Wildcats continue to win on and off the ice

OXFORD, MI – These days, the Oxford High School varsity hockey team is not only winning on the ice, but winning in a significant way off the ice as well.

After all, the feeling of beating the opposition only lasts until the next game, while making strides in the community can last a lifetime.

This season, Wildcat players have put in time at Oxford Elementary School reading to children, at the Waterstone Senior Village to interact with the residents and just this week, welcomed Oxford special education students to practice at the Troy Sports Center (pictured above) as part of a “learn to skate” event where the students also rode the team bus to and from practice.

“I think it’s very important for athletes to be role models because a lot of people are watching and looking up to them, so setting a good example is an important key to being a great athlete,” said Oxford junior forward Stephan Fritz.

“The kids who look up to us see us doing good things tend to aspire to also do good things,” added junior forward Jimmy Wallington. “We try to have a positive attitude on everything and just show how fun it is to be representing our school on the ice.”

Sophomore forward Luke Novack said going to the elementary school was fun and rewarding.

“It was cool because when we walked into the classroom, all the kids went crazy,” said Novack. “It was a lot of fun to play math games with them, even though I lost every time. Going to the school was a great experience and if asked, I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Spending time with senior citizens over the holidays had the same type of goodwill feeling.

“It was a great time going to the senior home with the boys,” Fritz said. “It's always nice to get out into the community and know you're making a difference in some people’s lives that don't always get to experience something like that. You can tell they enjoy the company and its just fun to spend some time with the residents and hear their stories.”

This past Monday, the special education kids got to experience firsthand what it takes to not only be a hockey player, but all the preparation it takes just to skate at practice.

“It was a really great experience, I really enjoyed it and I think everyone involved did, too,” said OHS junior defenseman Brennen Orr. “I felt really good about myself helping them learn how to skate.”

“I had a great time teaching those kids how to skate,” sophomore forward Cody Wright said. “It was a big deal for them and we will never know how much that impacted their lives. I was just glad to do it.”

After beating Lapeer United 4-2 last night at home during Senior Night, the Wildcats (13-6-2 overall, 2-4-1 OAA Red) are now looking ahead to the Red Division playoffs that start Friday night against Farmington at 8:45 p.m. at the Onyx in Rochester.

Obviously, the team has its goals set extremely high.

“We have a shot to win the league after moving up a second year in a row and that's really exciting to the team, especially since many people don't believe we will be able to pull it off again,” said Fritz. “We just have to take it one step at a time and work harder than ever. Playoffs this year are looking good and we have a strong, deep team that's looking to go far.

“With the work we've put in, it's not unrealistic that we'll be at states when that whole thing gets started.”

“The Red playoffs are very important to our team, especially the seniors,” Novack said. “A lot of teams in the league think that we won’t even be a .contender, which makes us want to win it that much more. We are ready to compete and bring back some hardware for the school.”

Other first-round matchups have Clarkston taking on Stoney Creek, Farmington Hills Unified battling Rochester United and Lake Orion tangling with Birmingham Unified.

The Red Division semi-finals go Saturday at the Farmington Hills Ice Arena with championship games taking place on Feb. 25 at the Birmingham Ice Arena.

Click here to view the playoff bracket for the Red Division.

For more information on the Oxford High School varsity hockey team, please visit www.OxfordHockey.com.

Schlueter playing to potential, eyeing improvement

OXFORD, MI – What a difference a year makes.

Last season, Alex Schlueter didn’t have the type of year he wanted to have as a freshman on the Oxford High School hockey team. He’ll be the first one to admit that.

This year, though, is a different story as the steady defenseman has “shot out of a cannon,” according to OHS head coach Dave Hague.

“Alex is a completely different player this season,” Hague said. “He was a little raw last season as most freshmen tend to be, but this year when I watch him, it’s a whole new player. Alex put in the work to be a better player and it has showed from day one of this season.”

“I would have to admit that I am very happy with my season so far,” said Schlueter matter-of-factly. “I feel that I have played to my full potential nearly every time I step out on the ice. This differs from last year because I just couldn’t seem to unlock my full potential. The atmosphere was new and I think my nerves greatly hindered my abilities.

“I credit my improvement strictly to hard work. Hard work is the key to unlocking all your abilities on and off the ice. The best way for me to keep improving is to continue to listen to my coaches, work hard and compete every shift, every practice, and every workout. It’s as simple as that.”

Playing mostly on a blue line pairing with senior Dean Couwlier, Schlueter said he’s had instant chemistry, crucial to a defense pair clicking.

“I feel Dean makes it so easy to play with him,” said Schlueter. “We set up simple and effective plays that we run, without flaw, in games.”

On a team level, Schlueter said there is no better situation that playing for the Wildcats and continuing the tradition that has become successful Oxford hockey.

“We are nothing short of a family,” said Schlueter. “We spend virtually every day with each other and we wouldn't have it any other way. It does not surprise me when I hear about our players turning down these higher level teams to stay here and play for Oxford. I know I would certainly have trouble leaving.

“I plan on staying as long as possible. I honestly think that if I did take an offer somewhere else that I would eventually end up back on the Oxford squad. I've played hockey since I was little and I have never played on a team quite like Oxford. There's something about it that just grasps you and holds you in.”

Schlueter also has a maturity level about him that is both ambitious and realistic.

Take, for example, his goals in hockey. He wants to continue to improve defensively to where he can play in power-play situations and down the road, he has NHL aspirations, along with going to college.

“Though I feel that most statistics do not accurately display a player’s ability and are not nearly as important as some players make them out to be, I think that plus-minus is a very important stat to keep track of,” said Schlueter. “My current plus-minus is not bad at all, but another ongoing short-term goal of mine is to improve my plus-minus.

“My long-term hockey goals are the same since I started playing hockey in the fourth grade – to play in the NHL.”

While the NHL is a dream only few can realize, it’s a dream worth having, added Schlueter. After all, if he was “raw” last season and superb this season, who knows what the future holds?


ON TAP: RED DIVISION PLAYOFFS

The OAA league Red Division seeding and playoff assignments have been determined. First-round playoff action gets underway next Friday (Feb. 17) at the Onyx in Rochester.

Oxford will face Farmington at 8:45 p.m.

Other first-round matchups have Clarkston taking on Stoney Creek, Farmington Hills Unified battling Rochester United and Lake Orion tangling with Birmingham Unified.

The Red Division semi-finals go the following day at the Farmington Hills Ice Arena with championship games taking place on Feb. 25 at the Birmingham Ice Arena.

Click here to view the playoff bracket for the Red Division.

For more information on the Oxford High School varsity hockey team, please visit www.OxfordHockey.com

ESPN takes note of talented Chapman

OXFORD, MI – Nolan Chapman hasn’t been on SportsCenter, but he’s pretty close.

In the most recent issue of ESPN HS, a high school-themed version of ESPN The Magazine, the sports conglomerate ranks the top 24 high school hockey players in the state of Michigan.

Chapman is listed on the list’s Fourth Team. Not too shabby for a kid who sees himself as “the goofy and annoying kid on and off the ice and trying my best to be a captain on the ice.”

“Being featured in ESPN is one of the biggest privileges I've ever had,” said Chapman. “To me, this shows that our team has a bunch of kids with this capability and talent. Who knows if this will get me noticed by schools and juniors, but I guess we'll just wait and see.”

This season with the Wildcats, Chapman leads the team in scoring and is second in overall OAA scoring with 15 goals and 35 points in 17 games – better than two points per game.

“Nolan is a very talented player and his recognition from ESPN shows that Oxford can produce big-time talent,” said OHS head coach Dave Hague. “Nolan has been a kid who’s been here for three seasons and has taken huge strides each year. Most of the guys on that ESPN list have already committed to NCAA Division I teams or top-level USHL and NAHL programs. It will be exciting to see where Nolan lands next season."

Chapman said that while the ESPN mention is an individual accolade, he knows he couldn’t have done it alone.

“The hockey program here at Oxford has come from the bottom to one of the most premier teams in the state,” said Chapman. “I feel like being on the team has improved my on-ice skill and I feel like our coaches are one of the main reasons I've had this success playing hockey. Hockey has always been one of my main focuses in life and I'd love to continue playing until I can't anymore.”

Playing Lake Orion in December was a highlight for Chapman and he’s hoping for more positives as the regular season hits the home stretch.

”In that Lake Orion game, it seemed like the whole city was watching us,” Chapman said. “That right there should tell you how far we’ve come as a program.”

ESPN certainly took notice.


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Forward Alex Hoffman, a 2008 OHS graduate, has moved on to play for the Division I ACHA team at Oakland University.

Hoffman currently has 13 goals (tied for second on the Grizzlies) and 21 points in 29 games.

After graduating from Oxford, Hoffman spent a season in the Eastern Junior Hockey League with the Hampton Roads Jr. Admirals and is now a junior at OU.

Hoffman also played briefly at NCAA Division III Nichols College in Dudley, Mass.

For more information on the Oxford High School varsity hockey program, please visit www.OxfordHockey.com.

Freshmen trio progressing for Wildcats

OXFORD, MI – The three freshmen on the Oxford High School varsity hockey roster were all born in 1997, the same year the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 42 years.

So while forwards Steven Fowler, Scott Stubenrauch and Brandon Welch have always known winning seasons in Hockeytown, they hope to be a part of similar seasons with the Wildcats this season and down the road.

According to OHS head coach Dave Hague, all three players have contributed significantly this season and have the potential to be cornerstones in the Oxford lineup for years to come.

“It's important to get talented players in the program at a young age,” explained Hague. “It's what keeps the program evolving and allows these players to develop very fast. Our veteran players were freshmen once and they have all shown Steven, Scott and Brandon what it takes to play at this level and to their credit, the freshmen have taken it all in and have all improved their games since the beginning of the season. It can only go up from here for those three.”

All three freshmen feel they can become better players and morph into young men playing for the Wildcats.

“It's been challenging converting from such a low level of hockey into high school, but it’s been a learning experience and I'm always looking for ways to improve my game,” said Welch. “I chose to play for Oxford for the opportunity to play for my school and have a future in hockey. I feel like I'm going to get the most opportunities out of playing here.”

Fowler said that he wants to don the OHS sweater for all four years and then make the jump to junior hockey. He summed up this season, however, with a simple statement.

“This season has been great and fun,” Fowler said. “The coaches are very nice and determined to win.”

Stubenrauch said the high school level has been more intense than what he was used to.

“It’s a lot tougher than travel hockey with kids a lot bigger and stronger,” he said. “Playing for Oxford doesn't only make you a better hockey player, but a better person in life by doing all the little things that can make a big thing happen. I see myself in blue and gold for all four of my high school years – it’s great to play for the school you represent.”

“Once the second half of the season hits, freshmen really aren’t freshmen any more,” said Hague. “They know what to expect from the coaches and they go out and do what we ask and then some. All three of our freshmen are great kids and like I said, it’s going to be exciting seeing them progress at this level.”


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Forward Tim Perks, a 2011 graduate, played for the Wildcats all four years of high school. After last season, he had numerous options at the junior level, including an invitation to showcase his skills at the United States Hockey League combine in Chicago.

He was an NA3HL draft pick (52nd overall) of the Metro Jets last June, but appeared to be headed to a higher level in the NAHL before a knee injury suffered while playing in Europe set him back. Perks is back on the ice now and nearing a return, hopefully for this season, with the Jets.

For more information on the Oxford Varsity Hockey program, please visit www.OxfordHockey.com.

Couwlier happy to be back for senior season

OXFORD, MI – Dean Couwlier is happy he chose to return to the Oxford High School hockey team for his senior season.

He actually started out this year playing for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies Midget Major AAA team, but in the end, went with his heart and his gut.

“To be honest, I missed the kids from Oxford,” said Couwlier, a senior defenseman. “We're a bunch of brothers and it's hard to get away from that. Our coaches actually care about your future and that’s a great thing.”

Couwlier played his sophomore and junior seasons in a Wildcats’ sweater and then was torn this past offseason. Oxford had just come off its first OAA White division championship and like the old adage goes, team success breeds individual success.

“This program (Oxford) is not like the others,” beamed Couwlier. “We all support each other as teammates and we have coaches that do everything they can to develop us into the best players and most importantly, the best men we can be.”

Oxford head coach Dave Hague kept in close contact with Couwlier during his decision-making process and was happy for him when he decided that Oxford was best.

“Dean is a great player and has improved tremendously in his time here,” said Hague. “He’s a very likeable kid and very coachable. I’ve already had some calls about him from North American Hockey League teams and I can see him making the jump next season. It’ll be fun seeing how far Dean can take hockey.”

The Wildcats’ alumni list has grown every season and Couwlier wants his name on the list next fall.

“Seeing my buddies move up shows me that the opportunities are there,” said Couwlier. “I want to push myself to reach the highest level of hockey possible.”

A team-first player, Couwlier has an idea of where he wants the Wildcats to be come March.

“Being 1-1-1 in the league (OAA Red) and 10-2-1 overall at this point, there is no doubt that if we give everything we've got that we can work our way to another league championship,” Couwlier said. “Hopefully, we can be the first team in school history to get to the hockey state playoffs, too.

“We have the talent and the dedication and it’s up to us to get the job done.”


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Two brothers that played for Oxford, Blaine and Tim Marney, both play for the ACHA Division II team at Grand Valley State University.

Blaine, a forward, played for the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks in the NA3HL last year and is in his first year at GVSU. Tim, also a forward, played for GVSU the past two seasons and was part of the Lakers’ ACHA Division II national championship squad in 2010-11.

For more information on the Oxford Varsity Hockey program, please visit www.oxfordhockey.com.

A ‘privilege’ to play for the Wildcats, says players

OXFORD, MI – Nick Hocker and Connor Novack are veteran players with the Oxford High School hockey team and while both have had opportunities to leave high school hockey, they both have stayed with the hopes that a state championship can be housed in Oxford.

Hocker, a senior forward, and Novack (pictured), one year younger and also a forward, are both happy with their decisions to stay in Northern Oakland County and suit up for the Wildcats, last season’s OAA White champions who now play in the Red division.

“Playing AAA is good hockey, but then again our coaches (Dave Hague and Rick Ignagni) do a good job at getting our names out there and helping us out,” said Novack. “Most of all, it is just fun to play for your school and all of your friends.”

Hocker agreed.

“Everyone seems to get along and connect really well this year,” said Hocker. “I think this creates great chemistry between everyone and transfers over to our play on the ice and helps us work better together. We have a great coaching staff and a team that always wants to compete and win. Every time we step on the ice, we have a chance to win any game.”

Hocker is currently second overall in OAA scoring behind linemate Nolan Chapman. Those two play on a wing with Stephan Fritz at center. That entire line is 1-2-3 in OAA scoring, not an easy feat when one considers the competition level of the league.

“The competition in league play has greatly improved,” said Hocker. “I think it's more fun to play hockey with your friends that you go to school with because you can get a lot closer to everyone.”

“We have had some good flow this year with our lines,” Novack added. “Our team gets along really well together and we have added some good players to the roster. Our team has found our roles on the ice. We try to do all the little things right and when we do, we get rewarded.”

Both Novack and Hocker attribute most of the team’s success to Hague and Ignagni.

“Our coaches are one of a kind,” Novack said. “They care about us so much and would do anything to help us out. They are great coaches, they get us motivated and they know the game extremely well.”

“Coach Rick has been with the program since day one and has given the reputation that the team has today through many hours of hard work,” said Hocker. “That goes along with Coach Dave as well and they would give anything for any of us on the team. They put the team before anything else in their life and push us to get better and better every day.”

Two weeks ago, OHS traveled to Madison, Wis., to play in a holiday tournament against several teams from Wisconsin and the surrounding areas.

Hocker said the experience was a blast.

“It was a lot of fun to travel out of state and play teams from different states and see what the competition was like,” Hocker beamed. “When you go play in different states, it helps get the Oxford name out to these states. This then opens up great opportunities for future kids playing on the team and gives Oxford as a whole a much better name.”

Last season, the Wildcats played outdoors at Michigan Stadium, a game they won over Troy High School. Last weekend, Oxford was offered a chance to play at Progressive Field in Cleveland, but couldn’t match up schedules with a school from Ohio.

Obviously, as the Oxford program expands, more opportunity comes the Wildcats’ way.

Still, at the end of the day, nothing beats playing high school hockey, according to Novack.

“Playing for OHS is very different than playing for another team outside of school,” Novack said. “It is a privilege to play for your school and wear the colors and represent them.

“All of your friends get to see you play and it is a lot of fun.”

The fun is proving to have positive results, too, as Oxford is off to a 9-2-1 start.

For more information on the OHS hockey team, please visit www.OxfordHockey.com.