Straker keeping PRPC on prowl

As seen in ThisWeek News
Sunday, January 13, 2008

KURTIS ADAMS
ThisWeek Staff Writer

It's often said in sports that the best offense is a good defense. In Ryan Straker's world, however, perhaps that familiar adage should be reversed.

A senior defenseman with the successful PRPC Ice Prowlers, who are celebrating their 10th season, the Licking Heights student has built a reputation in the Greater Columbus High School Club Hockey League for bruising hits.

"He plays like he's about 20 pounds heavier than he really is," one onlooker in a group of parents watching practice last Wednesday in the Chiller Easton said of Straker, generously listed on the team's roster as being 5-foot-8, 160 pounds. "Small as he is, he doesn't back down from anybody."

Straker, also quite easy to spot with his long, brown hair and ever-present smile, is getting the job done at the other end of the ice these days, too.

He and teammate Brad Noskowiak shared the league lead with 12 assists each entering this weekend, with the first-place Prowlers (11-3-4, 26 points) facing off against the Westerville Warcats today in the Chiller North. Straker also has scored five goals for a total of 17 points to share eighth place on a list topped by teammate Adam McGrath (35) with six GCHSCHL games remaining, including Feb. 3 against second-place Newark. The Generals were 9-2-2 with 20 points and 11 games remaining entering their contest last Friday against the Northeast Storm.

"I'm surprised a little," Straker, who is playing his third season with the Prowlers, said of his offensive production. "I usually have like maybe only 10 points in a season. I'm up there now."

The Ice Prowlers defeated Newark in the GCHSCHL's Blue Jackets Cup finale a year ago to win their third championship but graduated several standouts, including forward Cody Berkebile and defenseman Brian Rossi. This was thought to be somewhat of a rebuilding season, but that hasn't been the case. The team is aiming for its fourth regular-season title and eventually a sixth consecutive appearance in the Blue Jackets Cup final.

"I guess with (Berkebile) and some of the others gone now I'm just getting more chances to show what I can do," Straker said. "I've always been a physical player. I think that's why (PRPC) picked me (in tryouts three years ago). I can stay strong on my feet, and I just keep telling myself I'm bigger than I really am."

All that offense hasn't hurt his play on defense, either.

"I'm tending to go in on shorter shifts and stay rested," he said. "But I have to remind myself when we're attacking that if we don't put the puck in I've got to get myself turned around pretty quickly and get back in position."

Straker, who added that he's never lifted weights, generates much of his power through fast skating. He was drawn to the sport several years ago when his mother, Vanda, an Ohio State graduate now teaching elementary school in Columbus, took him to a Buckeyes' game.

"I've been hooked ever since," he said.

Straker is one of six PRPC players who attend Licking County schools. The others include Licking Heights' Andrew Painter and Watkins Memorial's J.D. Klinger, Zach Wiard and Jake Miller, a freshman forward who also has produced five goals. The other one is Straker's younger brother, Sean, a 5-4, 130-pound freshman defenseman from Licking Heights.

"He's still growing so I think he's going to top out bigger than me," Ryan Straker said. "He's really picked it up for our team, too, playing more physical."

# HITTING THE ROAD -- The Generals meet the Hilliard-Southwest Panthers today in the Dispatch Ice Haus.

Attention then turns toward the Mount Lebanon (Pa.) Hockey Association Classic, where they'll play twice Saturday and again Sunday in the Midget A-Plus Division. The top two teams in the five-point-system tournament stay for the title game on Jan. 21.

"I think we're at the right level, about what we saw last year playing in the (Buckeye Travel Hockey League)," coach Don Jennings said. "We've been trying to find out what we can about the teams we're playing but we haven't had much luck. I know anytime you go to the Pittsburgh area there's great hockey."

With PRPC having played five more games that the Generals entering last Friday, that six-point differential in the GCHSCHL standings isn't as imposing as it might seem. Third-place Athens (8-3-2, 18) is closing hard, though.

"(Ice Prowlers') coach (Jay Catherine) is telling them they're really behind us," Jennings said. "I guess that'll be their motivation coming down the stretch, and we've got to keep an eye on a couple of the teams behind us, too.