The Fort Myers Florida Warriors 10 AU White team won the Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida (SAHOF) State Championship this past weekend. PROVIDED

The Fort Myers Florida Warriors ice hockey 10 AU White team are Florida state champions.

The team started off the Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida (SAHOF) State Championship held in Wesley Chapel this past weekend with a frustrating 5-2 loss against the Jacksonville Junior Icemen on Friday. But from that point forward, they rallied in their games on Saturday with wins of 9-0 over the Swamp Rabbits and 12-1 over the Florida Bulldogs, placing them in the semifinal game Sunday morning for a rematch with the Junior Icemen.

The Warriors continued their dominance, beating the Icemen 6-0 in the semifinal, placing them in the championship against season rivals Lakeland Junior Mocs. Considered underdogs, the Florida Warriors had never beaten the number one ranked Mocs in four regular season games. The title game proved to be a battle of the two top teams with the score going back and forth until the final two minutes of the game when the Florida Warriors pulled ahead with a two-goal lead and held on to win the championship 6-4.

Leading the team were MVPs Logan Lean, Lucas Robey, and goalie Griffin Irish. The roster is complimented by Wyatt Rohde, Jay LaBrie, Jaxon Taylor, Nash Hanson, Aubrey Reiser, Faustino Landaboure, Jayce Mastey, Grady Elliott, Nolan Lawrence, Brock Fritzsche, and Rowan Cassidy. The Warriors are coached by Brad Fritzsche, assistant coach Dave Rohde, assistant coach Marc Lean and Team Manager Samantha Reiser.

“It’s amazing what a group of kids can do when they come together and work as a team. It was fun to watch them grow and progress throughout the season,” said head coach Brad Fritzsche. “Their grit and tenacity ultimately paid off, and I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”

The Florida Warriors, considered a bit of a misfit team with barely enough players to start the season, ended not only with the Florida State Championship title, but an impressive SAHOF record of 17 wins, 4 losses, and 2 ties. The Warriors also placed first at the MLK O-Town Showdown and placed third in the Can/Am Fort Myers Challenge Cup.

The Florida Warriors are an independent ice hockey club based out of the Fort Myers Skatium. Teams include age levels of 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U. For more information about the Florida Warriors hockey program, contact Joe Sanders, Director of Hockey, at 941-527-9873 or visit www.FloridaWarriorsHockey.com.