2007-2008 Season Preview

Prowler Hockey experienced its best season to date in 2006-2007 under first year head coach Jay C. Catherine. After losing four year head coach Marty Laroche to the AAA Ohio Blue Jackets program, coach Catherine stepped in without missing a step after serving as Laroche's assistant for four seasons. The club picked up right where they left off and marched onward to an impressive 28-3-5 record, including their 3rd GCHSCHL regular season title, 5th consecutive GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup Finals appearance, and 3rd Cup Championship in the last five years. The team capped off the season with their first ever trip to the Buckeye Cup Ohio State Championships Final Four. With that success, the team also put a bull's-eye on its back in both the GCHSCHL and across the state as they prepare to start the 2007-2008 season.

This, the Prowler's 10th anniversary season, will be a transition year for the team as it graduated six seniors last fall and lost assistant coach Chris Van Ooyen, who advanced on to coach the Columbus Capitals U16 AA team. Van Ooyen will be replaced on Coach Catherine's staff by former Olentangy Braves head coach Mike Dorsey. This year's varsity team will have a unique blend of experience and youth on the ice as they return just eleven (11) players from last year's lineup including eight (8) seniors. The team will integrate ten (10) new players into the roster, including four (4) incoming freshmen.

Where last season's senior/freshmen goaltending tandem of graduated senior Justin Lohrman (Pickerington North) and Dan Smith (Pickerington North) was phenomenal, this year the Prowlers goaltending is its big question mark. Smith enters his sophomore season recovering from ACL/MCL surgery and is not expected to return to action. As a result three inexperienced goaltenders will learn trial by fire. Sophomore Jeramiah Holland (Reynoldsburg) advances from last year's JV squad to work with incoming freshman Erik Heinmiller (Bishop Hartley) and Andrew Painter (Licking Heights). If Holland, Heinmiller or Painter can get the job done, the Prowlers look to be right back at the top this season.

The team's defense also loses its leader with the graduation of team co-captain and four year Prowler Brian Rossi. Rossi will be a big loss for the team. He anchored a solid group of blue-liners through his leadership, defensive skills and his offensive abilities while running one of the points on the Prowler power play. With the graduation of Rossi and four year Prowler Loren Chrisman (Pickerington North), and the loss of junior Ryan McMullen (Pickerington North) to the Columbus Capitals U16 AA, the blue line returns just three starters from last season.

This year the defense will be led by four year Prowler and senior team captain Zach Wiard (Watkins Memorial). Wiard along with three year prowlers and senior alternate captains Tyler Annetts (Pickerington North) and Ryan Straker (Licking Heights) will stabilize this year's defensive corps.

This bruising trio are joined by last season's JV alternates, junior Dan Johnson (Pickerington North) and sophomore Alex Daniels (Reynoldsburg). Incoming freshman Sean Straker (Licking Heights) adds an element of physical play that compliments his older brother's, while he also looks to see some time on the point of the power play due to his offensive prowess.

Season after season the Prowlers seem to perennially lose forwards who will be greatly missed. This year is no exception. Co-captain and four year Prowler Cody Berkebile (Pickerington North) graduated last fall after setting the record for most goals scored in a single season (55G) and finishing as the all-time career goals leader (90G) and second in career points (167P). Along with the departure of alternate captain Max Matsanoff (Pickerington North) and forward Geoff Kilian (Pickerington North) via graduation, you would think that the Prowler offense would suffer, but just like it has every year, it looks to just retool this season.

The Prowler offense will be led by two year GCHSCHL All-Star and 2007 league assist leader Adam McGrath (Pickerington North). McGrath will help lead the team in both the locker room as an alternate captain and on the score sheet as he enters the season the sixth highest point getter in prowler history with 51 goals and 61 assists for 112 points after just two seasons with the Prowlers.

McGrath will be joined by fellow junior and two time GCHSCHL All-Star Brad Noskowiak (Reynoldsburg) on the Prowler front lines. Four year Prowlers, seniors Taylor Markell (Pickerington Central), Austin Zurbriggen (Canal Winchester) and Tommy Newhard (Bishop Hartley) will round out the Prowlers leadership group, all looking to finish their careers with another championship while lighting up the scoreboard. Junior Tyler Cole (Pickerington North) and sophomore Taylor Kantor (Pickerington North) look to step up their roles on the team this season along with senior Bobby Castricone (Pickerington Central), adding to the team's offensive depth.

Senior Aaron McKenzie (Pickerington North) joins the varsity roster after serving as a JV alternate last season and is accompanied by J.D. Klinger (Watkins Memorial) who makes the jump from JV to varsity full time this season. The wild cards for the Prowlers this year will be incoming freshmen Jake Miller (Watkins Memorial) and Kyle Baughman (Canal Winchester) who both make the Prowler's varsity roster in their first attempt providing skill and speed to an already potent lineup.

However the cards fall, the Prowlers have high expectations after last season's success. The team is anxious to start the defense of their 2007 GCHSCHL Regular Season and GCHSCHL Blue Jackets Cup Championships, and hopes to make another run at bringing the first ever Buckeye Cup state title to central Ohio.

Good luck to this year's Ice Prowlers as they begin the 2007-2008 season.