are too many that have the mindset of "ringz or bust" when judging the success of a season. I find that way too simplistic, especially at the high school level. Unlike last season, the Wausau West hockey team didn't earn a trip to the state tournnament. Despite that, to call this season anything but successful would be inaccurate and unfair. A share of the WVC championship. Undefeated and untied in 15 games against non-WVC competition that is always among the most challenging in the state. A smooth transition from a very successful head coach to another.

Top question going into the season: How would West, coming off last season's sectional championship and trip to the state semifinals, adjust to the change in head coach from B.J. Brandt to longtime assistant Travis Brown? The answer would be amazingly well. Brown had been around the program for many years as a player and assistant coach but that doesn't always translate to a smooth transition to the head job. Especially to a program with the expectations the Warriors had this season. Brown was able to use his previous experiences and, at the same time, make the job his own. Easier said than done but executed in outstanding fashion.

Top performer/performers: The top forward line of center Cooper DePuydt with wings Chase Crass and Owen Pergolski. Those three players were able to put up offensive numbers not seen in years at West. DePuydt scored 41 goals while adding 43 assists this season and finishes his Wausau West career with school records in goals with 89 and points with 208 plus the school record with 119 assists. Fellow senior Crass lit the lamp 26 times this season while adding 38 assists for 64 points while the junior Pergolski added 24 goals, 30 assists and 54 points. Junior goaltender Julian Scalcucci was outstanding in net with a 22-2 record, 1.91 GAA and .935 save percentage. The combination of offense and defense explains the 24-2 record this season for the Warriors.

Best win: 4-2 vs. SPASH on February 2nd at Marathon Park. West had not beaten SPASH in four years and lost the first meeting 6-0 on December 23rd at the Willett Arena. West needed a win to keep their conference championship hopes alive and got the job done in emphatic fashion. Heading into the 3rd period tied at 1, West dominated the final 17 minutes with a 16-6 edge in shots and earned the win. Unfortunately for the Warriors, they were unable to maintain that level of play in the final regular season games (despite winning the final three to earn the share of the conference title) and in the playoffs.

Most significant loss: 4-1 vs. SPASH in sectional semifinal on February 24th at Marathon Park. When you lose only two games all season long the choices are few. After splitting the two regular season meetings, the Warriors perfect 22-0 mark in games outside of the games against the Panthers gave the Warriors the home ice advantage in the playoffs. West came out in the first period playing like they did in the third period of the win three weeks earlier taking a 1-0 lead midway through the period on a Chase Crass goal. However, the tide of the game changed late in the first period when SPASH tied the game. The 2nd period was all SPASH with a shorthanded goal, an even strength goal and a power play goal that gave the Panthers a 4-1 lead that West couldn't threaten. It was a game where the fine margins went against West and SPASH would use the win to eventually launch to a trip to the state tournament.

Outlook for 2026-27: Lots of questions that will need to be answered to keep the Warriors at the top of the conversation in the state and Wisconsin Valley Conference. 8 of the top 9 scorers for the Warriors this season were seniors (Along with DePuydt and Crass other top scoring senior forwards were Hendrix Damrow, Xander DeByle and Tyler Wendell). Lots, I mean lots, of production will have to be replaced. Three top defensemen (Shea Jones, Teigan Rasmus and Joe Graveen), who were also among the top 9 scorers, all graduate. Top juniors include Owen Pergolski and Julian Scalcucci but hockey is different than other sports where they may have other opportunities to decide on before last season. The Warriors could potentially not have any returners who scored more than two goals this season. That said, this wouldn't be the first time that the Warriors have had to replace some talented performers but will need some of the players that served as support to this year's seniors step up significantly for West to again contend at the top of the WVC.