Page 14 Lake Conference Hockey • Thursday, December 11, 2025 sailor. mnsun. com
WAYZATA TROJANS GIRLS HOCKEY
Lake Conference Hockey
Goaltending help arrives from state of Montana
JOHN SHERMAN john. sherman @ apgecm. com
Wayzata High’ s girls hockey team got some unexpected help when a transfer goaltender arrived from Montana, and it seems to be a marriage made in Heaven so far.
The Trojans started the 2025-26 season with a five game winning streak with senior transfer Kylie Jaksha in the net for four of the five victories. Freshman goalie Angelina Alvarez added a victory in her only start of the season.
“ Kylie is one of the best high school goalies I have seen in recent years,” Wayzata head coach Brad Podiak said.“ In my opinion she is Division I caliber.”
While Jaksha has made her mark on the defensive end, returning All-Lake Conference forward Julia Ostapeic is the standout on the offensive end. Early in the season, Ostapeic anchors the Trojans top line that also includes sophomore Ava Molde and senior Vanessa Swensson. Ostapeic and Swenson are two of Wayzata’ s four captains.
“ Julia scored 29 goals and had 15 assists as a junior last season,” coach Podiak said.“ She is a well-versed, fiveon-five player, who helps us on the special teams.”
Ostapeic, clearly the offensive leader for Wayzata, had nine goals in the first five games of 2025.
On defense, Wayzata relies heavily on two multiyear letter winners – Senior Sofia Kallebo and
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN)
Wayzata’ s girls hockey captains for the 2025-26 season are, from left to right: Julia Ostapeic, Sofia Kallebo, Noelle Noble and Vanessa Swensson.
junior Noelle Noble. Both are captains. Others making their mark on defense in the early going are junior Gabrielle Lewis, sophomores Madeline Harren, Allison Freed and Allison Noble and ninth-grader Dakota Kurtz.
“ Sofia and Noelle are showing our younger defensemen how we manage the defensive zone,” coach Podiak said.
The Wayzata team is a combination of experienced players and new players, Podiak explained. The Trojans have fewer seniors than normal this year, with only four on varsity, but the Wayzata coaching staff will take quality over quantity. There is at least one senior leader on every level of the ice with Jaksha in net, Kallebo on defense and Ostapeic and Swensson at forward. Overall this is a young squad with six juniors, seven sophomores and six ninth-graders.
Captain Ostapeic realizes the challenge of being a young player in Lake Conference girls hockey.“ It has been fun welcoming new girls into the program. Moving up to varsity can be scary at first.”
“ Our team has grown so much since the season began,” captain Swensson.
“ The young girls have put so much effort into adapting to this level of competition,” captain Kallebo said.
Looking at the Lake Conference, coach Podiak expects perennial contenders Minnetonka and Edina to be the teams to beat.
“ In our preseason jamboree at Plymouth Ice Center, I had a chance to watch Edina,” coach Podiak said. His impression was:“ They’ re Edina.”
The Hornets return two of the best forwards in the state – Senior captains Lorelai Nelson and Cate McCoy. They also have two of their top defensemen returning – Senior captains Taylor Gardner and Brenna Prellwitz. Since she became Edina’ s head coach, Sami Cowger has never missed winning a state berth. Some of the Hornets’ Section 6AA titles have come at the expense of past Wayzata teams.
Wayzata is excited to have a new rival in the Lake this season with Maple Grove joining the ranks. Maple Grove has also had a history of state tournament appearances in recent seasons.
One of the keys for Wayzata is the speed at which younger players develop.
MEET THE
Trojans
1 – Ninth-grade goalie Angelina Alvarez 2 – Senior defenseman Sofia Kallebo 3 – Junior forward Kara Knutson 6 – Sophomore defenseman Madeline Harren 7 – Sophomore defenseman Allison Freed 8 – Ninth-grade forward Kiana Wilson 9 – Sophomore forward Lulu Frys 10 – Sophomore forward Ava Molde 12 – Junior forward Reagan Williams 13 – Senior forward Vanessa Swensson 15 – Junior defenseman Noelle Noble 16 – Junior defenseman Gabrielle Lewis 17 – Junior forward Madeline Lewis 18 – Ninth-grade forward Alexandra Lewis 19 – Ninth-grade forward Evelyn Surucu 20 – Sophomore forward Christine Russo 21 – Ninth-grade forward Kate Hendricks 22 – Junior forward Addison Vaughan 24 – Sophomore defenseman Allison Noble 26 – Ninth-grade defenseman Dakota Kurtz 28 – Senior forward Julia Ostapeic 29 – Ninth-grade forward Olivia Buboltz 32 – Sophomore forward Evelyn Mead 35 – Senior goalie Kylie Jaksha
Molde is the other proven forward returning from last year’ s team. She finished with 29 points on12 goals and 17 assists.
Noelle Noble led the Trojans from the blue line last season with 25 points on seven goals and a team-leading 18 assists. Other returnees who had double-figure points last season are Kallebo and Kara Knutson.
In the best win to date, Wayzata won 3-2 on the road against Alexandria. Noelle Noble was the No. 1 star for the Trojans. In addition to getting the Trojans
on the board with a shorthanded goal, she iced the victory in the final minute of the third period with a power-play goal.
Wayzata finished the 2024-25 season with a 12-15-0 overall record and tied for fourth place in the Lake Conference.
With a fast start this season, that included wins in the first five games, the Trojans are in position for a better record this time. How much better?
That will depend on the progression of the sophomore and ninth-grade classes.