The conclusion of each hockey season brings forward springtime which for the Upper Montgomery Lightning means the spring high school hockey season. The Lightning program uses spring hockey to introduce the incoming ninth graders (currently in eighth grade) to the speed of high school hockey and as an introduction to the systems used by the Lightning during the regular season. The program is not concerned with wins or losses, rather the focus is on making sure that the incoming students are ready to contribute in the fall when the regular hockey season begins.
Upper Montgomery had nine incoming students register for the spring hockey season as well as two others that had conflicts with lacrosse season. So there may be up to eleven new members of the program in the fall helping to replace the program’s seven graduating seniors; center Henry Honacki, and forwards Nathan Cassel, Josh Nadler, TJ Gottesman, and AJ Marks and defenders Cole Howerton and Patrick Sell. Ninth grade forward Siddy Bhasin will return to his home school district as he now attends Wootton High School. With the loss of eight students that played on the varsity squad last season there will be plenty of ice time available for Upper Montgomery’s younger students to step into a more meaningful role next year. Some of the students that participated in spring hockey may earn some of that ice time. Time will tell as each of the new students will need to work hard over the summer months and improve their skating and team play to earn ice time.
#Spring Season, #UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!