16U ESMARK Defenseman and Goaltender SELECTED AS APEX LEARNING PEAK PERFORMERs

The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) has announced its Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performers for the month of November.  The players were selected based upon their performance at the third NAPHL event of the season, which took place in Denver, CO, Nov. 11 - 13, 2016. 

William "Billy" Rapone, a defenseman with the Esmark Stars U16 team, was selected as the Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performer U16 #3 star - defense, and Adam Ulan, a goaltender for the Stars U16 club, was selected as the Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performer U16 #2 star - goaltender, for their performances in Esmark's four games at the Showcase.

Rapone and Ulan helped lead a stingy Esmark defense that finished the Showcase 3-0-0-1 and kept the Stars near the top of the standings in NAPHL play with only two showcases remaining in the regular season.

Ulan opened the showcase backstopping a 4-0 shutout over the Valley Forge Minutemen, stopping all 19 shots he faced. Rapone registered an assist in the win and finished with a +3 ranking for the game. In the second game of the showcase, a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Madison Capitols,  Ulan came on in relief in the game and stopped all 9 shots he face in almost two periods of action to pick up his second win of the showcase in goal.  Rapone registered an assist in the win, as the Stars fought back from a 3-0 deficit to earn the win. In game three, Rapone scored a goal on the power play and added another assist, as the Stars overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to beat the California Titans 5-3.  He finished the game with four shots on goal. In the Showcase finale, the U16 Stars dropped a 3-2 game to Meijer AAA in overtime, denying them a chance to skate away with all eight points. Rapone picked up another assist, his fourth of the Showcase and added three more shots on goal for the Stars. Ulan was saddled with the overtime loss, despite turning away 27 of 30 Meijer shots. The loss was Ulan's first in NAPHL action, where he now leads the league, for goalies with action in at least seven games, with a goals against average of 1.07 and a save percentage of .949 while posting a record of 6-0-0-1.

Ulan was previously honored by the NAPHL as Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performer U16 #2 star - goaltender, for his performances in Esmark's opening showcase in Blaine, MN,  Sept. 22 - 25, 2016.

The NAPHL is comprised of five regular-season events leading up to its Championship Tournament Series in which the top teams in each division compete for a league championship. The fourth NAPHL event of the 2016-17 season will be the NAPHL Showcase and Future Prospects Tournament, which will take place from Dec. 2 - 5, 2016 in Blaine, MN.

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