The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) has announced its Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performers for the month of September. 

The players were selected based upon their performance at the September opening NAPHL event, which took place in Blaine, MN, Sept. 18-20, 2020.

The 15U Esmark Stars had a pair of players (defenseman  Braden Burkey and goaltender Andrew Krakora) recognized as a Peak Performers in the 15U AAA Division, as the team skated to a 2-1-0-1 record at the event.

Burkey was selected as the number one star - Defenseman for the 15U Division, as the 5’5"/130 lbs. defenseman from Duncansville, PA, recorded four points, all assists, in four games played.

Krakora was selected as the number three star -  Goaltender for the 15U Division, as the 5’10"/155 lbs. goalie from Pittsburgh, PA, recorded three wins (2-1-0-1) while allowing only seven goals in three plus games played. This included a relief appearance, after an injury to Stars goaltender Ian Amaranto, in which he completed a shutout, stopping all four shots he faced and earning the win in a 1-0 shutout win over Michigan Hockey Academy; stopping 34 of 37 shots in a 4-3 overtime / shootout loss to the Janesville Jets; stopping 16 of 18 shots he faced in a 9-2 win over the Colorado Springs Tigers; and stopping 34 of 37 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Walleye.  In total, Krakora stoped 88 of 95 shots he faced in three plus games.

Likewise, the 18U Esmark Stars also had two players (forward Michael Felsing and goaltender Nathan Dickey) recognized as Peak Performers in the 18U AAA Division, as the team skated to a 3-1-0-0 record at the event.

Felsing was selected as the number two star for 18U forwards as the 5’11"/165 lbs. center from Pittsburgh, PA, recorded eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in four games, including five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in a 8-1 win over TRC Academy.

Dickey was selected as the number three star for 18U goaltenders as the 6’1"/170 lbs. goalie from Butler, PA, recorded three wins (3-0-0-0) while allowing only three goals in three games played. This included a 3-1 win over the Arizona Bobcats; a 3-1 win over the Colorado Springs Tigers, and a 8-1 win over TRC Academy. In total, Dickey stoped 66 of 69 shots he faced in three games.

The 16U Esmark Stars had one player (goaltender Blaise Becker) recognized as a Peak Performer in the 16U AAA Division, as the team also skated to a 3-1-0-0 record at the event.

Becker was selected as the number three star - goalie for the 16U division as the 6’1"/165 lbs. goalie from Phoenix, AZ, recorded two wins (2-0-0-0) in two games played, including a 5-1 win over Meijer AAA, stopping 14 of 15 shots, and a 4-2 win over the Arizona Bobcats, stopping 15 of 16 shots he faced.