Eagles looking to achieve great things on the rink

Press Sports Editor
sports@presspublications.com

So far, so good.
The Clay hockey team is off to a fast start at 10-1, and they’ve got a number of players competing at a high level. For Clay coach E.J. LeMay, the Eagles are harnessing the momentum that was sparked by a third-place finish at the Post Ohio District (POD) High School Hockey Tournament.
“We ended the year strong last season. We took third in the POD Tournament, which on paper, we shouldn’t have. We took Anthony Wayne to overtime in the playoffs,” said LeMay. “The continuity and building off of that is a big reason we’ve started strong. It’s the same coaching staff, and a lot of the same players. We returned more than 90% of our production from last season, so we’re not filling any big shoes. We’re back and older, bigger and stronger. It’s a huge advantage. It’s the power-play unit, all the same five, the next unit, a lot of the same kids, penalty-killing team, the same unit.”
As you might expect, expectations are high for LeMay, now in his second season coaching the team.
“We set some goals when we took the program over last year, and we came up short on those,” he said. “First and foremost, we want to win the (Northwest Hockey Conference) White Division, which hasn’t been done at Clay in quite some time. Goal No. 2 is to make some noise in the state playoffs. It’s not very often that White Division teams can make a run in the playoffs, and we want to change that. We want to show the area that our program is growing and is for real. Third, probably the biggest one is getting better — 1% better — every day. At the end of the day, we’ll have a chance to succeed.”
Forward Andrew Schrauder is tied with fellow forward Brady Cook with 12 goals. Schrauder has 10 assists and Cook has five. Defenseman Xander Kert had 10 goals and nine assists, followed by forward Grady Minnick (8 goals, 6 assists), forward Ethan Van Hersett (6 goals, 14 assists) and defenseman Jake Titgemeyer (4 goals, 4 assists). Goalie Noah Schact has a .926 save percentage and fellow goalie Curtis Bellie has a .924 save percentage.
“We’re putting the puck in the net at a high rate,” said LeMay. “Kert is a huge talent; he’s physically imposing and plays with a lot of fire and passion. He and Ethan are the leaders – he’s electric, lightning fast. They’re our leaders, talent-wise. You take that and add in a couple of goalies like Noah Schacht and Curtis Belli, you add a freshman defenseman like Gavin Minnick, and there’s your recipe for a strong start.
“The talent is no longer the issue. This is one of the better Clay teams. The excitement is there and should be with us. I’m hoping more people catch on and see what the kids are doing. It’s a ton of fun to be a part of. I really, really want to see the community get behind this and build the program. Oregon has a ton of hockey talent. It’s got to come together.”
This is LeMay’s second year coaching the team. He previously worked for nearly a decade with travel teams and high school teams. LeMay was heavily involved in the Toledo Cherokee development program and also spent several years at Perrysburg as an assistant. He played for 15 years, most of which was on the travel circuit.
Needless to say, things are a little easier than when LeMay was a rookie head coach.
“It’s a lot more comfortable, I was just getting used to how high school hockey works. I was a long-time travel hockey coach and was getting used to the difference,” he said. “In travel hockey, you play kids that are the same age. In high school, there’s a four-year gap. That was a big adjustment for me. The biggest thing, in the second year, there are no staff changes; my assistants are the same. In the second year for the players, how we talk, how we communicate, the continuity goes a long way. The players didn’t know what was going to be expected (last year). Now we can just focus in on hockey.”
The Eagles recently won the Miami Valley Freeze Tournament. Clay fell behind, 2-0, to Troy before coming back and winning.
“The response from the boys – never giving up, kind of creating their own luck – that was really special to be a part of and I’ll never forget it,” said LeMay. “That tournament is Clay’s first tournament win in a long time, and it’s felt really good. I can’t express how happy I am for our players after that win. They deserve it.”
With plenty of young talent and an administration that is behind LeMay, good things could continue to be in store for the Eagles.
“(Athletic director) Joe Kiss and (principal) Jim Jurski have given me their full support,” said LeMay.