HOUGHTON - The Melfort (Sask.) Journal is reporting that Houghton native and Melfort Mustangs forward Blake Hietala has committed to return home and play for Michigan Tech's hockey team.
"For me it was a no-brainer, I grew up watching them my whole life, and I wanted to be a Husky and now I get a chance, it is a dream come true," Hietala told the Journal.
There are several connections between Hietala and the Tech hockey program already. His mother, Jane, is the program's secretary. The Mustangs were previously captained by current Michigan Tech freshman Tommy Brown.
Hietala, 20, currently leads the Mustangs in scoring with 52 points (25 goals, 27 assists) in 49 games, a total good for ninth in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Recently, Hietala had a two-goal night Jan. 29 as the Mustangs defeated the Humboldt Broncos 4-1. He has had at least a point in seven of his last nine games and two points in four of those.
Melfort is in fourth in the SJHL's Bauer Conference with 56 points, but has won four of its last five going into a tussle with division-leading Flin Flon Friday.
In the North American Hockey League, Hancock native Tanner Kero continues an offensive surge for the Marquette Rangers.
Kero had two power-play goals and an assist in the Rangers' 6-2 win at Janesville Saturday, raising his total to 26 goals on the season, three more than the nearest player in the rest of the league.
The Rangers (24-15-0) will have a three-game homestand, starting tonight with a showdown against North Division-leading Traverse City, followed by Friday and Saturday games against Motor City. Marquette is five points out of the division lead in second.
The Northland College women's basketball team has won six consecutive games, including a 65-42 conquest of Wisconsin-Superior on Monday,
In that game, Ontonagon point guard Lindsey Hamm had just two points, but the senior still leads the team in scoring with 11.3 points per game, assists with 3.3 per game and steals with a total of 28.
Hamm had 12 points and four steals in a 63-47 win at College of St. Scholastica Saturday.
The Lumberjills put their unbeaten (8-0) conference record on the line Friday at Presentation College.