2004-2005 PRPC ICE PROWLERS INFO

2004-2005 SEASON RECAP
GCHSCHL REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS
After repeating as the GCHSCHL Blue Jacket Cup Champions in 2003-2004 and finishing with their first GCHSCHL regular season title with a 20-3-1 record (41 points) there didn't seem to be much room for improvement for the Prowlers.

Instead the 2004-2005 Prowlers, who graduated 5 players from last years lineup (2 forwards, 2 defensemen and 1 goaltender) and lost their leading scorer (Pickerington North senior forward Brian Kay) to the Junior B Columbus Blue Jackets, kept pace finishing one game better than the 2003-2004 squad at 21-3-0 (42 points) in the GCHSCHL (28-8-0 overall) under third year coach Marty Laroche.

This season saw a few changes in personnel for the Prowlers and a big youth movement starting in goal where freshman Miles McGrew (Pickerington North) took over for junior Jesse Betts (Pickerington Central), posting a club low 1.64 goals against average and a .911 save percentage (in goalies playing 10 or more games). Sophomore Justin Lohrman (Pickerington North) played solid in spot duty for the Prowlers as well, allowing only one goal in 3 game appearances.

The blue line was solidified by the presence of sophomore defenders Cody Berkebile and Brian Rossi (both Pickerington North) who had both joined the team mid-season in 2003-2004. The two provided both defensive stability and an offensive threat with the duo combining for 54 points (Berkebile 14G-22A-36PTS, Rossi 4G-14A-18PTS). Along with the veteran leadership and physical play of senior defenseman Matt Schuh and sophomore Jeff Laird (both Pickerington Central), the blue line corp was one of the Prowlers best yet. With sophomore Loren Chrisman (Pickerington north) providing versatility for the Prowlers playing at both ends of the ice as a defenseman and forward, and the addition of freshmen Brandon Goettel (Reynoldsburg) and Zach Waird (Watkins Memorial) the Prowler defense, under assistant coach Jay C. Catherine, was able to post a stingy 1.96 goals against per game, down a half a goal from the previous two seasons, and just 1.63 goals per game in league play.

While the offense was a question coming into the season, there was no such question at season's end with the Prowlers leading the league scoring by posting an average of 5.79 goals per game. The team had the top two goal scorers in the league with first year Prowler, junior Taylor Walcutt (Pickerington North) leading the league with 29 goals and sophomore Nick Hess (Pickerington Central) finishing second in the league with 26. Walcutt's 8 game winning goals led the league in that category too.

Walcutt's linemate, senior Anthony Kantor (Pickerington North) led the league in points with 55, and was followed by Hess in second with 48 and Walcutt in fourth with 46. The Prowler power play was potent as well this season with the top four power play goal scorers in the league all wearing the Prowler crest on their chest. Berkebile and senior captain Eric Willard (Reynoldsburg) led the league with 8 each, while Hess and Walcutt each had 7 goals with the man advantage.

In all, the team had 7 skaters with 10 or more goals and 20 or more points, and 13 skaters overall with double digits in points. The team received the results they were looking for out of their upperclassmen. The top two lines of Kantor (21G-40A-61PTS), Walcutt (33A-19A-52PTS) and junior Ben French (6G-10A-16PTS) (Pickerington North) and Willard (18G-29A-47PTS), Eric Weinhold (10G-29A-39PTS) (Pickerington North) and Hess (33G-22A-55PTS) were all among the team leaders in points. Senior Mike Miller (11G-11A-22PTS) provided the usual intangibles in addition to points, leading the team in hits with 115 and dominating the faceoff circle with a 67.1% success rate (280 of 417). His linemate, junior Nick Miller (Pickerington North) continued to add a spark to the Prowler offense with his physical play while also contributing on the scoresheet (6G-5A-11PTS).

The Prowlers had a pleasant surprise by the success of several newcomers too. In addition to freshmen Goettel and Wiard on the Prowler defense, sophomores Max Matsanoff and Geoffrey Killian (both of Pickerington North) and freshmen Austin Zurbriggen, Luke Wilkins (both of Canal Winchester), Taylor Markell (Pickerington Central), Thomas Newhard (Bishop Hartley) and Cory Underwood (Reynoldsburg/Virtual Community School of Ohio) all contributed to the teams success with Zurbriggen (5G-6A-11PTS), Wilkins (4G-5A-9PTS) and Matsanoff (3G-6A-9PTS) making significant contributions to the offense.

Once on the ice, the team started the season off with a 6-3 win against the North Coast High School Hockey League (Cleveland) Champion Jackson Polar Bears (10/31/2004), but quickly found themselves in second place behind the Westerville Warcats when league play began. The annual St. Charles Thanksgiving Tournament provided the Prowlers another opportunity to test themselves outside of the GCHSCHL, and they responded defeating the Capital Hockey Conference Champion Dublin Coffman Rocks 3-1 (11/28/2004) and routing the CHC's Worthington Kilbourne Wolves 7-1 (11/28/2004).

After posting four and five game winning streaks during the regular season, the Prowlers posted 13 consecutive victories down the stretch drive into the playoffs and overtook Westerville for first place in the GCHSCHL, winning their second consecutive regular season title.

Having only lost three league games in the regular season, the defending Cup Champs entered the 2005 GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup Tournament as the number one seed for the second straight year and received a first round bye. After shutting out the Olentangy Braves (4th, 10-13-1, 21PTS) for the third time on the season (4-0 on 2/18/2005), the Prowlers advanced onto the semifinals and a showdown with Westerville (2nd, 19-3-2, 40PTS). Having split the season series 2-2 and finishing two points apart in the standings, the teams were evenly matched. The Warcats won the first battle 3-1 (2/19/2005).

After defeating the Braves for a second time, 4-2 (02/20/2005) in the tournament's losers bracket, the Prowlers advanced to the Cup Finals for their third consecutive year. The team then forced a deciding final game with Westerville after winning the first final game 5-2 (2/20/2005) after being forced to play three games in a 22 hour span.

The Cup final was a nail bitter, with the defending champs forcing three overtimes before falling to the Warcats with 2:41 remaining in the third sudden death overtime period. It marked the third consecutive Cup Final appearance for the Prowlers under head coach Marty Laroche.

The Prowlers then traveled to northeastern Ohio to participate in the first Buckeye Cup Ohio High School Club Hockey State Championship. As the number one seed out of the GCHSCHL, the Prowlers were stunned 1-0 (3/04/2005) by the Medina Bees of the North Coast High School Hockey League, who went on to post a perfect 4-0 record in the tournament and win the first Buckeye Cup.

The team responded in true fashion defeating the Mooney/Ursuline Thunder 9-0 (3/05/2005) in their second preliminary round game, but failed to advance to the championship round of the tournament due to the tournament's point scoring system.

It was also the end of the line for the five Prowler seniors, captain Eric Willard (#9 - Reynoldsburg), alternate captains Eric Weinhold (#8 - Pickerington North), Mike Miller (#18 - Canal Winchester) and Anthony Kantor (#10 - Pickerington North) and defenseman Matt Schuh (#17 - Pickerington Central) who were each on the Prowler's 2003 and 2004 GCHSCHL Blue Jacket Cup Championship teams.

In all, the Prowlers had a successful season, winning their second consecutive GCHSCHL regular season title, and posting a 4-3 record in the playoffs with their only post-season losses coming to the two Cup Champions, Westerville (GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup) and Medina (State Buckeye Cup).

2004-2005 GCHSCHL Standings:
TEAM	GP	W	L	T	PTS	Vs.
PROWLERS	24 (36)	21 (28)	3 (8)	0 (0)	42	------
Westerville	24	19	3	2	40	2-2-0
Athens	24	17	5	2	36	3-1-0
Olentangy	24	10	13	1	21	4-0-0
Northeast	24	6	17	1	13	4-0-0
Hilliard	24	4	17	3	11	4-0-0
Newark	24	1	20	3	5	4-0-0
* Parenthesis () include non-league games.

The Prowlers congratulate their 2005 Seniors and wish them each the best of luck in the future.
From left: Anthony Kantor (Pickerington North), Eric Weinhold (Pickerington North), Matt Schuh (Pickerington Central), Eric Willard (Reynoldsburg), Mike Miller (Canal Winchester)

PROWLERS SELECT CAPTAINS
The Prowlers selected their team Captains for the 2004-2005 season. Senior Eric Willard (Reynoldsburg) was chosen as this year's Captain. He was joined by Seniors Eric Weinhold (Pickerington North), Anthony Kantor (Pickerington North) and Mike Miller (Canal Winchester). The Prowler's senior captains lead the boys to their second consecutive GCHSCHL Regular Season Championship and to the team's first trip to the first ever Ohio High School Club Hockey Buckeye Cup State Playoffs.

KAY JOINS PROWLER ALUMNI MARKELL & BETTS
ON COLUMBUS JUNIOR B BLUE JACKETS
Congratulations to Pickerington North senior Bryan Kay who joined Pickerington Central senior Ryan Markell and 2003 Pickerington High School graduate Jimmy Betts on the Columbus Junior B Blue Jackets roster for 2004-2005. Kay was the Prowler's leading scorer in 2003-2004 with 37 goals, 39 assists and 76 points in 31 games, including the GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup clinching goal with 15 seconds left in the 2004 final. Markell led the Prowler's in 2002-2003 with 37 gaols, 34 assists and 71 points in 26 games, while Betts served as the Prowler's captain in 2002-2003 and finished that season with 20 goals, 18 assists and 38 points in 21 games.

PROWLER ANNUAL PRE SEASON TEAM DINNER
@ REYNOLDSBURG CITY BARBEQUE
The Ice Prowlers had their annual pre-season team dinner at the Reynoldsburg City Barbeque at 5979 E Main Street (just off I-270) on Wednesday, September 29th, 2004. This marks the third straight year that the Prowlers will have City Barbeque as one of their proud sponsors. The dinner was held in the City Barbeque Party Room and was for 2004-2005 Ice Prowler players and coaches only.

PROWLER COACH PLAYS IN CHARITY GAME
Prowler Head Coach and former Columbus Chill center (1998-99) Marty Laroche and Prowler parent and OSU Head Coach John Markell participated in this year's Columbus Fire and Police charity game along with several NHL Players from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Mark Recchi from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Robert Esche from the Philadelphia Flyers and several former Blue Jackets. The game raised more than $25,000 for a new Hats for Heroes effort, a sibling-support program and pediatric cancer.
Click here for the Columbus Dispatch article.
Click here for game photos.

PROWLER'S 3RD ANNUAL OSU GAME OUTING
The Prowlers had their annual outing to see the Ohio State Buckeyes against the Western Michigan University Broncos at Value City Arena at The Jerome Schottenstein Center on the Ohio State campus. The game on Saturday, January 29th ended with a 7-0 Buckeye shutout victory. The Prowler players and their families enjoyed watching the top level of NCAA college hockey and the Prowler players had an opportunity to visit the OSU locker room after the game.

PROWLER ANNUAL END OF SEASON PARTY
@ GAMEWORKS AT EASTON TOWN CENTER
This year's end of the season party was again held at Gameworks at the Easton Town Center on Sunday, April 10th, 2005. The players and their families enjoyed good food and fun games. Each player was recognized for their success and contributions this season.

PRPC IN THE NEWS
With the success that Prowler Hockey has experienced in recent seasons, they have found some media attention as well. Here we have provided access to articles from the local media to see what was said about Prowler Hockey this season in the community.

• PRPC was successful despite post season woes
  by Jeff Hunt, as seen in ThisWeek News 3/17/2004
• Ice Prowlers can't find net against state champ
  by Jeff Hunt, as seen in ThisWeek News 3/10/2004
• GCHSCHL teams to compete in first Buckeye Cup
  by Jeff Hunt, as seen in ThisWeek News 3/3/2004
• Westerville takes title with triple-OT win over PRPC
  by Jeff Hunt, as seen in ThisWeek News 2/24/2004
• Prowlers have eyes on state hockey dominance
  by Chris Miles,
  as seen in Suburban News Publications 2/9/2005
• PRPC has hopes of winning title again
  by Don Delco,
  as seen in ThisWeek News 12/30/2004
• NHL players, police, firefighters team up for charity: Fund-raiser benefits children with cancer
  (Prowler Coach Plays In Charity Game)
  by Michael Arace,
  as seen in the Columbus Dispatch 11/29/2004
• PRPC gunning for third straight league title
  by Forrest Clarke,
  as seen in ThisWeek News 11/18/2004