Hall hopes path leads to bigger things in hockey

Travis Hall looks like he would cast an imposing shadow on those who would try to send the puck past him.

So it's not surprising that the 2006 Carson High graduate is going to see how far he can go as an ice hockey goalie. Hall will leave Friday for training camp to play in the World Hockey Association, a junior ice hockey league in its first year for players 20 and under.

At 5-11, 215 pounds, Hall has the perfect size to be a goalie and the reach and agility to match as he can do the splits.

"It's actually one of the keys to being a really good goalie to be able to get up and down and to get into odd positions to get the puck," Hall said.

Hall has played inline hockey for several years and has played ice hockey for two years. He played with Reno's High Sierra Wild ice hockey team and this past season played for the Vacaville (Calif.) North Stars, something that took 6 hour round trips for games and practices.

In 2005, Hall was also the goalie for the Carson Senators inline team that won the Nothern Nevada title. Because of his commitment to Vacaville, Hall was unable to play this past season. But he was able to maintain his commitment to Carson High's Naval ROTC unit where he was the arm drill commander.

With the Senators in 2005 he saved 91 percent of the shots he faced and with Vacaville he saved 92 percent of the shots.

He was also invited to the USA Hockey's Pacific National team tryouts for players from Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho, but admitted that was due to a "lack of players in Nevada than it was me being really good."

But Hall also performed well in several camps. "I held my own," he said. "I didn't stink too hard. I said, 'I may have a future in this.'"

Hall tried out for a USA Hockey B team in Tacoma, Wash. He was told the team had no room for him, but the coach recommended him to the WHA. After two tryouts with the WHA, Hall was placed with the team in Bellingham, Wash., where he will also either work or go to school while he's playing hockey. The season opens Sept. 23. The league has six team with the other six clubs in Canada. "The entire emphasis of the league is to promote player development," Hall said. "The goal is to get players to a higher level of hockey."

Hall's ultimate goal is the NHL, but he's realistic enough to know the odds are heavily against him.

"I have a dream of the NHL," Hall said. "I know how hard it is and how few people there are to do that."

Hall hopes the WHA will lead to a scholarship with an NCAA school and maybe eventually to playing professionally on any level. "If I end up being paid to play hockey that would be fantastic," he said.

BMX STARS

Many local riders who race at the BMX track adjacent to Edmonds Park had plenty of success at the recent America Bicycle Association State Championships in Las Vegas and Reno's Blackjack Nationals.

Top finishers at the state event included: Cruiser 11-year-olds - Zach Zito first; C.J. Loomis second. Cruiser 12 - Keith Anderson first; Cruiser 14 - Dakotah Isenberg first. Cruiser 16 - Shawn Oakden first. Cruiser 36 - Wade Hahn first. Cruiser 41 - Darrold Lowe first; John Peragallo second.

Girls 6 - Stephanee Baldwin first. Girls 7 - Mallory Otto first; Molly Otto second. Girls 14 - Megan Donnelly first. Boys 5 - Nathan Wright first; D.J. Lowe second; Brandon Copeland third; Nicholas Montella fourth. Boys 7 - Jarod Pieller first; John Crabtree second.

Boys 8 - Wyatte Caccamise first. Boys 9 - Dusten Baldwin first. Boys 10 -Wyatt Shurley first; Chris Arbogast second. Boys 11 - Zack Zito first; C.J. Loomis second. Boys 12 - Christian Johnson first; Keith Anderson second. Boys 14 - Dakotah Isenberg first. Boys 16 - Adrian Lopez first; Shawn Oakden second. Boys 19 - Eric Apodaca first. Men 36 - Wade Hahn first.

Wyatt Shurley also had an impressive showing at nationals, winning the open division and winning his class all three days.

Others who won races at nationals included Mallory Otto and Brandon Copeland, who won twice. Others who had top five finishes included Keith Anderson, Dakotah Isenberg, Molly Otto, Nathan Wright and Christian Johnson. Lopez and Oakden were also able to make the main events in the tough 16-year-old class.