Courtney Johnson
The Valor Christian High School ice hockey was off to a tough
start to their season standing 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the Pikes
Peak League.
Senior Forward Austin Wakley leads the team as of Dec. 10 with
four goals while junior Forward Garrett Clay leads the team with
four assists. Valor had their highest scoring game this season at
home against Pueblo County, scoring five goals total.
Last year, the Eagles finished 11-10 overall and 7-6 in the
Pikes Peak League. This placed them eighth overall in their league,
securing their first playoff spot in only their second year as a
program.
At state, the team finished 15th out of 16 teams, beating
Standley Lake 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs and then
losing to Cheyenne Mountain 5-0.
“All the teams we will face this season will be strong and
competitive,” third-year coach Kurt Crockett said.
The Eagles have twenty returning players, losing only two
players to graduation including All Colorado Hockey 2010 player and
Valor leading goal scorer Michael Schoolcraft. The team has six
juniors and seven seniors on the 27-player roster.
“This season, Valor’s success will depend on the experience of
the upper classmen and their leadership to improve and continue
taking steps forward with their play,” Crockett said.
The ten sophomores and twelve freshmen are also on the roster
that will add depth to the team in years to come.
Impact players for the season will be defenseman senior Taylor
Goff and sophomore Josh Pena. A strong group of forwards including
seniors Brandon Luke, Austin Wakley, junior classmen Mason Lopez,
Garrett Clay and Cam Hardison and sophomores Matt Joseph and Ryan
Close.
Luke led the team with nineteen assists last season while Lopez
had seventeen. Luke, Wakley and Lopez were the top scorers behind
Schoolcraft with seven goals a piece last season.
The team has added two new coaches to the staff this season;
John Allen and Chris Johnson. According to the team’s website, they
have a few key goals for their season. The team hopes to make its
second play off appearance and also to maintain a team academic
average of 3.25.
“Knowing that the competition will be fierce and very
competitive this year, we feel confident and know that the hockey
team will be very successful in everything that they do on and off
the ice,” Crockett said.
The team played two non-conference games against Summit at home
on Dec. 11 and 14 away against Standley Lake. Results were not
available as of press time.
