This is an archive of the 2010-'11 Escanaba Eskymo Hockey Season.
To see information on the current 2011-12 Eskymo season, 
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Elliott Fired As Esky Hockey Coach   Charlie Elliott diagrams a play during a time out during a game last season. Elliott was fired on Friday after two years on the job. 'Shocked' At Dismissal ESCANABA---The Charlie Elliott era has ended after just two seasons. The Escanaba Schools decided to fire Elliott on Friday, after the team won 31 of the 52 games they played under his tenure. Escanaba School Superintendent Michele LeMire announced the firing in a brief statement that did not offer a reason for the move. "Every year, the Athletic Director and High School Principal evaluate all of the athletic programs at Escanaba High School," LeMire wrote. "After careful consideration of the hockey program over the past two years, it has been determined that a new direction is needed." LeMire did not explain what was wrong with the current direction of the program, and Escanaba Athletic Director Dave Wilson had no comment. "While Charles Elliott's efforts are appreciated, his contract will not be renewed," LeMire wrote. "He is no longer the coach for the Escanaba High School hockey team." Elliott says the news was a complete surprise. "Three weeks ago, Dave Wilson told me that I was here to stay," Elliott said. "Then, Thursday, when I went to the meeting, it was completely different. I was asked to resign, but I will not. I asked what had changed, and why this was happening, and I did not get an answer." (You can listen to an exerpt of Elliott's interview by clicking the 'ELLIOTT FIRED' button on the left side of this page) Elliott calls it a "sad day for Eskymo Hockey" because he said the program is on the upswing. After having just five winning seasons in more than two decades, the team had a school-record 20-6-1 campaign in 2009-10 and reached the regional final. The team was 11-14-0 last season, but with a strong nucleus back for '11-12, the future is bright. Elliott's tough coaching style has not been appreaciated by some in the Escanaba community, especially the parents of some of the players on this year's team. And he thinks that they led to his dismissal. "I was not given a reason (for his dismissal), other than they were taking the program in a new direction," Elliott said. "There were no violations, no facts (of wrongdoing). Just a lot of things being said by people." Elliott says that his entire coaching staff (Andy Johnson, Bryce Groleau, Matt Hughes) resigned when they learned of the district's decision. Elliott says he has worked behind the scenes to help some of the Eskymo players get picked for certain off-season camps. And he says he has the team's schedule for 2011-12 set, with teams like Chelsea, Davison, and Utica Eisenhower all coming to Escanaba for the first time. "This is painful because myself, and my coaching staff, we all put our heart and soul into the program," Elliott said. The Escanaba Schools have not announced how it plans to replace him.

Awards Banquet Closes '10-11 Season                       The Escanaba Eskymos players pose with their hardware. From left: Jake Eastin, Cody Cousineau, Josh Miller, Ryan LaMarch, John LeMire, and Jared Dagenais. Left photo: Team MVP Dagenais addresses the audience.  ESCANABA---"Regardless of the record, Escanaba Eskymo Hockey is better now than it was one year ago. Escanaba Hockey is on the map." That was the assessment of Eskymo Coach Charlie Elliott as he addressed his team and a group of hockey supporters at the team's season-ending banquet Wednesday night at the House of Ludington. Despite an 11-13-0 record that was down from the 20-6-1 record a year ago, Elliott ticked off a list of successes this year's team accomplished against a backdrop of injuries and long-term player illnesses. Amongst the highlights: A first-ever win at the MIHL Hockey Showcase. Another upset of highly-ranked Sault Ste. Marie on the road. Wins over regional finalists Hancock and Bay City Central. And competing for the first time against a private school (Dearborn Divine Child). "This program did not take a step backwards," Elliott insisted. "The future is bright. If these young men will stick with the program and make the committment to work hard throughout the summer, they will be better for it and they will continue to see improved success." Elliott poses with senior Joe Williams, who was the manager for two seasons. >>> Senior Jared Dagenais was named the team's Most Valuable Player. "He always works hard, and always gives a 110-percent effort," Elliott said. "Jared is a guy who, when he's not in the line-up, you notice. And when he's in the line-up, you notice. He is our MVP." Junior Cody Cousineau won the team's Academic Award for the second straight year, and fellow junior John LeMire won the "Little I" Award, which is given every year to a player who exemplifies "team".                 Coach Charlie Elliott (left) and Assistant Andy Johnson (right) pose with Team MVP Jared Dagenais. Right photo: Jake Eastin gets the "Player of Tomorrow" Award.                 Left photo: Junior Ryan LaMarch gets the "Mikey D" Character Award, named after Eskymo Hockey Booster Mike Dagenais (left). Right photo: Senior Josh Miller gets the "2011 Hobey Baker Senior Character Award", posing with Coach Elliott.                 Left photo: Eskymo junior Cody Cousineau wins the Academic Award for the second straight year. Right photo: Junior John LeMire wins the "Little I" award.

WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!                     Marquette goaltender Mike McAuliffe sprawls out after making a save on Jake Eastin (6), who goes to get the puck in the corner. Marquette's John Parent (5) plays defense as Escanaba's Jared Dagenais (10) joins the play. Left photo: Eastin has another offensive chance, and McAuliffe sprawls out again, as Hayden Rajala (3) comes back to help. (Lisa Dagenais photos) Eskymos Battle Hard, But Fall To Talented Redmen MARQUETTE---In their hearts, every Escanaba Eskymo hockey player believed that they could somehow shock the world and beat the Marquette Redmen in Tuesday night's regional playoff game. In their brains, though, they guys knew that it probably wouldn't happen. Too bad the brain was right. The Eskymos battled hard but just didn't have the talent or skill level to keep up, and the Redmen cruised to a 5-0 win that put the cap on the 2010-11 Escanaba hockey season. "I think we've got a pretty classy bunch of kids in that room and I'm proud of every one of them," an emotional Eskymo Coach Charlie Elliott said. "It's a tough pill to swallow. But Marquette deserves everything that they got. I think they have a good chance to go a long way in this playoff run, and I wish them the best of luck." Brett Love and Cody Nordquist each scored twice, and Kyle Carriere scored a highlight-reel goal as Marquette continued its playoff dominance of the Eskymos. Redman goaltender Mike McAuliffe wasn't tested much early, but he stood tall when Escanaba made its last stand in the third period, making seven saves...four of them from in close. "The game plan that we set out (neutral zone trap), I think we were running it very effectively," Elliott said. "But they banged a few in on us. Of all things, a bad line change got us, something uncharacteristic of this team. But Marquette is a powerhouse, very difficult to play against." Nordquist got the scoring started just over four minutes into the game as he went in on a breakaway, deked goalie Austin Young, and scored on his backhand. Battle on the boards: Ryan Meintz (21), Ryan LaMarch (17) and Justyn Doucette (22) vs Austin Riipi (21) and Brian Reckker (14). >>> Just over two minutes later, Love scored his first goal to make it 2-0. Love got his second goal early in the second period, then Nordquist ripped a top-shelf goal through a screen 33 seconds later. That made it 4-0, and the Redmen closed the scoring as Easton Viitala raced into the Eskymo zone on a 2-on-1 break. He ripped a shot that Young saved, but the rebound came to Carriere, who poked it into the net as he slid into the end boards. 5-0. Game, set, match. There was still more than seven minutes left in the second period at that point, and the game would have ended on the mercy rule had the Eskymos folded. But to their credit, the kids kept battling to the bitter end, and even played the Redmen to a draw over the final 22 minutes. Escanaba had several big scoring chances in the third period. On one play, Josh Miller found Devin Barton cutting to the net, but McAuliffe stopped Barton's backhander. McAuliffe also poke-checked Jake Eastin as the sophomore was in close on the Marquette goaltender. Elliott had praise for the Redmen players, some of whom he coached when he used to live in Marquette. "They're good young men," he said. "They work hard and they deserve what they're getting here." <<< Marquette's Kyle Carriere (7) has the puck as Bryce Wolf (11) tries to take it away. (Lisa Dagenais photo) The last time the teams met, the game was marred by an ugly brawl that saw six kids ejected from the contest. But there was none of that on this night. It was a clean, well-played hockey game. Escanaba was not called for a single penalty, and Marquette was called for just three, and one of those was a bench minor for having too many men on the ice. The bottom line is the Eskymos, with only three seniors and a bunch of freshmen and sophomores in the lineup, could not match what the experienced and skilled Marquette players brought to the table. "I'm proud of our seniors," Elliott said. "I think Jared Dagenais ended the season with a lot of class. Josh Miller, too. Our best players were our best players. We fought through a lot of things. It just wasn't our year." Eskymo seniors Jared Dagenais (10) and Justyn Doucette (22) walk off the ice for the final time after Tuesday night's playoff game. >>> But the fact that they kept skating, even in the final seconds of the game down by five goals, shows the Eskymos do have heart. Now, in the off-season, it's time to get better, so next year, they can compete with the likes of the Marquette Redmen. "We came up a little short this year, but look at all the adversity that we fought through from Day One," Elliott said. "If our kids can stick with the program and work hard in the off-season, pay attention to the details, our chances for success next year are greater than they were this year. I think this team can go a lot deeper in the playoffs next year." WATCH ESKYMOS-REDMEN VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS CLICK HERE  to see Kyle Carriere score a goal for Marquette. CLICK HERE  to see Marquette's Mike McAuliffe stop two Eskymo chances. CLICK HERE  to see Devin Barton get robbed of a goal by Mike McAuliffe. CLICK HERE  to watch Eskymo Austin Young make two tough saves. CLICK HERE  to watch Austin Young make a sweet glove save. (Our thanks to Mike Dagenais for his video work all season long!)                   Marquette's Cody Nordquist breaks in on Eskymo goaltender Austin Young during Tuesday's game. Below photo: Young looks behind him as Aaron Leach (6) tries to jam the puck into the net during a scramble. (Lisa Dagenais photos)                   Game 25---Marquette 5, Escanaba 0 ESCANABA H       0     0     0----0 MARQUETTE       2     3     0----5 First Period MQT 1-0: Nordquist 14 (Carriere) 4:18 MQT 2-0: Love 22 (Wickstrom, Leach) 6:36 Second Period MQT 3-0: Love 23 (Leach, Smith) 3:53 MQT 4-0: Nordquist 15 (Viitala, Carriere) 4:26 MQT 5-0: Carriere 11 (Viitala, Nordquist) 8:03 Third Period No Scoring Shots on Goal: ESC 3-5-7=15; MQT 11-14-10=35. Goalie saves: ESC Young 30/35; MQT McAuliffe 15/15. Penalties/Minutes: ESC 0/0; MQT 3/6. Power Plays: ESC 0/3; MQT 0/0. Three stars: 1. Carriere, MQT; 2. Nordquist, MQT; 3. Wickstrom, MQT. Penalty Summary MQT Bench, 2, too many men. MQT Nordquist, 2, tripping. MQT Cook, 2, boarding.

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2010-2011 Eskymo Hockey Schedule

Date	Result	Opponent	Record
Nov 30 Dec 3 Dec 4 Dec 7 Dec 10 Dec 17 Dec 18 Dec 22 Dec 27 Dec 28 Jan 14 Jan 15 Jan 21 Jan 25 Jan 27 Feb 1 Feb 4 Feb 5 Feb 10 Feb 11 Feb 12 Feb 18 Feb 19 Feb 24 Mar 1	L, 1-5 L, 1-9 W, 4-1 W, 4-0 L, 2-4 L, 3-4 W, 5-1 W, 2-1 W, 2-0 W, 6-0 L, 0-1 L, 4-9 L, 2-5 L, 4-9 L, 0-7 W, 3-0 W, 8-0 W, 3-2 L, 2-6 W, 5-3 L, 1-2 L, 1-6 W, 4-2 L, 2-9 L, 0-5	at Marquette Pinckney (@Trav City) Bay City Central (@Trav City) NEGAUNEE SAULT STE. MARIE BAY PORT, WIS. NEGAUNEE at Sault Ste. Marie PAINESDALE-JEFFERS L'ANSE Canton (@Soo) Dearborn Divine Child (@Soo) at Calumet at Kingsford MARQUETTE at Negaunee ALPENA ALPENA Utica Eisenhower (@Chelsea) Allen Park (@Trenton) Southgate (@Trenton) CALUMET HANCOCK KINGSFORD at Marquette (Regional)	0-1-0 0-2-0 1-2-0 2-2-0 2-3-0 2-4-0 3-4-0 4-4-0 5-4-0 6-4-0 6-5-0 6-6-0 6-7-0 6-8-0 6-9-0 7-9-0 8-9-0 9-9-0 9-10-0 10-10-0 10-11-0 10-12-0 11-12-0 11-13-0 11-14-0

2010-'11 ESCANABA ESKYMOS
#	POS	1ST NAME	LAST NAME	GRADE	HEIGHT	WHT
1	G	AUSTIN	YOUNG	JR	5-10	156
3	F	ANDREW	BOUDREAU	FR	5-8	191
4	F	BEN	LASECKI	SO	5-5	152
5	D	CODY	COUSINEAU	JR	5-9	162
6	F	JAKE	EASTIN	SO	5-10	140
7	F	STEVE	WOOD	FR	5-5	130
8	D	NICK	VANDERMISSEN	SO	5-10	160
10	F	JARED	DAGENAIS	SR	5-7	155
11	D	BRYCE	WOLF	JR	5-11	165
12	F	DEVIN	BARTON	JR	5-8	150
14	D	JOHN	LE MIRE	JR	5-11	150
15	F	DAN	WILLIAMS	JR	6-0	170
16	F	JOSH	MILLER	SR	5-11	173
17	F	RYAN	LA MARCH	JR	5-10	200
18	D	HUNTER	BRADFORD	JR	6-1	175
20	D	QUINTIN	MC CARTHY	FR	5-7	134
21	F	RYAN	MEINTZ	JR	5-10	145
22	F	JUSTYN	DOUCETTE	SR	5-7	150
35	G	NICK	LE MIRE	FR	5-6	122
HEAD COACH		CHARLIE	ELLIOTT
AST	COACH	ANDY MATT BRYCE	JOHNSON HUGHES GROLEAU
TEAM	MNGR	JOE	WILLIAMS

2010-2011 High School Hockey Links CLICK HERE  to see updated high school hockey schedules and scores from across the Upper Peninsula. CLICK HERE to see all of this season's high school hockey scores from across Michigan, via US High School Hockey On Line. CLICK HERE  to see the Michigan High School Hockey computer rankings, updated daily by US High School Hockey On-Line. CLICK HERE  to visit the Calumet Copper Kings Hockey Website. CLICK HERE  to visit the Canton Chiefs Hockey Website. CLICK HERE  to visit the Divine Child Falcons Hockey Website. CLICK HERE  to visit the Kingsford Flivvers Hockey Website. CLICK HERE  to visit the Marquette Redmen Hockey Website. CLICK HERE  to visit the Pinckney Pirates Hockey Website.