FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2025
Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association - SAYHA

Nicole Adams, Executive Director

509-714-2998 | finance@spokanejrchiefs.com

Bringing Home the Banners: Spokane Jr. Chiefs Capture PNAHA State Titles, Earn Bids to USA Hockey Nationals

Spokane Youth Hockey’s 16UAA and 14UAA Teams Ready to Represent Washington and Continue Their Championship Legacy on the National Stage

Spokane, Wash. (March 26, 2025) – On Sunday, March 2, the Spokane Jr. Chiefs 16UAA and 14UAA teams, representing the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association (SAYHA), won the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association (PNAHA) Tier II 16U and 14U State Tournament titles. This season, SAYHA hosted the PNAHA State Tier II Tournament at Eagles Ice Arena and Eastern Washington University’s URC, making Spokane the backdrop for their championship victories. With their wins, both teams secured bids to the 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Youth Tier II National Championships, taking place April 2-6, 2025. The 14UAA team will compete in Kalamazoo, Michigan, while the 16UAA team will head to Wayne, New Jersey.

This marks SAYHA’s sixth trip in the past ten seasons to the USA Hockey National Tournament at the 14U Tier II level (2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2021-22, 2022-23, and now 2024-25). The Association qualified in 2015-16 via an at-large bid and has since earned multiple Nationals berths by winning the PNAHA state 14U tournament. The 16U team previously won the PNAHA State Tournament and advanced to Nationals in the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons. Spokane's first, and only, national championship came in 1988, when the 14U team captured the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (AHAUS) Youth Tier II Bantam title, three years before AHAUS became USA Hockey.

In addition to their state championships, both teams earned league titles this season. The 14UAA team finished as the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association (OMAHA) U15 Flight 1 League Winners (South Central British Columbia) and the West Kootenay Minor Hockey League U15 Rep Champions (Southeastern British Columbia). Meanwhile, the 16UAA team brought home the banner as the PNAHA State League Champions.

“Seeing them celebrate at the end, that’s what it’s all about. They showed resilience, teamwork, and just played lights out hockey.” said SAYHA Hockey Director, Matt Thurston.

The Jr. Chiefs 14UAA team entered this season’s PNAHA State Tournament as the second seed, finishing their league schedule with an 8-3-1 record, and the season with a 41-14-5 record. They posted a strong 3-1 record in early tournament play, setting up a championship rematch against the Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds—the only team to defeat them earlier in the tournament. Spokane responded with a dominant performance, with goaltender Liam Duffy holding strong in net and shutting out Sno-King 4-0 to claim the state title. Gavin Memmott led the scoring with a hat trick, scoring once in each period, while Easton Ames added another goal to secure the victory.

The 16UAA team entered the PNAHA State Tournament as the top seed and league champions, boasting a 10-2 record in league play and a 23-26-3 record over the season. They powered through round-robin play with a perfect 3-0 record, outscoring their opponents 26-4 behind strong goaltending from Ayden Brinkley and Dreasyn Fields. In the championship game, the Jr. Chiefs and the Seattle Junior Mets battled through a tight first period, but Spokane broke the game open with a four-goal second period. The offensive surge proved insurmountable for the Mets, and the Jr. Chiefs skated away with a 6-2 victory, securing their state title and a trip to Nationals.

The Spokane Jr. Chiefs 16UAA team is led by Head Coach Matt Thurston, SAYHA’s Hockey Director and a proud alum of both SAYHA and the Spokane Braves. At age five, Thurston began his hockey journey in SAYHA’s Learn to Play program. He played locally with SAYHA, Coeur d’Alene, and Inland Empire before competing with the Las Vegas Storm 16U AAA team beyond the Northwest. After his minor hockey career, he played three seasons with the Spokane Braves, serving as an Assistant Captain in his final two years. As a coach, Thurston spent four seasons behind the bench for the 14UAA team, leading them to back-to-back Nationals appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and this season's appearance with 16UAA brings his total USA Hockey Nationals appearances as a head coach to three. Thurston also competed at Nationals, playing for the Jr. Chiefs 16UAA team in the 2010 tournament.

The Spokane Jr. Chiefs 14UAA team is led by Head Coach Joe Fleckenstein, a lifelong SAYHA player who spent his entire youth hockey career in Spokane. From Mites through 16UAA, Fleckenstein played for SAYHA and the Jr. Chiefs, winning three state championships and making a national championship appearance. In his final 16U season, he was honored with the Brad Porco Memorial Award. He then played two seasons for the Spokane Braves before shifting his focus to education, earning his degree from Whitworth University. Fleckenstein brings extensive coaching experience to the Jr. Chiefs. He served as an Assistant Coach for the Spokane Braves Junior A team in the KIJHL during the 2023-24 season and spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach for the Northwest Kings Elite spring hockey team in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This season marks his first as a Jr. Chiefs Rep coach. In addition to coaching, Fleckenstein is a teacher at West Valley High School in Spokane Valley, WA.

When asked to reflect on the team and their season Thurston said, “I am extremely proud of this year's team to not only come together and become a great team but overcome the many injuries that could have easily set us back. It is a testament to the players’ commitment to getting better every day. Each player on this team has grown so much from the September until now that you would not recognize them had you watched us play early in the season.”

Players on the 14UAA and 16UAA teams come from communities across Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, spanning from Asotin, the Tri-Cities, Moscow, and Lewiston, Idaho in the south to Newport, WA in the north. In addition to frequent PNAHA travel to the Seattle area and regular cross-border trips for OMAHA and West Kootenay league play, some families made a two-hour drive to Spokane three times a week for practices.

The Spokane Jr. Chiefs 14UAA team is comprised of 18 talented players from across the region, ages 13-15. They are:

● Tyler Adams, Defense, Mead High School - 9th grade, Spokane, WA
● Easton Ames, Forward, Horizon Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane Valley, WA
● Tyson Brown, Forward, Mountainside Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane, WA
● Gavin Copley, Defense, Highland Middle School - 7th grade, Spokane, WA
● Devin Damker, Forward, Glover Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane, WA
● Liam Duffy, Goaltender, Glover Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane, WA
● Jonah "Dash" Duris, Forward, West Valley High School - 9th grade, Spokane, WA
● Jacob Ignacio, Forward, Northwood Middle School - 8th grade, Colbert, WA
● Landan McFetridge, Goaltender, Jenifer Middle School - 8th grade, Lewiston, ID
● Gavin Memmott, Forward, Coeur d'Alene High School - 9th grade, Coeur d'Alene, ID
● Colton Miller, Defense, Kootenai Classical Academy - 9th grade, Post Falls, ID
● Tristan Payette, Defense, Highland Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane, WA
● Jolson Rude, Forward, Highland Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane, WA
● Zane Snelson, Defense, Northwest Christian - 8th grade, Liberty Lake, WA
● Kash Thomas, Forward, Asotin Jr. High - 8th grade, Asotin, WA
● Samuel Vanderpool, Forward, Sacajawea Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane, WA
● Levon Wells, Forward, Moscow Middle School - 8th grade, Moscow, ID
● Brandon White, Defense, Centennial Middle School - 8th grade, Spokane Valley, WA

14UAA Coaching Staff/Manager
● Joseph Fleckenstein, Head Coach
● Chandler Forsyth, Assistant Coach
● Darian "Deke" Adams, Assistant Coach
● Matt Rude, Assistant Coach
● Andrew Payette, Assistant Coach
● Keri Copley, Team Manager

The Spokane Jr. Chiefs 16UAA team is comprised of 19 talented players from across the region, ages 15-17. They are:

● Ayden Brinkley, Goaltender, Kamiakan High School - 10th grade, Kennewick, WA
● Jacob Brown, Forward, Mt. Spokane High School - 10th grade, Mead, WA
● Aidan Day*, Forward, Shadle Park High School - 10th grade, Spokane, WA
● Evan Fassbender, Forward, Ferris High School - 10th grade, Spokane, WA
● Dreasyn Fields^, Goaltender, Ferris High School - 10th grade, Spokane, WA
● Milo Gagnebin, Forward, West Valley High School - 9th grade, Spokane, WA
● Jensen Gates, Defense, Lakeside High School - 9th grade, Spokane Valley, WA
● Ryan Helton*, Defense, Mead High School - 11th grade, Spokane, WA
● Parker Johnson^, Forward, Mead High School - 10th grade, Spokane, WA
● Cooper Kile*, Forward, Mt. Spokane High School - 10th grade, Mead, WA
● Logan Knowles*, Defense, Acellus Academy - 10th grade, Spokane Valley, WA
● Rajan Matharu*, Forward, Mead High School - 11th grade, Kennewick, WA
● Ayecen McLeslie^, Forward, Newport High School - 10th grade, Newport, WA
● Brayden Payette*, Defense, Mead High School - 11th grade, Spokane, WA
● Hudson Picicci, Defense, Mead High School - 9th grade, Spokane, WA
● Colton Rue*, Defense, Mead High School - 10th grade, Spokane, WA
● Ezekial Salata, Forward, Lewis & Clark High School - 10th grade, Spokane, WA
● Xavier Seeber*, Defense, Pullman High School - 10th grade, Pullman, WA
● Grayden Westbrook^, Forward, Idaho Virtual Academy - 10th grade, Lewiston, ID

*Denotes a player returning to Nationals with the Jr. Chiefs for a second time
^Denotes a player returning to Nationals with the Jr. Chiefs for a third time

16UAA Coaching Staff/Manager
● Matthew Thurston, Head Coach
● Brody Aufderheide, Assistant Coach
● Terry Picicci, Assistant Coach
● Amy Knowles, Team Manager

Continuing SAYHA’s legacy of excellence, four players on the 16UAA team—Dreasyn Fields, Parker Johnson, Ace McLeslie, and Grayden Westbrook—are making their third USA Hockey National Tournament appearance in four seasons. Additionally, eight players—Aidan Day, Ryan Helton, Cooper Kile, Logan Knowles, Rajan Matharu, Brayden Payette, Colton Rue, and Xavier Seeber—are returning to Nationals for the second time in three seasons.

Speaking of legacy, Tyler Adams, captain of the 14UAA team, is the fourth member of his family to represent the Spokane Jr. Chiefs at the USA Hockey National Tournament. He follows in the footsteps of his brothers, Collin (2016 - 14UAA) and Jacob (2019 - 14UAA), as well as his father, Darian "Deke" Adams, who was part of the 1988 14UAA team that captured Spokane’s first—and only—National Championship. Hockey is a true family affair for the Adams family. Tyler’s mom, Nicole, serves as SAYHA’s Executive Director and holds roles as Second Vice President and Safe Sport Coordinator for PNAHA. His brother Jacob won the USPHL Elite National Championship with the Northern Cyclones (NH) last season and captained them to the USPHL National Semifinals this year. Even Tyler’s coach, Joe Fleckenstein, has deep ties to the family—he played alongside Collin growing up and was coached by Deke. Spokane’s hockey community is as tight-knit as they come!

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Supporting the Team: The Spokane Jr. Chiefs National-bound teams will be holding fundraisers and collecting monetary and in-kind donations to support the costs of their trip to
Nationals. To make a monetary donation, visit https://spokaneyouthhockey.com/2025-usa-hockey-nationals or text JRCHIEFS2025 to 53555.

About USA Hockey Nationals: The 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Youth Tier II National Championships will take place April 2-6, 2025, bringing together the top Tier II teams from across the country to compete for national titles. Hosted at various locations, the tournament showcases elite youth hockey talent at the 14U, 16U, and 18U levels. This year, the Spokane Jr. Chiefs 14UAA team will compete in Kalamazoo, Michigan, while the 16UAA team will take the ice in Wayne, New Jersey. Spokane Youth Hockey will represent the state of Washington in the Youth Tier II 14U 1A division’s National bracket, and the Youth Tier II 16U 2A division’s Liberty bracket. The national tournament begins with a round-robin stage followed by an elimination bracket. Each team will play at least three round robin games.

USA Hockey has been overseeing national championship events since 1938. As part of USA Hockey Nationals across the country, more than 4,000 players compete for American hockey top honors in various classifications. USA Hockey will hold Youth, Girls, High School, and Women’s championships in eleven different cities and ten states across the country in 2025. The event is a premier showcase of the nation’s top amateur players, highlighting the skill, dedication, and competitive spirit of youth hockey.

More information about the 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Youth Tier II National Championship is available at https://nationals.usahockey.com/2025nationals

About SAYHA: Founded in 1959, and celebrating our 65th anniversary serving the Spokane community, the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association (SAYHA), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is committed to the athletic and character development of youth hockey players. SAYHA is dedicated to individually developing our youth as hockey players while promoting leadership, teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect as we strive for excellence both on and off the ice.
SAYHA provides programming to over 450 players from across the Spokane area from ages 4-18 each season, beginning with Learn to Play and progressing to 18U national tournament-bound players with aspirations of college hockey and beyond. SAYHA operates as a year-round model, hosting specialty programs like Sled Hockey, goalie clinics, and girls clinics, off-season (spring/summer) camps and clinics for hundreds of players each year, and provides administrative support to the area's Special Hockey program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, SAYHA hosts 5 tournaments spanning our player age groups each season in addition to hosting state hockey tournaments and festivals. More information about Spokane Youth Hockey and the Spokane Jr. Chiefs can be found on our website at www.spokaneyouthhockey.com.

Media Contact:
Tony Baird, Public Relations Director 509-217-0754 | prdirector@spokanejrchiefs.com