Ice Prowlers represent whole county
Local hockey team starts league tournament tonight

As seen in Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
Thursday, February 16, 2006

WILLIAM P. CANNON
The Eagle-Gazette Staff

PRPC Ice Prowler Max Matsanoff, left, prepares to slap the puck away as teammate Loren Chrisman pursues him during their practice Tuesday. Both players are students at Pickerington High School North.

FAST FACTS: 2005-2006 GCHSCHL Standings TEAM GP W L T PTS Athens 24 16 6 2 34 Prowlers 24 14 7 3 31 Westerville 24 13 7 4 30 Hilliard/Southwest 24 13 7 4 30 Olentangy 24 11 12 1 23 Newark 24 8 12 4 20 Northeast 24 0 24 0 0 Where the players come from: Pickerington High School North - 9 Pickerington High School Central - 4 Canal Winchester - 2 Reynoldsburg High School - 2 Licking Heights High School - 1 Watkins Memorial High School - 1 Bishop Hartley High School - 1 Gahanna Christian Academy - 1

Ice Prowlers Taylor Walcutt, left, and Adam McGrath, both from Pickerington High School North, talk during their practice Tuesday at the Chiller Easton in Columbus.

COLUMBUS- If you live in Fairfield County and you want to play high school hockey, you've got to head to Columbus where kids from around the county play for the PRPC Ice Prowlers.

The team's name is drawn from the geographic areas - Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Pataskala and Canal Winchester - that provide players for its 21-player roster.

Head coach Martin Laroche is in his fourth season as head coach of the Prowlers. "You'd think a kid from Pickerington would clash with a kid from Reynoldsburg," Laroche said. "It's completely opposite. Those guys seem to really get along."

Pickerington resident Loren Chrisman plays defense. He said he's loved hockey since he was a young child and first watched the New York Rangers play an exhibition game. on television. He's been playing since he was six years old.

But participating comes with a cost.

"Football costs around $50 (per year). This costs around $2,000," Chrisman said.

The team completed its regular season last week and now is preparing for the league tournament that starts tonight.

The Prowlers won the tournament's Blue Jackets Cup in 2002 and 2003. Laroche said that's what his team is aiming for again this year.

The first game is at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Chiller North at 8144 Highfield Drive in Lewis Center. Admission is free.

For more schedule information go to www.prpchockey.com