The varsity hockey team is having yet another solid season under Head Coach Mr. Pat O’ Rourke ’90. The team’s record stands at 15-4-3 after winning the Miami (Ohio) tournament and the Purple Puck tournament in Washington, D.C., which featured top teams from five states and the District of Columbia. They were runners-up to Toledo St. John in the Padua Tournament.
This year’s team has caught some people by surprise, as it was expected to be a rebuilding year. “We lost 13 seniors from last year’s very talented squad,” said Coach O’Rourke. “We have reloaded mostly with youngsters that many people thought were a year away, if they knew them at all. A lot of pundits predicted us to finish in fifth or sixth place in the division, but, so far, we have exceeded expectations. A lot of credit for that has to go to our three senior captains, Miles McQuinn, Alex McNulty, and Joe Malone.
The team has some tough games coming up to end the season. It will finish out by playing Lake Catholic, Gilmour Academy, Shaker Heights, Strongsville, and St. Edward. They also travel to Meadville, Pa., for a tournament Jan. 18-20.
“One of the challenges that faces us as we make the stretch run is to stay humble and keep working hard,” said Coach O’Rourke. “Sometimes, players can get heady when they have some early success–the trick is to never forget what got you there in the first place, which is hard work and persistence.
The Baron Cup begins February 6 and the District Tournament on February
