7 SCV players win state 12U hockey title with Burbank squad

Seven Santa Clarita Valley players were on the Burbank-based California Golden Bears team that won the state 12U Peewee AA championship in March 2024. Courtesy photo.
Seven Santa Clarita Valley players were on the Burbank-based California Golden Bears team that won the state 12U Peewee AA championship in March 2024. Courtesy photo.
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News releaseĀ 

The Burbank youth hockey team that finished as the state runner-up in the 12U A division last year came back with a mission this year, and accomplished it: They clinched the state title in the state Peewee (12U) AA-level California Amateur Hockey Association championship game March 17 at Great Park Ice in Irvine.   

The California Golden Bears 12U team, which is comprised of players born in 2012, played against teams comprised of players predominantly born in 2011.  

There are seven Santa Clarita Valley players on this state championship team: Donovan Chavez, Austin Cugno, Santana King, Logan Lora, Austin McDermott, Leo Mikaelian and Saveley Zyulkorneev.  

The other team members include Jack Aguillon, Boston Guinn, Talia Hovsepian, Egor Karpovtsev, Ethan Klier, Jayhe Lee, Mark Mano, Mason Reyes, and Myron Tkachenko. The teamā€™s head coach is former L.A. King Alexander Frolov and the assistant coaches are SCV residents Eustace King and Lonnie McDermott.  

In the CAHA state playoffs, the 2012 Bears opened with a 3-1 loss to the California Goldrush. They rallied that afternoon to beat their fellow club mates, the 2011 California Golden Bears team, 4-2. On Saturday morning, the 2012 Bears went on to beat the Anaheim Jr. Ducks, 5-4. 

In the semifinal single-elimination game, the 2012 Bears faced their opponents from last yearā€™s state finals, the Bakersfield Condors. They came out with a vengeance, beating them 5-0, to advance to the state championship game.  

ā€œThe 2012 Bears team were unstoppable during the championship game,ā€ said a news release from the team. ā€œThey put forth full energy despite the size difference, beating the Goldrush, 4-2.ā€ 

The team finished the season with an overall record of 37-6-1, and myhockeyrankings.com ranked the Bears among the top five of all U.S. teams in its computerized rankings for the 2012 birth year. There are hundreds of teams in the rankings.  

ā€œThis 2012 team was ranked No. 1 in the state all year long and landed at No. 5 in the country,ā€ Frolov said in the release. ā€œIt is the end of the road for this very special group as many of them are moving on to play AAA hockey next year.ā€  

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