The 2023 – 2024 high school ice hockey season has arrived. Friday, October 6 is the opening game for the Upper Montgomery junior varsity, followed by the Upper Montgomery varsity opening the season a week later on Friday, October 13. The Upper Montgomery program has very high expectations this season and is looking to build off of last season’s historic accomplishments. Qualifying for the state playoffs for the first time in program history is a realistic opportunity for the Lightning. If the team is successful in making the state playoff tournament, all of the Lightning supporters are invited to the end of season team celebration.
With an experienced roster dominated by seniors and juniors, the team is primed to meet these high expectations. The Lightning begin the season ranked fifth in the Montgomery Hockey Conference rankings. This is the highest ranking ever achieved by the program. The challenge that awaits the team is that the program will face off against all of the top teams in the league. The season opening game is a massive contest versus the fourth ranked Whitman Vikings. Winnable games against the DC Stars and Sherwood are followed by a gauntlet of games. First versus third ranked BCC and followed by a massive contest against second ranked Walter Johnson. Then, a rematch of last season’s quarterfinal round county playoff game–with the winner advancing to the state championship playoffs—awaits against perennial powerhouse and numerous state champion top ranked Churchill.
It is not a stretch to believe that five teams are realistically competing for the four state playoff berths awarded to teams from the Montgomery Hockey Conference; Churchill, Walter Johnson, BCC, Whitman, and Upper Montgomery. Longer odds face Wootton and Sherwood, and it would take an upset for a team like Richard Montgomery, DC Stars, Rockville, or Churchill 2 to qualify for the state playoffs. Northwest and Blair are seeking to build back up to contender status.
The Upper Montgomery program has twelve skaters that are only eligible to play in varsity competition, many of whom also play on high level AA or AAA external travel hockey teams. Last season’s top four scorers return looking to propel the Lightning. Senior center and team co-captain Chris Hassett could qualify to be enshrined in the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League Hall of Fame with a big season. He is coming off of two straight seasons leading Upper Montgomery in scoring with 16 GP, 15 G, 19 A, 34 PTS last year and 15 GP, 17 G, 16 A, for 33 PTS during the 2021 – 2022 season. Joining Hassett on the top line will be fellow high octane scorer and Honorable Mention Division One Forward Nathan Cassel. Cassel, a junior, tallied 12 GP, 11 G, 14 A, for 25 PTS last season after tallying 12 GP, 11 G, 6 A for 17 PTS in his 9th grade season. Joining these two talented skaters will be sophomore winger Philip Shkeda, last season’s top 9th grade scorer. Shkeka had a point per game with 14 GP, 7 G, 7 A, for 14 PTS.
The second line is likely to have junior Ryan Jacobson 10 GP, 12 G, 4 A, for 16 PTS centering senior Brandon Bernard and junior Henry Honacki. Jacobson had five games last season with multiple goals. Bernard blew up last season as a junior 14 GP, 9 G, 6 A, for 15 PTS and will look to conclude his high school career with another monster offensive season. Honacki’s speed will complement these two experienced skaters and will help drive back the opposing defenses.
The third line will have rugged senior center Bradley Cupples 15 GP, 3 G, 10 A, for 13 PTS last season and 15 GP, 11 A during the 2021 – 2022 season centering senior Olivia Robbins. Robbins was selected and honored by the Washington Post as an All Metropolitan 2nd Team Girls forward last season, the first ever All MET selection in Upper Montgomery team history. She tallied 11 GP, 6 G, 5 A, for 11 PTS last season. The third line right wing will likely be a rotation of forwards vying for playing time or someone off the top two lines double shifting. Junior varsity student athletes will most certainly be called up to play in varsity games based upon the teams needs, which members of the varsity are out-of-town with their external travel teams, and which student athletes are producing during the junior varsity games. Senior Adam Levine and Junior Josh Nadler both have served as depth forward in prior seasons and should get first crack at filling the void.
On defense the Lightning will have top level talent. Senior co-captain Hunter Cameron 14 GP, 2 G, 7 A, 9 PTS will make the transition from forward to defense to anchor and provide stability on the back end. He will forever be remembered for his game winning overtime goal in last season’s playoff matchup versus St. Johns helping the Lightning to their first every Division One playoff victory. Cameron will likely be paired with either sophomore Owen Robbins or sophomore Brady Berkhammer, 14 GP, 6 A. Junior Andrew Botti 14 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 PTS will anchor the other defensive pairing and will play heavy minutes all season long. Both Robbins and Berkhammer had excellent 9th grade seasons and will be counted on to take their games to another level this season. Defensive positions five and six will be a rotation all season long with Josh Nadler, Sean Levine, Jake Roth, Cole Howerton, and Miles Wendland each likely to receive an opportunity to earn shifts during varsity game action.
In net, senior Landon Bernard returns looking to use last season’s exceptional playoff run as a springboard to dominate this season. Bernard’s individual statistics have improved each season, and he would like to add a varsity county championship to the junior varsity championship he backstopped two seasons ago. Last year, Bernard posted a strong regular season with a 3.65 GAA, and an .866 save percentage to go along with his 8-7-2 record. In the playoffs, he sparkled with a 0.98 GAA and a .966 save percentage. Bernard will be backed up by young but talented 9th grade netminder Ilan Shterenberg. Shterenberg has the technical skills to make the tough save look easy. He will gain valuable playing time this season as the only junior varsity netminder while also seeing some varsity game action. Shterenberg has a very bright future with the Lightning program.
The coaching staff will be supplementing the varsity squad with student athletes that have thus far historically played the majority of their high school hockey career at the junior varsity level. Look for the game day roster to fluctuate all season long primarily based upon which student athletes are healthy scratches when they are out of state with their external travel teams. The depth of the Lightning’s roster is finally able to handle one or two student athletes missing a game here or there.
The junior varsity season starts on Friday evening with a rematch of last season’s junior varsity playoff quarterfinal. Upper Montgomery will face the Whitman Vikings. The junior varsity will have fourteen skaters and incoming 9th grade netminder Ilan Shterenberg handling the goaltending duties. The team should be much better than last year’s junior varsity squad as there is a significant amount of experience returning on defense. The junior varsity games may be lower scoring than last season as the team uses its defensive strength to focus on preventing the opposition from scoring. The big change in the junior varsity season will be the additional length of the periods, now fifteen minutes up from twelve minute periods that had been played in previous seasons. There will also be several evening junior varsity games scheduled throughout the season.
As mentioned, Shterenberg will handle the netminding duties for the entire season. His play in net will ultimately determine how successful the team is and how far the Lightning junior varsity advances in the junior varsity county playoffs. He has the talent and ability to be a difference maker.
On defense the Lightning will have several experienced defenders and two promising 9th grade student athletes. Seniors Sean Levine 9 GP, 2 G, 2 A and Jake Roth will both see extensive action. Offensive minded defender Cole Howerton 11 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS will regularly join the rush looking to use his speed and shot to help deliver offensive firepower. He is likely going to be paired with hulking defensive defender Patrick Sell. Sell’s focus is on using his size and reach to upset the offensive rushes of the opposition. He chipped in with two goals last season, but his value is on the defensive side of the ice and penalty killing duties. Incoming defenders Miles Wendland and Avery Evans both play upper level travel hockey. They both need some seasoning learning how to play high school hockey against older competition. This season will go a long way in their development as both will be integral components of the team moving forward over the next four seasons.
Offensively, it is a mixed bag. Some games it is anticipated that the squad will generate offensive much more capably than last season. Other games, it might still be extremely difficult to mount much of an attack. Up front junior varsity co-captains Josh Nadler 9 GP, 4 G, 1 A, 5 PTS and senior Adam Levine 11 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS will look to use last season playing together as a springboard to produce more offensively this season. Junior TJ Gottesman will look to improve on last season statistically 8 GP, 4 G, 9 A for 13 PTS, and be more consistent throughout the season. He is a big hitter and the coaching staff will be looking for that aggression and toughness again this season. AJ Marks will begin his second season with the Lightning. He has a big shot, but needs to hit the net more frequently to add to the two goals he scored last season. Incoming 9th grader Aiden Zheng will get every opportunity to receive top line game action. His speed has the chance to open up the game and stretch the ice. The coaching staff will be working with Aiden all season long on growing the defensive side of his game. Jason Woodman’s enthusiasm and effort will be useful all season. He chipped in with two goals a year ago, and if he can extend his scoring by even just a little bit, that will go a long way. The Schickler brothers will see more extensive playing time after the high school football season ends, but both Behr on defense and Jackson on offense will help provide balance to the forward lines.
The season begins now….
#Our Time, #UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!