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The Old Town-Orono Black Bears don’t have the firepower of recent years, but the defensive triple-class B North champions won’t let it stop them.
“They’re still a tough team, as they’ve always been,” Presque Isle coach Carl Flynn said after his team’s 2-1 loss to the Black Bears on Saturday. “They have two great goalkeepers, and while other teams may have defenders who are as good as their top defenders, no one has the depth of defense they have.”
The Black Bears missed just three goals in their first two games and beat John Bapst of Bangor 4-2 before beating Presque Isle. They are now 77-17-3 in the last four seasons, including an 8-1 mark and a regional pod championship last season. Old Town-Orono won the Hampden Academy 2-0 pod final.
Last year’s top three scorers – linemates Tanner Evans, Zach Needham and Carter Walls – are all gone after either graduation or substitution, meaning the Old Town-Orono hockey team will have to rely more on their goalkeeper and defense if it wants to beat another. regional crown.
Evans and Needham graduated, and Walls moved to John Bapst. Colby Pawson, another striker who scored extra points in the second row, moved to Messalonskee High School in Oakland.
Fourth-year Old Town-Orono coach Chris Thurlow, who considers himself a defensive coach, said the team has four senior defenders, all of whom played as freshmen.
Defenders include Connor McCannell, Tyler Kenney, Chase Campbell and Peyton Vose. The remarkably advanced Noah Thibodeau is the second parent to have a breakthrough season last year, according to Thurlow.
Second-year student Jackson Lizotte got a lot of valuable ice age a year ago during a pod campaign caused by COVID-19.
Kenney has struggled with a knee problem and missed a Presque Isle match, but Thurlow says he is expected to return soon.
Their goalkeepers Aidan Rand and Rowen Fremouw are also elderly with a wealth of experience.
Thurlow said he has no game-changing strikers or natural scorers like Evans and Needham, but he has talented, hard-working strikers he expects to get on the puck net, like senior Adam Henderson, who has scored three goals. the team’s six goals so far.
Henderson centers on the top line and is an excellent versatile player. Alongside him are Perry Collatos Jr. and Maddox Sapiel Jr. Collato is considered one of the “best skaters” and Sapiel is a tireless energetic player who, according to Thurlow, is good in all three areas.
The Davis brothers, senior Jacob and sophomore Dylan, are in a line centered with senior Blaine Murray. Murray has similar skills as Sapiel and the Davis brothers are both skilled scorers with good racket skills.
Junior Ian Bouchard sees time in the top two and also plays third with freshman Alex McCannell and senior Brandon Madden.
Connor McCannell, who has an excellent shot from the point and quickly gets it off, and Campbell are offensive defenders who offer some point production.
Captains McCannell and Henderson said they expect to be in many close games, but believe their team’s defense will allow them to win victories.
“Our goal is to get 40 shots in the game and score three or four goals,” McCannell said. “We have to knock down the net and make dirty paint.”
They are also good on special teams with three power goals in six situations and a perfect 7 out of 7 in the penalty shootout.
“We work a lot in special groups. Some games have more special teams than five against five, Thurlow said.
They know they have a goal behind them, a defensive triple northern champion and a 2018 state champion, but they are ready for the challenge.
Thurlow said there is a lot of equality at B North and any number of teams can win it when Hampden Academy and Messalonskee lead the list of challengers, which also includes John Bapst, Presque Isle, Camden Hills, Brewer and Gardiner.
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Sources 2/ https://bangordailynews.com/2021/12/21/sports/high-school-sports/old-town-orono-will-have-to-rely-on-its-defense-to-win-4th-straight-class-b-north-hockey-title-joam40zk0w/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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