The Varsity Gold Boys’ Hockey team, one of South’s hockey teams, is entering their 50th season in the Scholastic Hockey League (SHL), and the team is more motivated than ever, finding themselves ranked fifth in the SHL with a current record of 15-4-3, senior defensemen Aiden Weller, said.
Last season, the team ended their season with a record of 22-7-1, punching their ticket to the state playoffs. The varsity team made it all the way to the Elite Eight against St. Ignatius High School, but fell short after a 4-1 loss, Weller said. After 22 games this season and a tournament win in the CCM Chicago World Invite, a tournament featuring over 500 teams from North America, the team is ready to take on the challenge of making their way back to the state playoffs, Weller said.
“Winning the CCM World Invite [felt] great because of the way we did it,” Weller said. “We had to battle back in a lot of games after starting the tournament with a tie and comeback from being down, so it showed a lot of character.”
One of the keys to the team’s early success is freshman goalie Thomas Preston, the first freshman goalie in over 20 years. He has already become an asset to the team, Weller said. After watching him play for Falcons Hockey Association, one of the largest youth hockey clubs in Illinois, Jimmy Philbin Jr., Varsity Gold Head Coach, knew Preston would be up for the challenge this year.
Additionally on the defensive end, varsity is led by Captain Ryan Mulvey, who is ranked as a top four defenseman in the SHL. As for the offense, the team is led by their eight returning varsity players, including junior forward Blake Hoffer and senior forward Ben Stevens, who have helped South score in seven of their last eight games.
“We [have] a great group of guys returning from last year’s team, and it [is] important for [players] with experience to help out the rookies on and off the ice,” Weller said. “Giving younger players advice on how to handle a different style and speed of play at the varsity level is a big thing.”
In addition to the strong start by the Varsity Gold team, the Varsity Blue team, South’s lower-level varsity team, has begun the season 5-2 after finishing last season with a record of 16-8-2 and second in the Academic Hockey League (AHL). After losing to New Trier, 6-1 in the semifinals last year, Jimmy Philbin Jr., has his eyes set on their rematch against Glenbrook North. “The boys are most excited for our game [against North] on November 26,” Philbin Jr. said. “We [are] looking forward to getting the job done on home ice.”
After beginning the season with a 1-2 record, with losses to York and New Trier, the team has put up a 4-0 record since picking up wins against St. Ignatius, Carmel, Stevenson, and Lake Forest Academy, Philbin Jr. said. The emphasis on playing complementary hockey on either side of the puck, allowed for the team to take off in the last four weeks.
“Every drill, every practice, [and] every shift of every game our guys are getting better,” Philbin Jr. said. “It’s rare to see this much progress this early, but it says something about our group’s work ethic.”
In order to get back to the semifinals this year, Philbin Jr. has confidence that his veteran players, including junior defenseman Anthony Pinto and senior forward Mitchell Adams, will serve as leaders to a largely inexperienced roster.
“It [is] a whole new group, [and] it presents new challenges and struggles,” Philbin Jr. said. “[However], the group has bought into what we are trying to accomplish, [which is to] win the AHL. [They have] shown we can [do more than] just compete with the top teams in the league; [we can] be a top team.”
