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WELLS - Alex Wyckoff paid the price for sloughing off during the summer, and turned it into an award.

The Escanaba High School hockey goalie was named "King of Camp" Thursday when the first week of practice ended. He finished one point ahead of Kyle Bernard following a series of physical conditioning sessions this week.

"I've lost about 12 pounds," the 200-pound senior said after leaving the ice at the Wells Sports Complex. "I came here wanting to get in better shape. I came in here pudgy.

"I played hockey in summer but I didn't work out as much as I should have."

The players participated in a two-mile run outdoors, bench press, squats, leg dips and a shuttle run. Points were awarded on what each player accomplished. "Running is not my strong point," said Wyckoff, who received 20 bonus points for being the only player at each morning workout.

He also took advantage of the opportunity to do one event over, and his 21 reps at 115 pounds in the bench press sent him ahead of Bernard, who held a big lead but did not do a repeat.

"Pushing harder can get you farther, that extra notch," Wyckoff said of the lesson learned for doing the extra rep.

"I was shocked (to win) with guys like Troy (Rodman) and Kyle. I didn't think I could do it," he said.

Wyckoff said he was not going to make a big deal of finishing ahead of his teammates, or even push the fact that a goalie beat out all the skaters.

"The game is changing so much. Coach (Charlie Elliott) says a goalie has to be an athlete and one of the best skaters and durable," Wyckoff said.

"It was a goal (to win), something you shoot for but I never thought I would get it done. I worked hard at it."

The first week of practice continues with exhibition games against Petoskey tonight (7 p.m.) and Saturday (1:30) at Wells. Elliott is in his first season at the helm, with returning assistants Bryce Groleau, Matt Hughes and Andy Johnson.

"I like his demeanor, his coaching things," said Wyckoff. "He is running this like a triple A team rather than a high school team. He is bringing a competitive edge to the game. He was a defenseman at Michigan State and he will bring some defensive aspects this year."

Asked what he has detected from his teammates in just one week, Wyckoff said "there is a different swagger. Everyone is working hard, there is better camaraderie, a lot of hope this year.

"Coach has high expectations and we feel them. We don't want to disappoint him."

Elliott, who has held 6:30 a.m. workouts for the past month, said the King of Camp "gave us a real baseline where the kids are at, their commitment, their conditioning. It gave us a read on kids we knew nothing about. It gave us enough to make some thoughtful decisions (on player cuts)."

The Eskymos open the season Nov. 20-21 in an Alpena tournament, then host Marquette Dec. 1. Mike Williams was selected team captain while Rodman and Kirk Millette are assistant captains.

Wyckoff said plans are underway to build hockey enthusiasm by holding an "orange crush" night against Marquette and a cancer benefit game later with help of the Blue Line Club.