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Jets net NAHL honors

A phone call caught Ross Mauermann of Janesville by surprise Tuesday.

The Janesville Jets’ forward was informed he was one of five Jets named to the North American Hockey League’s third annual Top Prospects Tournament on Jan. 18-20 at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The event will feature all-star teams from the NAHL’s Central, North, South and West Divisions competing in a three-game, round-robin tournament.

“Actually, I didn’t know it was the 29th (selection day),” said Mauermann, a Janesville Parker High School graduate. “I didn’t think that was (Tuesday), I forgot about it.’’

Joining Mauermann on the North Division team are Jets’ teammates Rui Encarnarcao, Derek Jacobson, Mike Schenfeld and Matt Wichorek. Jets’ coach Dane Litke will assist coaching the North.

Mauermann has taken 84 shots on goal in 28 games. He has 22 points, second best on the team, including six goals and 16 assists. Encarnarcao, a forward, has taken 93 shots and leads the Jets with 28 points, including 17 goals and 10 assists.

Jacobson, a forward, has 16 points, Schenfeld, a defenseman, has 10 points and Wichorek, the Jets’ goaltender, has a 9-7 record with 439 saves.

Mauermann said his biggest adjustment is playing at a faster pace.

“It’s the speed of the game,” Mauermann said. “Other than that, you just go out there and play hockey.’’

The Top Prospects tournament draws coaches and scouts from top college hockey programs. Nearly 30 players who participated in last year’s Top Prospects Tournament earned scholarships to Division I schools.

“I want to play Division 1,” Mauermann said. “Being named to this team in my first year is a big thing. Not all first-years get this chance, it’s pretty amazing.’’