High-school RoughRiders begin season this weekend

The Midwest High School Hockey League begins its season this weekend. The 12-team league includes the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, who host Dubuque on Friday night at 6 and Lincoln Saturday night at 6.

The high school RoughRiders were 1-25-1-1 last season.

Here is a press release from the league:

Midwest High School Hockey League Set to Open Season

The Midwest High School Hockey League opens the 2013-14 season this Friday night with two matchups. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders host East Division rival Dubuque Devils and the Waterloo Warriors host the Ames Little Cyclones. Eight more League teams will see action in Saturday and Sunday games.

The twelve-team League is divided into three divisions: Kansas City, Lincoln, Omaha and Sioux City make up the West; Des Moines Capitals, Des Moines Oak Leafs, Ames and Mason City comprise the Central; East members are Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Quad City and Waterloo. Teams play division rivals four times each and interdivision opponents two times for a 28-game schedule. Nearly 400 high school age players compete at the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels.

The season runs through February 23 of next year, followed a week later by the Varsity Championship Tournament, February 28 through March 2, and the Junior Varsity Year-End Tournament March 7-9. Both events are at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena. Teams finishing on top of each division earn a spot in the year-end tournaments, followed by the next five teams based on points earned during the regular season, regardless of division alignment.

The Des Moines Oak Leafs is the defending regular-season Varsity champion posting a record of 25 wins and only 2 losses and 1 shootout lose. However, regular-season runner-up Kansas City edged the Oak Leafs, 3-2, in the championship game of the Varsity year-end tournament. The same teams met in the first-place game of the Junior Varsity tournament with Des Moines coming out on top 4-1. Kansas City captured the JV regular-season crown with a 25-2-1 record.

The League is proud to announce that League member, Omaha Jr. Lancers, will host the 2014 USA Hockey High School National Championships, March 26-30. Games will take place at Ralston Arena and other facilities in the Omaha area. Organizers anticipate 30 plus high school hockey teams from around the country will compete. Past host cities for the tournament have included: Chicago, IL, Salt Lake City, UT, and Coral Springs, FL. As many as three teams from the MHSHL will be eligible for the event.

Fans can follow MHSHL action at

www.midwesthighschoolhockey.com. The League is a member of the Poinstreak scoring network, the worldwide leader in online hockey statistics. Find up-to-date standings, as well as team and individual statistics.