Watford City Oilers 12 & Under Girls Win North Dakota State Championship

The Watford City Oiler's Girls 12 & Under team won the North Dakota state hockey tournament March 9-11 in Devils Lake.

The 13 Watford City girls that make up the team have been playing hockey at their best since Nov. 11, 2022. Months of travel, playing on the weekends, and after school from the Rough Rider Center to rinks as far as Devils Lake came to a culmination in February. They did not have to win any certain number of games as every team in the league qualifies for the state championships. They did, however, go on an 11-game winning streak from Jan. 21-Feb. 12, outscoring their opponents 47-12 in 11 different games. Ending the season with a 22-9 record. Their first game was against Williston Thursday, March 9, 1 p., which they won 2-0. They played Hazen Friday morning, winning 8-0. Friday at 7 p.m. they played Devils Lake and won 4-2. The final game was against Williston again. They played at 1:15 p.m. Saturday and won 4-1 making them the North Dakota State Champions.

The Watford City Oilers' Girls 12 & Under team is one of 12 teams that are part of the McKenzie County Hockey Club. According to their website, http://www.wcoilers.com, Watford City Oiler Hockey was started in 1985 by Dave Hansen and Arden Berg. The first team had only 12 players and ranged in age from 5-14 years of age. They joined the US Amateur Hockey Association during the 1989-90 season, making them eligible for tournaments and player insurance. The hockey season runs from November-February of the following year and registration starts July 1. For more information on the Watford City Oilers visit the McKenzie County Hockey Club on Facebook.