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The quarterfinal brackets are set for the Midstates Club Hockey Association’s Challenge Cup and Wickenheiser Cup tournaments and both tournaments will have new champions this winter.

Several lower seeded teams broke though in the Challenge Cup while top seeded teams prevailed in the Wickenheiser Cup.

Top-seeded CBC advanced to the quarterfinals in the Challenge Cup along with No. 4 Marquette, No. 7 De Smet, No. 8 Lafayette, No. 10 Priory and No. 12 Summit.

Defending back-to-back Challenge Cup champion St. Louis University High was eliminated in pool play. Lafayette, the defending Wickenheiser Cup champion, is in the Challenge Cup this year.

In the Challenge Cup, CBC meets Summit. Game 1 is at 8:25 p.m. Friday at Affton. Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Webster Groves. De Smet meets Kirkwood at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Queeny and in Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Queeny. Marquette meets Lafayette at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Queeny and then in Game 2 at 7:50 p.m. Monday at Maryville. Priory plays Vianney at 10:05 p.m. Friday at Affton and then in Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

In pool play, CBC went 3-0. The Cadets defeated Marquette 7-1, Summit 12-2 and Chaminade 5-1. De Smet advanced by beating Francis Howell 5-0, losing 3-1 to Kirkwood but tying St. Louis University High 4-4. Lafayette moved on by beating Chaminade 2-1, Marquette 4-3 and losing 6-2 to Summit. Marquette lost to Lafayette and CBC but defeated Edwardsville 6-0. Priory tied SLHU 3-3 and then beat Francis Howell 4-3 and Kirkwood 3-0.

In the Wickenhesier Cup, two West County schools advanced. No. 5-seeded Westminster Christian Academy along with No.10 Parkway West reached the quarterfinal. Other teams playing will be No. 1 Oakville, 2 Lindbergh, No. 3 Duchesne, No. 4 Fort Zumwalt East, No. 6 Seckman and No. 9 Fox.

Westminster plays Fort Zumwalt East at 7:45 p.m. at the Rec-Plex in St. Peters with Game 2 set for 7:20 p.m. Monday at Centene. Parkway West meets Oakville at 6:20 p.m. Friday at Maryville with Game 2 scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at South County.

In pool play, Parkway West defeated Ladue 4-2, Fort Zumwalt West 5-2 and lost 7-3 to Lindbergh. Westminster topped Clayton 7-2 and Holt 2-0 before falling 4-2 to Fort Zumwalt East.

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After a year hiatus, Lutheran South Lancers hockey is back.

After graduating 12 players following the 2015-16 season, Lutheran South was unable to field a varsity team last year – and could barely fill a junior varsity roster with the Mid-States Club Hockey Association. But after a one-year hiatus, the Lancers' varsity squad is back on the ice.

"There's a lot of dedication," Lutheran South hockey head coach Mike McWilliams said. "Hockey's not something where you just go out and play on Saturday afternoon. A lot of these kids play on other clubs, and we practice several times a week."

The junior varsity players have now helped Lutheran South build a varsity team of 18 players, 11 of which are freshman.

"As a program, that's great because you're looking at it from a four-year standpoint, not a game-to-game or a season," he said.

But the rebuilding process has its share of growing pains. Lutheran South (1-4) lost 10-4 against the Webster Groves Skatesmen (3-3) on Dec. 5.

"It's painful, even though you know you're rebuilding," McWilliams said.

The Lancers fell behind early in the game against Webster, trailing 6-1 after the first period.

"We're a really young team," McWilliams said. "Sometimes they lose motivation and we're playing Webster and (their head coach) Dave Garth – the guy's a legend. His teams are always prepared, and they're older than us."

Despite going head-to-head against the older, more experienced Skatesmen, the Lancers held their own in the second and third periods. But it wasn't enough to overcome the first period, and the Skatesmen defeated the Lancers 10-4.

For Coach McWilliams, whose hockey knowledge stems from his days as an amateur hockey player in 1967, the opportunity to share his understanding and love for the game comes with open arms. The veteran hockey coach has spent time coaching at Rockwood Summit and Lindbergh high schools, as well as his time with the Lancers.

"We were told, 'You have to give back to the game or the game will never grow,'" he said.

And with such a young squad, it will be the gift that keeps on giving.