The Prior Lake boys hockey team will be well represented in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League.

The Lakers have players in the fall competition and all of them will play for Team Southwest. Senior Kevin Fellows will skate in the league for a third straight year, while senior Jack Harris will make his second appearance. Seniors Ryan Murray and Chase Gackle and sophomore Jackson Jutting will be first-timers.

The Elite League was founded in 2007 to give the state’s top players another way to find top-flight competition and exposure without leaving their homes or missing all of the great experiences that high school hockey provides. Training camps are held in August with games September through October.

There are eight teams in the league — seven from Minnesota and one from Wisconsin.

Overall, there are 18 South Suburban Conference players competing in the league this fall with Lakeville South leading with six skaters. Burnsville and Lakeville North each have three representatives, while Farmington has one.

For Prior Lake, it's the fourth straight year it will have players in the Elite League, starting with one in 2012, two in 2013, three in 2014 and four last year.

Prior Lake had a strong season last year, earning a program-best 20 wins (20-8) and competing in the Section 2AA title game at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. It was the first time the Lakers had played for a section crown since becoming a Class 2A program at the start of the 2003 season. The team also snapped five straight defeats in the section semifinals (2011 to 2015).

Eden Prairie denied the Lakers the title with a 4-2 win. Prior Lake also tied for the SSC title last winter with Lakeville North, finishing with a 16-2 mark.

Fellows had 16 goals and 23 assists for the Lakers last year in his third varsity season. His 39 points were third on the team.

Jutting had a strong first season on the varsity with 12 goals and 16 assists as a ninth-grader. Gackle had four goals and 13 assists in his second varsity season.

Murray and Harris have been part of a strong defensive core for the Lakers the last few seasons. The defense allowed just two goals per game last winter. Murray finished the season with four goals and 11 assists, while Harris had four goals and seven assists.

For more on the Elite League rosters, go to http://www.hselitehockey.com/news/final-rosters-set-for-july-24-tryout.