High school hockey watch list

Players to watch

(in alphabetical order) D George Brinn, Sr., University: One of the smoothest blue-liners this area has produced in this decade, with a keen sense for breakouts and smart on the backcheck, this senior had 12 goals and 29 assists last winter, earning first-team News-Herald and second-team All-Ohio honors. F Val Carriero, Jr., Kenston: In his high school hockey debut a year ago, this junior and returning first-team GCHSHL Red Division all-star enjoyed a breakout campaign with 33 goals and 35 assists. F Cole Horvath, Sr., Lake

Catholic: Because of struggles from a won-lost standpoint it was a bit under the radar, but this standout forward had a nice junior season with 29-16-45 and pairs with Jacob Schmitt as one of this area’s premier 1-2 punches in the offensive zone. F Evan McBride, Sr., Mentor: With his puck handling and forecheck grit, this senior and 2017 first-team News-Herald all-star could very well build on a 26-28-54 season as a junior for the Cardinals. F Jack Henry Muha, Sr., University: After learning from some of the best on US’ top lines over the last two years, this senior is poised for a big campaign – albeit after going for 22-29-51, leading the GLHL in scoring and being named second-team All-Ohio last season. D Eamonn Mulkern, Sr., Gilmour: With his imposing size, this senior is a physical force on the blue line who has come along very well in the last two years as a more complete player with offensivezone and special-team prowess for Coach John Malloy. D Jack Perish, Sr., Mentor: This senior, who had 1-19-20 and was second-team NewsHerald a year ago, is a sharp performer who has logged quality shifts since entering the Cardinals’ program as a freshman. F Jacob Schmitt, Sr., Lake Catholic: Roster numbers had a slight uptick for the Cougars, and fortunately in the offensive zone they include the return of this seasoned and talented senior, who recorded 18-27-45 and was honorable mention all-Ohio in 2017-18.

Games to watch

Gilmour vs. St. Edward (Dec. 1 at Winterhurst and Jan 13 at Gilmour); Mentor vs. Rocky River (Dec. 7 at Mentor and Feb. 2 at Rocky River); University vs. Shaker Heights (Dec. 7 at Thornton Park and Jan. 26 at Cleveland Heights); Brush vs. Garfield Heights (Dec. 15 at Garfield Heights and Jan 12 at Cleveland Heights); NDCL at Mayfield (Dec. 16 at Gilmour); Lake Catholic vs. Walsh Jesuit (Dec. 19 at Mentor and Feb. 2 at Kent); Lake Catholic at University (Jan. 6 at Cleveland Heights); Kenston at Rocky River (Jan. 11); Mentor at Benedictine (Jan. 12 at Cleveland Heights); Gilmour at Lake Catholic (Jan. 23 at Mentor); Kenston at Mentor (Jan. 26); Gilmour at University (Jan. 27 at Cleveland Heights)

One-timers

• League realignment was more active than usual with the proverbial dominoes that fell after Shaker Heights moved to the Great Lakes Hockey League. There were rumors Rocky River could join that exodus, but it did not come to fruition. The Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League in turn rebuilt the Red Division into the Red North East and Red Central. Area-wise, Mentor will be in the Red North East, and Kenston and Benedictine will be in the new Red Central. Chagrin Falls remains in the White, and NDCL drops to the Blue to join Brush and Mayfield. • University is under new leadership behind the bench this season with Andy Gerow succeeding Andre Lacroix as coach. Gerow, a 2010 US grad, is best known for his gamewinning double-overtime state semifinal goal against St. Edward during US’ “triple” in the 2008-09 season (Red North, Baron Cup I and state championships). That slapshot from just beyond the blue line as a junior defenseman at Nationwide is easily one of the biggest goals in school history. • Gilmour returns some key personnel from its turnaround campaign last winter. The leadership of the graduated Matt Mangel and John Treppo will be missed in the offensive zone, and standout goaltender Duncan Nichols-Delay, a 2018 first-team News-Herald all-star, has moved to the Lancers’ prep squad. But veteran coach John Malloy returns four quality pieces at forward in Charlie Valenti, the rapidly developing Charlie Tuggey, Dominic Casamatta and Evan Enrich, and Mulkern is a handful on defense. If the goaltending turnover can be resolved, Gilmour should be a handful in the long term again.

• Speaking of goaltending, that will also be an area of concern at Mentor. Graduating longtime stalwart Jacob Tackett, especially with all the big minutes he logged over the last four years between the pipes, is a tough blow to be sure. The blue-line play, paced by Perish, will have to be efficient on the backcheck to limit pucks to the crease and allow the new netminders some time to acclimate. That stated, though, the Cardinals won’t be lacking in offensive zone punch, with McBride and his sophomore brother Andrew and Kyle Backston back in the fold. The trio combined for 5585-140 last winter, and Jack Heller (11-7-18) and Luke Jeffery (5-14-19) should continue to develop as well.

• There is no way to avoid the proverbial elephant in the room: Concern over the long-term future of Lake Catholic has to be growing due to roster numbers, even more than it was last season. The Cougars have 14 players, nine of whom are seniors. So barring a dramatic shift, this season could carry more than just the usual sentimental value because of potential looming program dormancy. With Schmitt and Horvath leading the charge, though, this is a capable group.

• Tom Fritsche has a fairly young squad in place at Kenston with 10 underclassmen, including the ultra-talented Carriero. That’s a great opportunity for Fritsche to develop the program in his mold in his second season. With his highlevel playing experience, including at Ohio State, Fritsche sees the game as well as any coach in Greater Cleveland, and a young roster should reap the benefits from that.

• With his son and nephew coming into the program as ninth-graders, Bob Kehres is back for a second stint at Benedictine, succeeding Joe Primiano. Kehres guided the Bengals to the height of their powers during the program rebirth in the last 20 years as a formidable foe in the old Red Southeast during the 2000s. Numbers aren’t quite where they once were, but having Matt Carson (33-21-54) and Andrew Schiffer (14-19-33) leading a young squad as seniors is a good start.

• Hopefully better fortune is ahead at Chagrin Falls after an 11-21 season a year ago. The graduation losses the last couple years have been tough for the Tigers, but one player who has developed well during that span of veteran teams has been Joe Conway. The senior forward logged a 35-13-48 season as a junior and – purely meant as a compliment – has seemingly been around the program for more than four years because of ice time accumulated.

• It’s encouraging to see an upswing in numbers at Mayfield for Coach Steve Bogas, with 15 skaters and two goaltenders out. High-scoring forward Ethan Macula will be missed after his graduation. But getting an upset win at Baron Cup III last year and bringing much of their nucleus back should mean an upswing from a wonlost perspective as well this year for the Wildcats.

• Longtime assistant Bernie Kosloski and Coach Paul Bilyk have swapped roles this winter at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, with Kosloski now the head coach. It’s a transition year back in the Blue, but having nine freshmen and sophomores in the fold is better than some programs are faring right now.

• Simply due to its realities as a Blue South squad year-toyear with first-year skaters and new players, senior Mike Kornet is likely to make a run at the state record for saves in a season for Brush. The state record – although it should be noted Ohio records are vastly incomplete – is listed as 1,154. Obviously it would be preferable to avoid that, but that could be an achievable number. That stated, it is great to see 16 players out for the Arcs, including five freshmen.