Varsity Hockey: Season Outlook

The St. Luke’s hockey team is hoping to compete in another Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) Championship game this season and looking to take the trophy back to the Hilltop.

The Storm has been narrowly defeated in the last two title contests but is confident it can put things right this time around with St. Luke’s hosting the championship game at SoNo Ice House on Saturday, Feb. 24.

The puck squad knows there will be significant challenges ahead to accomplish this goal but is ready and willing to give it their all. 

Head Coach Emily Allen returns to guide the Storm and has been extremely pleased with what she has seen so far despite not having much time to prepare. “Unfortunately, we didn't have much of a preseason because the transition from fall to winter sports is such a fast turnaround,” she said.  “However, the team has been preparing all fall by skating as much as possible with their club teams, watching videos, and getting each other excited about the season ahead. Our veteran players have continued to hold themselves to a high standard and have shown up every day ready to get better. Seniors Aidan Flanagan, Jake Dyer, and Ty Saedel have set the tone for the season by staying locked in for every game and practice.”

St. Luke’s is captained by Flanagan ’24, Enzo Fredericks ’25, and Brennan Fila ’25. Allen is thrilled to be working with the trio and knows they will do a tremendous job. “We are excited to have these three as captains because they each bring something special to the table and all of them are incredible players,” she said. “They all communicate very well with their teammates, are very respectful, and bring a competitive energy to everything they do. I am looking for them to stay positive and keep the team motivated throughout the season.”

Allen has also been thrilled with some of the younger members of the team and is excited to see what they can accomplish. “We've seen some really great things from our freshman class including Lucas Krauss, Jack Squitieri, Bennett Kurtz, Thomas Merrill, Gavin Parsons, Rowan Stewart, Nathan Howe, Harrison Swain, and Luke Matthews,” she said.“Jack and Lucas were big contributors to our team last year, and having them lead this group of freshmen and show them the ropes has been very helpful. They have all jumped in with a ton of enthusiasm and we are excited to have Harrison Swain return from his injury after winter break.”

Allen expects her team to play the ‘St. Luke’s way’ and believes the group is ready for whatever the season throws at them. “We want to play fast, strong, and together,” she said.“I want us to be able to respond to adversity and stick together as a team no matter what happens. We want to play aggressively and never back down from anything.”

The Storm kicked off its season with a scrimmage against The Canterbury School before a tough 5-2 loss to The Portledge School on Friday, December 1. St. Luke’s bounced back with a thrilling 3-3 win against Rye Country Day School on Monday, Dec. 11 but were pegged back by a 4-2 loss against the current FAA Champions King School on Wednesday, Dec.13. 

Allen is confident her team will respond and challenge the Vikings again. “We want to win a championship,” she said. “Having lost in the championship game the last two years, we are certainly eager to get back there and to take home the first-place trophy. We had three tough games already that have taught us a lot about what we need to work on. I expect that we will have some more difficult contests after winter break but I am looking forward to seeing us get a bit better with each contest.”

The Storm returns to the ice on Tuesday, Jan.9 with a road trip to Greenwich Country Day School before a home game on Friday, Jan. 12 against R.C.D.S.