The Strongsville Boys’ Varsity Hockey Team has had an outstanding season so far. They had a long lasting winning streak that unfortunately came to an end on Sunday, February 13, when they lost against Western Reserve Academy 6-1 in the Baron Cup II Final. 

    Previous to this loss, the team had a streak of 7 wins in a row, and they hope to continue their season and make it to the State Championship. The varsity squad put in a great effort to hold their winning streak for as long as they could as they battled it out on the ice against their opponents.

    When asked if the team had switched up any training techniques or mindsets that have     contributed to their recent winning streak, player Dan Mutti, left wing, stated, “I think our hard work that we’ve put into practices has really paid off helping us continue our winning streak.” When asked the same question, Ryan Suts, center/forward, responded by explaining, “We recently have been working on a lot of shooting in practice that contributes to all of our goals in the game time.” It’s obvious that the extra work put in during practice has paid off during games.  

    Practice makes perfect, but everyone has superstitions that they believe help contribute to their success. Brett Kappel, forward, was asked about his rituals or techniques pre-game and he revealed that he does, “Nothing too crazy, but I put on my left shin guard first then right, and my right skate on first before my left every single game.”
Kappel was also asked about his teammates, and he spoke very highly of the seniors. “It feels great,” he explained. “Our team has put in a lot of work throughout the whole season, we have a great group of seniors who have led the way, and all the hard work has really paid off.” 

 Hockey is a team sport, and all the boys seem to have a great bond that shows when they play.

    While the team works hard and is focused during games and practices, they seem to have fun together off the ice. From bus rides, to listening to music together, and even playing Fortnite, this team enjoys each other’s company and works hard so that they all can succeed. In fact, a couple of the boys interviewed have had some amazing accomplishments this season. Dan Mutti made the first team in the White West League of the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League and Brett Kappel made the second team. 

Altogether, the 2022 winter hockey season has been nothing but a winning season.