photo credit: Malak Chahboub
The puck has dropped for the hockey team’s season and the team has high expectations. Last season the team finished with a respectable win/loss record of 18-15-3 and aim for more than twenty wins this season.
Senior and varsity team captain Aarav Gala is a part of a Jain temple, has a 4.3 GPA, plans to attend The Ohio State University, plays tennis and is involved in the school and the community. His teammates voted him for captain based on his positive attitude and people skills.
“We have a special group of guys on this team, and everyone is invested this year, so I try to make it my No. 1 priority to make sure everyone’s voice is heard and that everyone understands what is asked of them,” Gala said.
Senior and varsity team captain Jack Parsons works at the Lakes Golf and Country Club, has a 4.0 GPA, plans to attend Ohio University and is involved in the school and community. His teammates voted him for captain based on his level head and leadership skills.
“Being captain means I get to represent the team and set an example for future years. My No. 1 priority is pushing every player to play their absolute best,” Parsons said.
Central Ohio high school varsity hockey is organized into three divisions: red, white and blue. The school’s team is in the white division which includes Orange, Dublin Jerome, Dublin Coffman and St. Xavier.
“This year my main goal for the team and one of the team’s main goals is to contend for a district title and win the white division,” Gala said.
The team plays all other Olentangy teams this season and aims to come out on top in those rivalry matchups.
“My biggest goal team wise is to beat all the other Olentangy schools this year but another goal we have is to always play as hard as possible no matter what team we play,” Parsons said.
This season, the team has brand new black out alternate jerseys. For a school team that doesn’t always get a lot of hype, the players and fans are amped to see these jerseys on ice.
“The black jerseys turned out cool, and they are my personal favorite jerseys of ours. They really bring a lot of excitement to the game especially in the locker room and with the student section,” Gala said.
Toward the end of each high school hockey season, there is the highly regarded and competitive CBJ Cup tournament. Last season, the team lost in a heart wrenching loss that ended in five overtime periods.
“I’m most looking forward to the CBJ cup tournament because this year we have the team to not only make the top bracket but to also make a run in it,” Gala said.
Orange hockey parent and Orange Middle staff member Melissa Perry has been a program manager for several years now. Through her years managing the program, Perry has seen the program adopt different cultures and identities based on the players’ values.
“This year the program has players that genuinely want to see each other succeed on and off the ice. They support each other, they celebrate each other and generally respect what each person brings to the locker room. This creates a camaraderie that allows them to stay focused and handle adversity on the ice,” Perry said.
The team’s win/loss record is currently 5-6 with notable wins versus Gahanna Lincoln, Olentangy and Liberty. The team gained some firepower with sophomore forward Maverick Scholvin in his first year with the team.
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