The winning Marquette team is pictured with coaches. (Journal photo Antonio Anderson)

NEGAUNEE — Marquette’s Range Bank ten-and-under hockey team beat out all others at a long 15-game district tournament last weekend.

“We beat Newberry and Calumet teams and lost a star player who broke their arm,” said Range Bank hockey coach Dave Paananen.

Paananen said his star player slammed into a Dickinson County player in the last game before the finals.

“It wasn’t intentional. That kind of thing happens,” said Paananen. “We got a great group of kids, everyone stepped up.”

The kids spent more than 30 hours at the tournament over the course of the game-filled weekend.

“This means the world to the kids,” Paananen said.

Parents and siblings could be seen crowding the glass and cheering; wearing jerseys, waving signs and shaking pom poms.

These players have been practicing since August and are now looking at heading more than 300 miles to Scottville, Michigan for the state tournament set to take place March 8-10.

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550.