Burbank Bears youth hockey team dominates on ice and classroom

ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KABC) -- Losing in the national championship tournament last year motivated the Burbank Bears this year.

"We all wanted to get back there and give it another run. So this is the last step today, " said head coach Peter Torsson.

Before the state final Sunday in San Diego, he tried to inspire his hockey team.

"Billions of people don't get to feel this way today. Appreciate it. You want to be happy for a lifetime, go win a championship," Torsson told his team.

The Burbank Bears skated into the state championship game ranked No. 1 in the nation.

This team is as sharp as the blades on their skates. They went 54-4-3 this year.

A close game early turned into a rout.

The Bears scored four goals in the second period and won a second straight state championship with a 10-1 victory over Golden State Elite of Northern California.

"This group of kids, our team, worked the hardest. No one works harder than us," said 14-year-old Bryan Morse.

But there's another win here. One that transcends the box score.

"Our GPA on this team is unbelievable. It's 4.0," Torsson said.

Virtually every 14-year-old was offered high school scholarship money to a prep school next year.

"In California it gets difficult, the older you get, to play high-end hockey and do well academically," said Paul Kaplan, the Burbank Bears vice president.

Their head coach said this state championship team has generated over $1.3 million in scholarships over four years.

"They've got a very bright future. I couldn't be more proud of them," Torsson said.

The win over Golden State Elite in the state finals sends them to nationals in April in New York.