Trevor Phipps
The Woodland Park Panthers’ hockey team has played tough this year against some formidable opponents, and they are now bracing to rule the ice in the final part of the season.
The team is currently 3-6 overall, but they have a 3-3 league record. This has puts them in third place in their competitive 4A South Division.
So far this season, the team has come up with big wins against Palmer, Rampart and Pueblo County. But, they have fallen short when it comes to playing the tough teams in the state.
The team’s head coach, Travis Seabolt, said that he is happy with how the team has played this year, and notes that many of their losses occurred during close games. As primary strengths this year, he cites how well they have stuck together as a team and how they play when it counts.
The coach said that senior Brandon Morgan has been a key player for the last couple of years, with another good showing for the season. Junior Ian Newsham also has stepped up this year. According to the coach, Newsham he has been “on fire” during the season.
“He has contributed a ton this year and he is really working hard,” Seabolt said of Newsome.
This year the team has been playing a “trifecta” of goalies, with good showing by the entire unit. “I have a senior, a sophomore and a freshman,” Seabolt said. “And all three of those goalies can all play and it is nice to have that backbone in the net where you can throw anyone one of them in there and be comfortable with them.”
He said that the team has been getting contributions from various team members this year. And the coach is excited to see so many young players stepping up to give the Panthers a promising future.
As for improvements, the coach said, “I think at this point now that we are coming down the home stretch of the season that it is really working as a team. We have had a couple of hiccups this year. I think moving forward that everyone has got on the same page. They have the talent I think it is just a matter of bringing it every night to play for each other.”
Seabolt said that even though the season is nearing an end, the team still plays some key games to close out the year. The team will have to play Cheyenne Mountain and Rampart again. Those will both be tough matches for the Panthers.
The hockey team has five games left this season. They continue to play this Saturday against Pine Creek.
Next week, they play Doherty on Thursday and Cheyenne Mountain on Friday.
