While everyone is decking the halls with boughs of holly, six FHS students are skating, shooting and scoring throughout the winter months.
As mentioned in November’s issue of this publication, FHS does not have a hockey team of their own, so these few athletes play on Blackhawk High School’s varsity and junior varsity teams.
This year, the team has set high goals.
“I’m hoping that my team and I make playoffs and make a run for the Open Cup Championship game,” Senior Nate Lundy said.
On Dec. 9, the boys played against Central Valley. By the end of the first period, Blackhawk was up 4-0 with Freedom players accounting for three of the goals. Sophomore Kenny Rose scored two goals, and Sophomore Stu Skogsholm scored 1 goal. The game ended in a shutout with a final score of 13-0, Blackhawk.
Blackhawk also had a game against Trinity on Dec. 12, resulting in a win for Blackhawk. The final score was 8-1, with no Freedom students scoring.
By the time this issue went to press, the last two games of this year had not taken place. In the games on Dec. 16 and 19, Blackhawk played McDowell and Beaver, respectively.
Home games are held at Brady’s Run Park’s Ice Arena. Though most of their games are held at home, some games can be over two hours away, which is time-consuming for the athletes.
“Traveling games are a pain. Usually we get home late but still have to go to school the next day. Although they are annoying, we need those teams that are farther away to keep the Open Division alive so we can keep playing high school hockey,” Senior Kris Skogsholm said.
Lundy views away games far from home in another light.
“I love traveling for games because you get to visit a lot of cool places and play at some pretty cool ice arenas,” Lundy said.
Rose, who has been playing hockey for 11 years, takes advantage of these away games.
“I don’t mind them. I just sleep on the car ride,” Rose said.
Skogsholm is used to traveling though, considering he has been playing hockey for five years.
“I have played for multiple travel teams, including the Beaver Country Badgers,” Skogsholm said. “Along with Nate [Lundy], I played on Quigley’s Varsity team sophomore year.”
Lundy, like Skogsholm, has been playing hockey from a very early age.
“I have been playing hockey since I was five years old,” Lundy said. Lundy has played hockey for seven teams, Blackhawk being his last.
Their hockey season picks up right after break on Jan. 2 with another game versus McDowell.