News photo by Josh Jambor Senior Clark Weir scores his first goal of the night against the Petoskey Northmen with six minutes left in the second period. Weir would have a two-goal night as Alpena dominated 4-0 in route to a Big North Conference title.

ALPENA – The Alpena Wildcats hockey team begins their pursuit of a state championship against a familiar foe, the Traverse City Central Trojans, on Friday at 6 p.m. in Traverse City.

The teams split their season series at one game each, with Alpena winning its most recent matchup, 6-1, in December.

Alpena Head Coach Ben Henry said as his team prepared for their divisional opponent, it understands the Trojans can’t be taken lightly and will play the Wildcats with a chip on their shoulder.

“It’s going to be a tough one, obviously Central is always prepared and they are well coached,” Henry said. “We have been playing well for the last three months, and I think if we keep that up, we will be just fine.”

Henry mentioned his keys to the game if Alpena is going to advance to the next round and continue its quest for a state championship.

“We must stay out of the penalty box, and we must play with a ton of speed,” Henry said. “We get a lot of shots on goal during games; we just have to be more consistent and capitalize on our opportunities. We have to take care of our own end, and be simple, get pucks in and out as fast as we can.”

Getting the puck in the net against the Trojans standout goalie will not be an easy task, and Henry knows the Wildcats need to make the most of their opportunities.

“Their goalie is pretty good, especially when he gets rolling, so again, we have to capitalize on our chances with him,” Henry said. “We need to get in his eyes, and get to those hard areas, which is the middle of the ice.”

The Wildcats have a deep roster, which is something that gives them an advantage matching up with the Trojans.

“Having three solid lines really helps our depth chart and I believe that is a lot for other teams to handle,” Henry said. “My plan is to play those three lines and hopefully they all show up, and they’re ready to go on another playoff run.”

There are six seniors on this year’s roster, including Gavin Winterstein, Clark Weir, Trey Adrian, Jace Kadrich, Gunner Moe and Parker Schuldt. Henry discussed their contributions to this year’s team and Wildcats hockey.

“They have been good impact players, good leadership qualities and it’s nice seeing those guys show up every day and work hard,” Henry said. “It’s not just on the ice it’s off the ice they are good young men, and I love their work ethic, and the support the community gives them.”