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Tuesday, 06 February 2007 |
Mountaineers earn playoff spot
by KATIE ANN HENDERSON
Intern Sports Reporter
The Appalachian State University club ice hockey team is well into its first winning season in several years, with a 13-6 overall record.
The Mountaineers clinched a trip to the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference playoffs with a 5-4 win over Christopher Newport University Jan. 27. The BRHC consists of three divisions. ASU is now ranked second in the Southwest Division.
 Active Image | Derek DeSha | The Appalachian
Appalachian’s Forthe Carson charges goalie Allison Smith of Radford University during the game in Greensboro Saturday night. Carson scored a hat trick (three goals) in the 13-8 victory.
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However, in a 5-4 victory, ASU senior and former team captain Alex
Hogan broke his leg in a hard hit to the boards, moving him from
on-the-ice captain to coach.
“Alex not only plays a key role on the ice, but his strong mannerism
provides support and structure that we would be lacking without his
leadership abilities,” Sal Blair, sophomore and assistant captain, said.
Moving into Hogan’s captain spot will be senior Pat Veedock and taking
over as the second assistant captain will be freshman Curt Omlie.
“Alex’s injury will definitely affect the team,” Veedock said. “He sets
an example on the ice, but we are going to have him behind the bench
and that is really going to help.”
Although the Mountaineers have strong leadership on and off the ice,
their practice conditions are less than favorable. With the closest ice
rinks in Charlotte and Greensboro, the team has the opportunity to
practice once every one to two weeks.
Most teams in the league practice on ice about twice a week.
“We’re at a major disadvantage compared to every other team, which
proves even more how well we performed this season,” Blair said. “But
also contributing to our success are our very supportive booster club
and faithful fans.”
However, Veedock believes the team’s abilities will help to make up for the lack of on-ice practice.
“This team has a lot of heart and we have added a lot more time with the incoming players,” he said.
The Mountaineers keep up practice by conditioning at the Student
Recreation Center, and they are looking at the possibility of starting
roller-hockey practices, Hogan said.
The players have to carpool to all practices and games, with drive times ranging from two hours to six hours.
“Our final goal and ultimate wish would be to have a rink in close
proximity,” Blair said. “Anyone on our team continuously hears that
this fall it will happen, then this spring it will happen, but it never
goes through.”
Not only does the team drive to its practices and games, but they also have to pay for “ice time” at $200 per practice.
The ASU club ice hockey team is the lowest funded team in the league,
competing with teams that receive up to triple the amount of money per
season.
“The best thing that could happen would just be to put ice in the
Convocation Center,” Blair said. “Obviously we know that would be an
expensive endeavor, but there is already a building and seats – all we
need is ice. I think people would definitely come out to our games. Our
main problem is people are not aware we have a team.”
The team already accomplished its first goal of the season with a trip to the playoffs set for Feb. 23-25.
The Mountaineers are looking to finish off the season strong in hopes
of continuing their dreams of a home ice rink in the next several years.
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