The Elkhorn Antlers Club hockey team won the Nebraska State High School Hockey Championship on Monday March 2nd. The team is coached by Jeff Filleman and Scott Miller and is made up of primarily students from Elkhorn High and Elkhorn South High.

Elkhorn survived the double-elimination tournament by coming through the winner’s bracket to play a formidable foe in Creighton Prep. Prep was the number 2 seed at the start of the tournament and Elkhorn hockey was the number 3 seed.

Elkhorn defeated the number one seed, Millard West, in the semi-finals of the winner’s bracket on the strength of senior goalie Grant Woosley's performance as he stopped almost all of Millard West's 50+ shots. Millard West controlled the pace of the game but Elkhorn was able to take advantage of their opportunities by going on to score five goals beginning with a quick shot by Jason Eickoff from of a faceoff win in the Millard West zone and the scoring was finished off with an empty-netter by Jack Smiley to win that game 5 to 2 and advance to the championship round.

Prep bumped off Millard West in the loser's bracket semifinal to get to the championship round as well. 

In the championship round, Prep won the first game against Elkhorn on Sunday March 1st 5 to 0. However, Antler hockey dug down deep and again led by senior goalie Grant Woosley's stellar performance in goal came back on Monday to win the game and the championship.

In the final game, Prep started the scoring going up 1 to 0 but Elkhorn hockey scored three unanswered goals to take a 3 to 1 lead. Elkhorn scoring was led off by Seth Wetzel just about 3 minutes after Prep’s goal to finish the first period tied at 1. It didn’t take long for Antler hockey to get going in the second period as Peyton Sublett potted a short-handed goal early in the second period. About four minutes later, Elkhorn scored its third straight goal and what turned out to be the game-winner was netted by defenceman Tyler Kloster with the helper coming from team captain Mason Foley.

Elkhorn took a 3-1 lead into the third period but Prep managed to net a goal just barely two minutes into the third period to make it 3-2 to keep the fans on edge. From that point on, Elkhorn shut the door and did a good job controlling the pace of the game the rest of the way to net the championship. 

In the front row from left to right:

Seth Wetzel, Ayden Wetzel, Jack Smiley, Grant Woosley, Peyton Sublett, Parker Wetzel, Quin English

Back Row left to right:

Coach Jeff Filleman, Aidan Berkman, Jason Eickoff, Ryan Osborn, Tyler Kloster, Tony Donahoe, Jonathan Corey, Jaxson Kempenar, Will Reef, Asst Coach Scott Miller

Not pictured was team captain Mason Foley