By Derek Holtom
The Waywayseecappo Wolverines have perhaps the best-one-two option in goal in the MJHL this season. Whether it’s Mariko Bercier or Jase Wareham, when the Wolverines enter action, they have a solid netminder with plenty of experience to draw from.
For Wareham, this will be his last year of junior hockey. And like many of his veteran teammates, he feels this is the year the Wolverines put it all together and make the playoff push fans have been longing for since their inception.
“Yeah, I think obviously it’s exciting to get back into my 20-year-old season,” said Wareham, a native of Rivers, Man. “I think we have a really good team. We’ve had a lot of injuries to start the season. We’re right around that .500 mark, but I think we can be even better.
“We have another step to take, and we’re excited to show the fans we have that other level.”
As noted Wareham is platooning with Bercier this year, and both have seen similar number of starts and are posting similar numbers, making either netminder the right choice most nights.
“I think me and Mariko are both very competitive goalies, and we’re also very good friends,” says Wareham. “It’s a friendly competition between us. We both want to push each other. At practice, we’re trying to be the best one there.
“It only makes us both better, and I think it’s good for us.”
Wayway has played a lot of games in the first half of the season against East Division opponents, leaving plenty of West Division games for them in the second half.
“Those games are obviously very important – those are divisional rivals,” he said. “They’re also super fun to play in. You get to know guys, and it’s good to have those battles out there. Those are important games and they’re fun to play in.”
Above all else, Wareham and the Wolverines want playoff success. This is a veteran team built to win now and they know it.
“This team, especially the 20-year-olds, we’re very hungry,” says Wareham. “We want to show the Wayway fans that we can get it done and go far in the playoffs and take it home.”
Last week
Kings 4, Wolverines 2
Wayway’s three-game winning streak came to an end Sunday afternoon in Dauphin as the Kings doubled the visiting Wolverines 4-2.