TRAVERSE CITY -- Who doesn't root for the little guy?
The Northwest Warriors -- outmatched against powerful Traverse City Central but still doing everything they could to make it a game -- were mercied 8-0 to close out the program's inaugural season.
And after the game, a little guy approached Warriors coach Charlie O'Hearn to say he wants to play for them ... in two years.
Kingsley seventh grader Chase Joppich, a Pee Wee AA center, told O'Hearn he was looking forward to wearing a Warriors sweater.
"These guys laid the foundation for guys like you," O'Hearn said, pointing toward the Northwest locker room, "and hopefully you'll build on the foundation for more players down the road."
Max Schrank, Alex Goodhue and Chad McLintock scored two goals each and Jared VanWormer had four points for the Trojans (17-7-1).
Central outshot the seven-school co-op 31-0 in the first period and ended with a 52-1 advantage. Hunter Kelly had the shutout for the Trojans.
Dane Macdonell and VanWormer also scored goals for Central, which led 5-0 after one period and had a running clock for the last 1:49 of the second.
"A lot of people said we wouldn't even make it to the second period without a running clock," said Tighearnan Lord -- one of just two seniors on the Warriors team, along with his brother Drac.
The Warriors (2-21) conclude an inaugural season that got out to a rocky start.
"We started out with very few players and no goalie for our first two practices," said Tighearnan Lord, who attends Traverse City Prep. "But it was a great season."
Center Connor Lehn was poised to move and play in net before Ryan and Drew Black convinced the French foreign-exchange student living with them to come play goalie. Lucian Blaser had never played hockey before, but was the Warriors' opening-night starter in the crease and ended up earning both of the team's wins.
"I really can't ask for much more for our first season," O'Hearn said. "They've all worked hard for us all year. They played a top team and a great team in the Trojans, but I'm proud how my boys kept battling until the horn."
Tyler Jensen made 36 saves and Blaser eight, with both making some big saves as they were peppered.
"They were forcing us to earn our goals through the whole second period," Central coach Chris Givens said. "Both their goaltenders made some nice saves."
"They both stepped up and played their best games of the year," O'Hearn said.
The Warriors saw their ranks swell from 10 at the start of the season to 15 against Central, and hope to continue that trend.
"It's going to be a program that will stick around," Lord said. "There's a lot of young kids wanting to play for this team."
TC Central moves on to advance Negaunee (7-16-2) on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at St. Ignace's Little Bear East rink.
"I don't know that I'd put a lot of stock into their record because I know they play a real tough schedule," Givens said.
Luckily, the early start time coincides with a half day for Central due to exams.
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