Escanaba Hawks team poses for a photo after winning the District 8 Championship on Feb. 2, 2025 at the Calumet Colosseum. (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

CALUMET — A total of 40 goals over a five-game stretch led the Escanaba Hawks 14U Bantam hockey team to the District 8 Championship in Calumet. The Hawks defeated Tahquamenon Area Youth Hockey Association (TAYHA) 10-3 here Sunday.

The Hawks wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard as Jayce Braun found the back of the net, on the power play with assists by Oliver Hanna and Garrett Lannaville to put the Hawks up 1-0. Moments later, Braun struck again as Chase Korpi and Vincent DeSalvo-Bougie delivered assists to put the Hawks up 2-0.

“I was a little nervous and scared in the locker room before the game,” Braun said. “They had a quick penalty that I was able to capitalize on then came back and got another one at full strength and I think that really swung the momentum our way.”

With 7:55 to go in the first period, TAYHA’s had Trentyn Zellar was sent to the box for too many players on the ice putting the Hawks back on the power play. DeSalvo-Bougie made a nice move past a TAYHA defender and scored the power play goal off assists from Jaeger Gartland and Henry Sholten to extend the Hawks lead to 3-0.

The Hawks continued to pile it on as Braun pushed the puck across to Lanaville who found the back of the net extending the Hawks lead to 4-0.

“That’s how you play good team hockey,” Lanaville said. “Jayce made a great pass and I was in the right spot to put it in.”

With 8:25 to go in the second stanza, Braun capped off the hat trick off assists by Korpi and Cooper Niedbala to give the Hawks a commanding 5-0 lead.

With 3:35 to go in the second, Oren DeWitt broke up the shutout for TAYHA as he found the back of the net off a pair of assists by Tanner Plesscher and Gavin Maki to cut the deficit to 5-1.

The Hawks found the back of the net again only eight seconds into the third frame as Korpi scored off assists by Sholten and DeSalvo Bougie. Moments later after a TAYHA penalty, Sholten got one past the goalie for the power play goal and the Hawks extended the lead to 7-1.

TAYHA added a pair of goals but Escanaba added three goals of their own as they ran away with the title.

“We played a tough game in our first game against them,” Hawks coach Trevor Sholten said. “We weren’t 100 percent in that game. Jaxsyn had a great game that game but we knew we had more in the tank.”

The Hawks advanced to the championship game defeating Dickinson Amateur Hockey Association 9-0. Henry Sholten had a hat trick in the contest and the Hawks were two for two on power play opportunities.

“We were able to play a clean game,” Trevor Sholten said. “We were able to capitalize off their penalties and that’s how we coach them to go into games.”

The Hawks won all three games in pool play action. The Hawks beat Calumet 7-2 as Henry Shoten had a hat trick in the contest and a total of 12 games over the weekend. The Hawks also beat Copper Country Junior Hockey Association 9-2 behind five third period goals to run away with the win and won the pool play opener 5-0 over TAYHA who they later beat for the championship.

The Hawks will be back in action March 7-9 in Iron Mountain for the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association State Championship.