With Viking pride, East Lyme athletes shine in their striking maroon and white uniforms and attire. However, for ice hockey players, this athletic spirit takes on a much different image.
For years, EL ice hockey players have yet to wear the EL colors. Instead, cooperative teams, such as the girls’ Woodstock Academy Centaurs, and boys’ Eastern Connecticut Eagles, provide a home for EL players to thrive.
For girls’ hockey players in schools like Bacon, East Lyme, Killingly, Ledyard, Waterford, and more, the Woodstock Academy team provides a welcoming environment. Senior Paige Hinckley, junior Avery Cairns, and sophomores Sophia Bonner, and Sophia Sherman are welcomed onto the Centaurs, run by coach Eric Roy.
“It’s been great co-oping and making the team a part of the competitive high school hockey with the help of East Lyme and other schools. They’re helping us create a team that people fear battling and playing against,” coach Roy said.
Many of the players, like Bonner, express that being on the team with players from different areas in the region has been a positive experience.
“I’ve built incredible friendships over the two years I’ve played on the team, even with the people I usually wouldn’t connect with. Our roaring bus rides, constant sharing of clear tape, and Taco-Bell traditions make me feel comfortable and at home around my teammates,” Bonner said.
The close-knit Centaurs also demonstrate working together in a judgment-free zone, where any player is able to give feedback both on and off the ice. Having immediate and strong chemistry as a team is challenging, especially with eight different schools involved.
“Although more than half of the girls on the team are from Woodstock, it doesn’t feel like anyone is separated by what town they are from when we’re all together,” Hinckley said.
Players with a few years of experience on the team help to create a safe space for incoming players, creating an overall stronger team both on and off the ice.
“Seeing younger players and being able to project a warm and comfortable environment helps show that our team is
about teamwork and friendship, which any team needs to succeed,” Bonner added. According to Coach Roy, the Centaurs are solid defensively, keeping other players out of the back of their net. The girls are tenacious and gritty, willing to fight in order to win.
Last season, the Centaurs ended with a record of seven wins and 13 losses. This year, the girls have come out stronger than ever, pushing through so far with two wins in hopes of making it to the state playoffs.
Throughout the busy and hard-working season, the East Lyme girls also need to drive an hour to arrive at their home rink, located in Pomfret.
“Although the long drive is a disadvantage, and we aren’t represented as much because of our low numbers, I still feel very privileged to have a team,” Bonner said. “Still, we could get more acknowledgement from our own school.”
On the other hand, the East Lyme boys’ hockey players travel in a completely different direction to Norwich. EL students senior Derrick Fedikovich, juniors Alex Pflugbeil and Zane Flickinger, and sophomore Cooper Siragusa all play for the Eastern Connecticut Eagles program, led by coach Erik Bertelli.
“During my eight years of coaching youth hockey and three years of coaching high school hockey, I’ve noticed that East Lyme has always brought lots of consistent numbers and a great program to the Eagles, bringing in skilled players with good demeanor who are very coachable,” coach Bertelli said.
During the new season, the Eagles have improved in terms of speed, good forechecking and backchecking, and even goaltending. The team won their home opener against Woodstock 6-0, and maintain a record of 8-2. Off the ice, there’s been a large amount of unexpected chemistry among the newer players.
“With these tuned-in and determined players from all over the region, our big goals for this season are winning the
Nutmeg Conference and ending with a winning record,” coach Bertelli said.
