Hockey team advances to state championship

The varsity hockey team won their first round playoff matchup against Shreveport by a score of 3-1, advancing them to the state championship, which will be played on Sunday, March 28 in Plano against their rival, Highland Park.

“I have been shocked at how well the team has stepped up,” head coach Jason Day said. “We have well over half the team being freshman and sophomores, and for them to step up and play hard has been what made this team so successful this year. Moving from JV to varsity is a big leap, and this team stumbled at first but quickly adjusted themselves and now find themselves playing for the championship this weekend.”

The team had a rough start, according to Day, but players like Andrew Houser and Jimmy Thorpe have helped turn the team around.

“Jimmy Thorpe [sophomore] has really stood out this season because he is a great leader and leads our team by example,” freshman Clayton Crews said. “Andrew Houser [junior] has also stood out because he is a really strong player with a lot of talent, and that helps our team win games.”

Sophomore forward Jake Schuler mentioned that the team is comfortable playing at the varsity level this season, despite the rough start.

“This season has gone really well because we took a huge step this season in moving up to the varsity level, and I think we fit in well in our new league,” sophomore Jake Schuler said.

The team finished the regular season in fourth place with a record of 9-7-2, and their championship opponent, Highland Park, finished the regular season in second place, with a record of 12-5-1.

“The state championship will definitely be a tough game,” Day said. “However, if we continue to play with 100% effort, like we did against Shreveport, I have no doubt that we will win that game.”