News File Photo Alpena High School hockey players Colby Plowman (3) and Kyle VanDusen share a moment during a game against Traverse City Central at Northern Lights Area. For the better part of three seasons, the duo has been electric on the ice and they’re looking to help the Wildcats go on a long playoff run.

By many measures the Alpena High School hockey team has had a successful season.

∫ A Big North Championship, the program’s first since 2004-05

∫ A 20-win season, the program’s first since 2006-07

∫ A number of wins against ranked teams.

All are commendable accomplishments, but the Wildcats are hoping those are just a warmup for a team that’s had high expectations since practice began in November and is aiming to put together a long playoff run.

Alpena will put those expectations on the line starting on Monday when the postseason begins. The Wildcats will open the postseason against Sault Ste. Marie at 6 p.m. at the Otsego County Sportsplex in Gaylord.

“We’ve had high expectations since the first day of practice and the way it worked out is the best way because I think everyone, you can say safely, would have been disappointed if we didn’t amount to what we’re capable of,” Colby Plowman said.

For perhaps the first time in many years, the Wildcats enter postseason as the likely favorite in their region. Sporting a 20-4-1 record, the Wildcats are joined by teams they’ve already beaten (Sault Ste. Marie, Cheboygan, Gaylord) and a program in its first year of play (Tawas).

Alpena isn’t lacking for motivation. The Wildcats came up short last season, losing 3-2 to Sault Ste. Marie in a pre-regional final.

The Wildcats had numerous chances late in that game and couldn’t net the equalizer.

It was a frustrating loss, but it provided Alpena’s players something to shoot for this year, especially for a team returning 14 players from last season.

“Sault knocked us out last year, so we definitely have them circled and we’ve just got to treat every game like it could be our last,” Kyle VanDusen said.

If the Wildcats are to go on a postseason run, they’ll need VanDusen and Plowman to lead the way. Both VanDusen and Plowman had their chances in last year’s playoff loss and they’re hoping to provide their team with a few more big moments before the end of their high school careers.

There’s no denying the pair has chemistry, something that been developed and built upon ever since they were playing youth hockey together. Paired together for much of the last three seasons, they’ve been astoundingly productive while making eye-opening plays and goals seem routine.

“It just kind of happened I guess,” VanDusen said of his chemistry with Plowman. “We’ve always been on the same line; (we have) similar speeds and skills and we work really well together.”

In 68 career games, VanDusen has 121 points (70 goals, 51 assists), an average of 1.79 per game. Similarly, Plowman has 116 career points (50 goals, 66 assists) in 83 games, an average of 1.39 per game.

“Kyle, every game pretty much he’s the most talented kid on the ice. Put the puck on his tape and he’ll score nine times out of 10 for you,” Plowman said of VanDusen. “That’s just the kind of player that you want. His hands are unbelievable and it comes down to knowledge; he’s one of the smartest kids I know.”

VanDusen had similar praise for his linemate. Together they’ve accounted for more than 60 percent of Alpena’s scoring this season and both have 42 points on the year.

“You can’t say enough about Colby. He’s one of those guys that you love to have on your team and you hate to play against just because he’s always moving his feet, he’s always working his hardest,” VanDusen said. “He’s not afraid to get to the dirty areas, that’s his game. When he gets a chance, he buries it.”

Alpena already got the better of the Blue Devils once this season, besting them 5-1 at home last month. But the Wildcats aren’t taking Sault lightly. The Blue Devils, despite a 4-17-2 record this season, are battled tested in the playoffs, having made the regional final appearance in four of the last five years.

Alpena made regional final appearances in the 2012-13 and 2016-17 seasons, but the Wildcats are hoping to go further and win the program’s first regional championship since 2007.

“Playoffs are a special moment in hockey where any team can beat any team in high school hockey and you can’t take teams lightly no matter how good and how bad,” Plowman said. “Through the two years of playoffs I’ve played, you’ve just got to go out and give it 100 percent and realize that every game could be your last.”

Monday’s winner will advance to Thursday’s pre-regional final against Gaylord at 8 p.m.