The hockey team was preparing for weeks to try to beat Churchill on Nov 18. In what was a close and hard fought game, the boys lost 3-2. Right after Churchill scored a goal in the first 30 seconds of the game, sophomore Hunter Band tied it up just a few minutes later. The team was down a man during the goal due to a penalty, which typically makes it harder to score. “Scoring that goal early on took a lot of pressure off of me,” Band said.
If it weren’t for a few mistakes, the game could’ve had a totally different outcome. “If I didn’t take a 12-minute penalty, I think we could’ve won the game, or tied at the very least,” junior Zack Lechner said.
Churchill capitalized on that 12 minute penalty with a goal when senior defender Nic Band had a penalty of his own at the same time.
Senior Drew Keppler played a good game, letting up only three goals to Churchill, the defending state champs
The team had the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend off but continued to play the following Friday, Dec. 2, against Walter Johnson. That game also ended 3-2, just like the Churchill game, but the difference was this game was a win. The WJ game the first game that freshman Colin Brick received ample playing time. Tied 2-2 with just a few minutes left, freshman Xeming Chen found senior Kun Do on a cross ice pass for the game winner. Chen has showed a lot of improvement during his first year on the team. Lechner stayed out of the penalty box and had many scoring opportunities, but couldn’t capitalize.
On Dec. 5, the team had their first game versus a team not in the county: Georgetown Prep. It was their worst performance to date, losing 9-3. Prep controlled the game from the first face off and never looked back. Lechner and Nic Band continued adding to their already high point totals as they each had a goal, while senior Steven Fan had a goal of his own. The Prep game was the first that the two goalies split time, and they played pretty evenly. Keppler let five in, while Brick let four in. The even play between the two is why the coaches have a tough decision each game with who to start in goal.
The team is still playing without sophomore John Billingsley as he has been resting his hip since the season opener. He was expected to be back for Churchill over two weeks ago, but isn’t able yet.
Hockey’s next game was Friday Dec. 9 against the DC stars, but the game was too late to be covered in this issue.

Max Pasternak

Business Manager