by Michael Natelli ’14

The Warriors hockey team has gotten off to a rough start this season, currently sitting on a 3-4-1 record. However, every team qualifies for the playoffs, so there is still a “never say die” attitude in the locker room.

“At this point, it’s mathematically impossible for us to be the best team in the regular season,” said junior left wing Curt Warner. “The most important thing is just to play as well as we can down the stretch so that we’re ready for the playoffs. It’s a chance for a fresh start.” Warner has been one of the surprises this season, scoring three goals, including one game-winning goal as a first-year varsity player.

Up until this year, the Warriors had not been allowed to use blue as their primary color or the “Warrior” mascot. They instead used Sherwood’s tertiary color, red, and were called the “Sherwood Arrows.” The fact that this is still fresh in the team’s history means that it is a young program, and it’s difficult to build consistent success as an independent club. The talent is certainly there on this roster, and if the growing process expedites itself in time for the playoffs, teams should be on the look-out for this Warrior team in the postseason.

Led by senior captain Dalton Thomas, who is second in the Maryland Student Hockey League (MSHL) in points per game (5) and third in goals scored (17), this roster is not a weak one on paper. Junior alternate captain Colby Clem and freshman Dylan Giorgio sit in the top 10 in the league in assists (9 and 13, respectively), so the team has been able to find success on both one-man rushes and organized attacks.

But with four players logging four or more penalties in the year, the Warriors have often found themselves killing off short-handed situations, which has hindered the offense and tired out the defense early. It’s hard to score when the unit is more concerned about watching the opposition’s extra man, so working on discipline will go a long way on both sides of the puck. The other key will be quickly developing some chemistry. With several first-year varsity players on the roster, the team lacks experience and learning to work together may be the difference between a continuation of the current situation or some surprise playoff success.

“This team definitely has what it takes to make some noise in the post-season,” said Giorgio. “We have to work on the fundamentals: passing, shooting and defense. We’ve had points where we’ve played great, and it’s all about making those points more of a consistent thing. If we can do that, we’re a dangerous team.”