Think of them as the Elite 8. Whether it’s winning titles and setting records or simply displaying uncanny school pride, this collection of players from around the Empire State has made a difference on the scholastic hockey scene. This article appears in the November/December print edition of New … [Read more...]
Fed champs savor bonds of unique banner seasons
Goalies stole the show and new Fed champs were crowned. And that’s just for starters. Lancaster, Kenmore West, St. Francis and Williamsville walked off the ice as champions as the Western New York Varsity Ice Hockey Federation and WNY Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Federation crowned their champions, … [Read more...]
COVID safe ring ceremony helps unite Clinton High champs
It was more than just about handing out rings. It was a reminder to every girl that they mattered, and that this was a family. On Dec. 8, the Section III Clinton girls varsity gathered for a socially distant ceremony in which the members of the team received their NYSPHSAA championship rings. The … [Read more...]
As COVID challenges our mental health, North Rockland Youth Hockey helps players maintain a sense of purpose
Anne Marie Parente was on the verge of tears. Not because her boys — Charlie and Vincent — were about to win a championship. But because they were smiling for the pure joy of playing the game they love. “It’s incredible. It’s great,” Parente said. “And I’ll be very honest — if they told us tomorrow … [Read more...]
Massena High goalie Casey Hooper has been a mentor to younger players
Casey Hooper is a different breed of goalie. He is very confident in his ability, but he never forgets that there is always room to grow, room to improve. “It just comes down to how I think,” Hooper said. “I don’t want to be too overconfident and I want to be able to work with the team and not just … [Read more...]
Stricken by a heart tumor, L.I. Gulls player Richie Bovich faced long odds
Johanna Bovich remembers being frozen with fear as she watched from the stands on that horrible Saturday last January. Her son Richie, just 11, had just mysteriously collapsed on the ice, and she felt powerless to aid him. Bovich, a member of the Long Island Gulls U-12 team, was in front of the … [Read more...]