Hockey team joins new, more competitive league
This season the York hockey team joined a higher skilled league that will challenge the team in unprecedented ways. They are now playing in the Scholastic Hockey League (SHL), meaning the team will now be facing off against faster, much more competitive teams from the area.
Varsity hockey takes a break during a third-period time out.
“We joined the Scholastic League this year. It’s basically the top league in the state,” Bruce Turpin, the varsity team’s coach, said. “We’re playing New Trier, Glenbrook South, Glenbrook North, Fenwick, and then Carmel of Indiana, Loyala Academy and Barrington.”
With a collection of the best teams in the area, the league will be much more difficult than last year.
“It’s a pretty big step up… Now when you go out there, you’re forced to go to the best of your ability,” Ethan Horne, junior and varsity player, said. “They play perfectly as a team. It’s tough for us to match that and work as hard as they do.”
Because the teams are have a much higher skill level than last year, the players know that they have to approach their games with an entirely new mentality, both on and off the ice.
“It’s definitely faster hockey, you gotta focus before every game,” junior and varsity player Liam Gardener said. “You gotta come prepared to play… you gotta fight every game.”
The hockey team heads into the locker room after their game.
In addition to the increased difficulty from the SHL, the team has also lost many of its senior players, and many JV players have had to step up to take their place.
“It was definitely big, we lost I think twelve [seniors],” Elliot Fafinski, senior and previous varsity player, said. “So that’s twelve new guys that had to step up… it’s a lot of adjusting for the new varsity guys.”
Despite the increased challenge, the team has surpassed expectations and is playing strong so far.
“We’ve played three league games so far, we’re two and one,” varsity coach Bruce Turpin said. “We’ve got a good team but we’re gonna have to learn how to compete every night so I don’t think we’re quite there yet.”
The players get ready for a face-off.
The added challenge, although difficult for the team, is actually part of why the SHL is a good move for the team.
“I really think it’s a good opportunity and a really good advertisement for the club,” junior and varsity player Ethan Horne said. “We’re playing these good teams that play state every year so it’s good competition for us. It helps us grow as a team, helps us build character and skill. It’s overall a good move, and puts us in the right direction.”
Matt Fanelli is a senior and is looking forward to his second year on newspaper and yearbook. As an opinion editor, he hopes to be able to expand the opinion...
