This article was written by Benjamin Bourgeois, a senior in the journalism class at U-32.
The U-32 boys hockey team is about to kick off their 30th season.They hope to have more of a playoff presence than has been seen in years past.
For the last few years, the hockey team has been a primarily young group of boys with most of their players being freshman. The team did not secure a win in the 2018-2019 season.
The boys of the team now have grown up and now the team is supporting a 16 senior team. All of the lines have a strong senior presence .
The team has most of the same faces this year with Noland Lyford, Shane and Lance Starr, Tae Rossmassler, Hazen Stoulfer, Brenden Tedeschi along with star goalie Dunkin mathies all being key seniors coming back for the 2022-2023 season.
Scouting was not a priority other teams have played interest in U-32 however. “We’ve noticed a couple of coaches coming in and guys but it’s good because our full team hasn’t really been at the preseason yet, due to the soccer team making it to the semi finals and the football team. So we haven’t had our full roster yet.” Lance Starr said, “So they are probably sleeping on us. That’s a good thing.”
“I think last season was really good. Other than a lot of adversity in the beginning of the year.” Said Lyford, “Once everyone was healthy again, we really put a team together and we won. I think it was like nine straight in a row. ”
Pre-season practice has already started for the U-32 boys hockey team. The team practices for an hour and then does skating for 40 minutes of that time ending off practice with flow drills and stick handling. “But we’ll switch into more stick handling flow drills Scripto type stuff later on in the season after more cardio ready,” said Lance Starr.
The team is starting off by scrimmaging teams from New York,“…we’re scrimmaging out of state teams, Hanover and Plattsburgh, which we haven’t done in a very long time” Said Lance.
CVU is going to be the teams first home game on Wednesday December 12. Along with them starting off the season with three games away with the first of those being against Spaulding.
With the team having a lot of hard fought games this year the team can agree on, “Hartford is the main problem,” said Shane Starr, 3rd team defenceman for U-32. Shane also named Milton and Middlebury as strong teams that will compete against U-32 this year. Middlebruy is going to be a strong Division 2 team and the same goes for the Milton team also being a strong division two team. U-32 does not turn to a mostly Division 2 schedule until later in the season, mostly playing Division 1 teams early on.
Last season the team faced a lot of adversity. Many of the players got sick and games were canceled. “But once everyone was healthy again, we really put a team together and we won. I think it was like nine straight in a row,” said Lyford.
Along with that Lyford also said “ Scribner incoming freshmen who should be pretty good on the back end.”
Corey Robbinson, the offensive coach for the U-32 Hockey team is optimistic about the season. The coaches are currently unable to work with the team yet.They won’t be about to coach until 2 weeks before that first game. “We’re lucky enough to have two volunteer coaches. Mark Sciarrotta, who’s son plays on the team River, and Roy Shift,” said Corey.
“Vermont being so small as you know, the returning players for most of the teams,” said Corey. He agrees with Shanes statement that Hartford will be the major problem going into the playoffs for U32.
“A lot of kids that started as freshmen had a really tough season as freshmen,” Corey said. “I think they’re looking to finish their career with something special.”
