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Second-year Clay hockey coach Mike Heck is encouraged by the Eagles' impressive start to the 2010-11 season.
The Eagles competed in the Thanksgiving Classic in Dublin, Ohio, over the holiday and took second place out of eight teams in their division. Clay, which lost to Delaware Olentangy 5-2 in the championship game, defeated Cincinnati Elder 10-1, Worthington Kilbourne 7-6 and Columbus St. Francis DeSales 5-2 during the tournament.
“We were moving the puck around more than last year and we had a little more puck control,” Heck said. “Our returning starters are stepping up and doing what they need to do on the ice. Our senior goalie, Josh Utter, has been tending the net real well and holding up his end of the bargain.”
Clay put together a furious comeback to beat Kilbourne after trailing 6-0 heading into the second period.
“We showed a lot of heart,” Heck said. “The kids never gave up. With a minute left in the game, we took a timeout and regrouped and told them to crash that net. With 40 seconds left, Logan Myers took a shot from the high slot, probably 30 feet away, and put it right in the upper corner. It was a very big comeback and very big boost for the team.”
The Eagles are 4-1, which includes a win over Lake, heading into their Dec. 3 Northwest Ohio Hockey Conference opener against new White Division foe Southview. The rest of the division includes Anthony Wayne, Bedford (Mich.), Central Catholic, Whitmer, Perrysburg and Maumee.
Clay won just four games and finished 2-8 in the White Division last season, but it returns 11 full- or part-time starters from that squad.
The returning seniors are Utter, defensemen Devon Eckman and Michael Ruedy, right wings Cahl McCrory and Troy Seger, left wings Michael Korb and Billy Likes, and center Derek Berg. Clay's returning junior starters are defenseman Hudson Sabin and centers Myers and A.J. Burns.
“We're looking for Korb, Myers, Burns and McCrory to get us some points this year,” Heck said. “They work well together and they've been together for two or three years now. They know each other and where they're going to be. They just work well as a group.”
Eckman, the Eagles' top returning goal scorer, led the team in points at the Dublin tournament. Last year he was named the conference's Sportsman of the Year, as voted on by the coaches.
“He was a very well-liked player,” Heck said. “He was real friendly with the other teams' players and coaches. He is a heck of a player and he scored tons of goals for us. He gets the puck on his stick and he'll skate it down the ice and set up plays and score goals. Devon is very fast, with a very hard shot. He's only about 5-foot-6 and about 150 pounds, but he knows how to play hockey.”
Heck said he has 11 new players this season, including two transfers, four freshmen and “a few kids who decided to come out and play hockey this year. They have a lot of potential.”
The coach said he expects his veterans to lead the way, both on and off the ice.
“I expect them to run the team and be on my power lines and win games for us,” Heck said. “They're going to be my power play, my penalty kill, the leaders of the team. Having 11 new guys on the team who have never experienced high school hockey before, it's up to those 11 other guys to teach them the ropes and keep things moving.”
Heck added that the Eagles should have more offensive punch this season, and they could contend for a White Division title.
“Every coach has high expectations and every coach is looking forward to winning the division,” he said. “We know there's a couple teams out there who are going to be really tough, and we have to work on our game and work hard in practice. We're not going to be overconfident and think we're going to whip anybody. We expect to be a strong team in our division, that's for sure.”
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