Tracy Press

Two local hockey players are headed to the state amateur championships after riding high with the Stockton Colts.

The Stockton Colts’ Chris Galdiano and Matt Corliss will play in the state championship after winning the Northern California Junior Hockey Association championship game in San Jose. Bob Brownne / Tracy Press

As the Stockton Colts secured a place in the California Amateur Hockey Association championships, the team also pulled off a stunning upset to win the Northern California Junior Hockey Association championship game two weeks ago in San Jose.

The Colts started the third period trailing 3-1 against their main rivals in their league, the first-place Santa Clara Blackhawks.

It would take more than a two-goal deficit to discourage the Colts, and they quickly gained the momentum they needed to reclaim the win.

"Once you put that goal in that gets you in reach of the win, that’s when you get pumped up," Galdiano said.

His father, Eric Galdiano, said the winning goal, with two minutes left on the clock, was one of the most spectacular comebacks he had seen.

"They jumped on us quick, but we fought back," he said.

The Colts ended the game up 4-3 and won all four of their games in the Northern California championship tournament, twice beating the Blackhawks, whose only league loss in the 2007-08 season was to the Colts.

Chris Galdiano, a freshman at Tracy High, and Corliss, who attends Lammersville Elementary School, go to Stockton’s Oak Park Ice Arena two or three times a week for practice. Their games take them all over Northern California and sometimes out of state for tournaments.

Eric Galdiano said the trip to the state championship in Escondido is appropriate for a team that includes five players from the Pee Wee team that went to the state championship two years ago. Chris Galdiano, Cody Murphy, Kevin Atwater, Kyle Kruenegal and Ian Lammond were all on that team and will return as the Colts’ Bantam A team after a year away from the big tournament.

"Our coaches did a great job of getting these kids into focus," Eric Galdiano said.

"That Bantam B year, we were a good team, but we didn’t have the game plan we have this year," Chris Galdiano added.

The Colts have 11 players, while other teams have as many as 18, so all the local players gained experience quickly.

Head coach Terry Murphy said the teens on his squad are all dedicated to their sport. They have to be, if they’re traveling to Stockton for practice and hitting the road for games and tournaments. When they aren’t at the ice rink, they find ways to work out anyway.

"These kids were challenged to work off-ice on their own, and they did a pretty good job," he said.

The Colts will play in the first championship game Friday against Santa Clara and again that same day against the West Valley Wolves of San Fernando Valley. They’ll play Saturday against the Beach City Lightning of Anaheim.

The top two of the four teams will play in a championship game Sunday.

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written by cchunks , April 03, 2008

I live in tracy how can I get info.about hockey my son is interested .What are the ages and where are the sign ups.Is stockton the closest?If anyone can please give me any info. that would be great thank you.You can send me an email , also interested in wrestling.My son is 5 if this helps on where you can direct me.


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