The Soldotna/Skyview alumni defeated the Kenai/Nikiski alumni 10-6 on Friday, Dec. 20, in the 28th annual Richard Redford Cup at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Starting with the 13th alumni game, the winning team earned the Redford Cup. The cup is in memory of Richard Redford, who played at Kenai Central until Soldotna opened. At Soldotna, Redford was captain of the hockey team and part of the first graduating class in 1981.
The Soldotna players all graduated from Soldotna and were Ayden See (Class of 2022), Ty Fenton (2015), Lucas Kline (2020), Parker Lockwood (2020), Andrew Arthur (2024), Justice Miller (2015), Lee Green (2000), Aiden Burcham (2023), Mario Gomez (2008), Brayden VanMeter (2020), Clayton Glick (2008), Journey Miller (2020), Wyatt Medcoff (2020), Preston Weeks (2017), Dylan Walton (2021) and Dagen Walton (2012).
The Kenai players all graduated from Kenai, except for Matt Thompson, who graduated from Nikiski in 2009. The players from Kenai were Jed McGlasson (2007), Jacob Begich (2022), Dustin Every (1999), Landon Cialek (2023), Reagan Graves (2023), Levi Mese (2018), Zach Mese (2012), Trevor Baldwin (2005), Phillip Ischi (2004), Andrew Hamilton (2013), Jake Eubank (2015), Trevor Wagoner (2014), John McGlasson (2005), Aidan Milburn (2021) and Nick Wirz (2000).
Kenai took a 2-0 lead after the first period, with Eubank scoring on assists from Wagoner and Every, and John McGlasson scoring on a Baldwin assist.
Soldotna roared back by outscoring Kenai 5-1 in the second period.
The SoHi goals came from Dagen Walton assisted by Dylan Walton and Glick, VanMeter assisted by Lockwood and Gomez, Journey Miller assisted by Medcoff and Burcham, Lockwood assisted by VanMeter and Arthur, and Dylan Walton unassisted. Kenai’s goal came from Eubank, assisted by Baldwin.
Soldotna closed it out by scoring five more goals in the third period. Arthur scored on Lockwood and Green assists, Kline scored on Dylan Walton and Dagen Walton assists, Glick scored on the power play on assists from Weeks and Dagen Walton, Dagen Walton scored short-handed on an assist from Dylan Walton, and Medcoff scored short-handed.
For Kenai in the third, Zach Mese scored on John McGlasson and Begich assists, Begich scored on the power play on a Zach Mese assist, and Eubank scored on Wagoner and Jed McGlasson assists.
Ayden See made 37 saves for Soldotna, while Wirz stopped 45 for Kenai.
Dylan Walton and Dagen Walton won the Dan Gensel Award, given to the MVP of the game. Gensel, who died in 2023, earned acclaim as an athlete at Kenai Central, coach and teacher at Soldotna High School, and longtime KSRM sports director. In that role, Gensel broadcasted hockey games.
Alex Koch, the son of Rick Koch, did the ceremonial puck drop. Rick Koch is the former Kenai city manager who died in 2017. Koch revived and organized the alumni game. Alex is a former goaltender for the Kardinals.
