WOODBURY ー The Shepaug Spartans co-op brought high-energy action to the rink at the Frederick Gunn School on Jan. 15 as the Spartans claimed a victory 9-1 against Housatonic. Even with pushing and shoving, the players from Shepaug, Nonnewaug, and Lakeview still managed a win.
Henry Keil, a junior captain from NHS, reflects on the chaos on the ice, describing how the constant violence made it nearly impossible to focus on anything other than the intensity of the hits but he knew his team could handle it.
“The game went well. We kept our composure very well and we played well, too,” said Keil. “They were a really rough and physical team, so with all the crazy hits and penalties, it would be tough for any team to stay focused on playing the game right, but we did a really good job with that.”
Peyton Thomas, a senior at Shepaug, described the game as an unpredictable battle that kept everyone on edge with its physicality and unexpected turns.
“Last night’s game put us in a position our team hasn’t been in before,” said Thomas. “It tested our control of our minds and bodies and tested each player’s character.”
Connor Segers, a junior from Nonnewaug had a bit of a different opinion then the rest, but there was no doubt in his mind that the game was just any old hockey game.
“We expect that type of physicality coming into the game,” said Segers. “We know their style of play, and I think we were ready for it. It’s a tough game to play; it’s always physical but especially against them. It’s nice to have those types of games every once in a while.”
Senior captain and goalie Miles Wilson appreciates the team’s maturity and commitment to maintaining composure, even in the face of possible danger, reinforcing their focus on winning.
“I think during yesterday’s game, we showed a great level of self-discipline with not retaliating to their nonsense,” said Wilson. “We embodied the importance of sportsmanship with what we could control.”
With the team’s record tying at 4-4, can the Spartans end the season on the upswing? The team has many goals set in mind they are reaching to achieve during the rest of the season. Wilson is working to make his last year as a Spartan a season to remember.
“The main goal for us is to continue to build as a team as the season goes on,” said Wilson. “We have had a solid start to the season, but we still have a lot of room for improvement. SWC playoffs and a home state game is not out of reach for us, and if we continue to work hard at practices, we can achieve that goal.”
Thomas looks forward to the rest of the season knowing his team will grow as they move farther along in the season.
“Looking ahead to the rest of the season, we are looking to work hard each night at practice and get 1% better every day,” said Thomas.
The Spartans all know everyone always has room to improve. Keil expresses the overall main goal for the team in hopes to eventually make that goal a reality.
“One of our goals since the start of the season was to make conference playoffs and host a playoff game, and so far it’s looking pretty good,” said Keil.
Reflecting on the team’s success, Segers expresses his joy, saying that the opportunity for everyone to play and work together in such a different game was truly fulfilling.
“Every kid on our team played and we had multiple people score their first varsity goals,” said Segers. “It’s great to see the kids that don’t normally get as much of a run in most games to play because they’re always at practice making us and themselves better. Overall, it was a great team win and we look forward to our next game against them to continue to hold the Berkshire Cup.”
