Even though Freedom Area School District doesn’t currently have a hockey team of its own, Seniors Kristian Skogsholm and Nate Lundy, and Sophomores Stuart Skogsholm, Alex Lundy, Kenny Rose and Austin Kamicker have all found a way around this and are able to play the sport they love. They are all a part of Blackhawk High School’s varsity and junior varsity hockey teams.
The season may have just begun, but the six Freedom members have already started their winning season. The first game of Blackhawk’s season was played against Our Lady of Sacred Heart and ended with a winning score of 7-0 for Blackhawk. The Blackhawk team had a 13-2 win against Central Valley on Nov. 4, during which Nate Lundy had 3 goals and 2 assists. Kristian Skogsholm had 3 assists against the opposing team, which put another win on their current record.
Winning these regular season games isn’t the only thing the athletes are working on accomplishing at this point in the season. The boys have their eyes set on winning the Open Division Cup, which is the playoffs for the division that their team has been placed in. “It would mean a lot to us because of all the work we have put into the season so far. It would just show that everything that we’ve done as a team has paid off,” Stuart Skogsholm said.
With only one game and one hour practices per week, both the players and coaches must prepare for everything that the upcoming games will hold. Practices typically include going over the different power plays, breakouts and everything that comes in between. With such a short time of practice each week, this group of hockey players needs to get as much accomplished as they possibly can.
In the end, Freedom doesn’t need its own varsity and junior varsity hockey teams to satisfy students that are interested in this physical sport.
“It’s kind of annoying that Freedom doesn’t have a hockey team, but it’s great that Blackhawk has given us the opportunity to be able to play,” Stuart Skogsholm said.
Blackhawk High School has opened its doors, and the hockey team has accepted the Freedom players as its own.