Hawks skate into season excited about potential

HOUSTON — Colony, Palmer and Wasilla are all at least two games into the 2017-18 season. Houston, the Valley’s lone Division II hockey program, is still waiting to drop the puck and officially start the new campaign. But with an influx of young talent, and the biggest roster the team has had in years, the Hawks are taking advantage of their extended preseason.

“Everybody has had a chance to get a little more ice time,” Houston head coach Mike Styers said of the Hawks, who will make their season debut next week in Homer.

Houston, the 2017 3A runner-up, has 28 players on the roster, about 11 better than last year.

“We have a ton of kids this year, a lot of young ones,” Styers said.

The Hawks have nine freshmen on the roster, which Styers called, “a real surprise.”

The boost in numbers will help Houston develop players at the junior varsity level, Styers said, and the Hawks have used the extra time prior to their first action to give the players more time on the ice. That has been particularly valuable for the young players, Styers said.

Styers and the Hawks can now add that big group of freshmen to their solid cast of veterans.

“Most of our key players are back,” Styers said.

At the top of the list is senior defenseman Reed Humphreys, last season’s Greatland Conference Player of the Year.

“He’s as solid as ever,” Styers said. “He’s by far our most talented player again, and will see more playing time than anyone else.”

Humphreys will be joined by seniors Noah Gillespie and Hayden Chivers on the blue line.

“All three will see significantly more playing time than any other defenseman,” Styers said.

Styers said senior Tyler Chivers has looked strong, and will skate into the season among the top forwards on the team. Austin Zweifel is another experienced senior. The forward group also includes sophomore Blake Rogers, who was named the team’s top freshman last year.

Styers said the Hawks also received good news earlier this week. Senior forward Kai Kingery should return from an offseason injury sooner than expected. Kingery, who finished in a tie for the team lead last year with 42 points, is a Susitna Valley High School student who commutes daily to compete for the Hawks. Kingery also plays co-ed soccer for Su Valley, and suffered a serious ankle injury during the fall soccer season. Styers said there was concern about whether Kingery would be ready to play at all this season. Styers said on Wednesday, Kingery’s doctor cleared him to skate, in non-contact practice. Styers said it was definitely great news for the Hawks.

“It’s huge for our team,” Styers said. “He’s a hard worker. He gives us everything.”

In goal, Houston returns both JP Nix and Josh Smoldon.

The Hawks did graduate three key players from the 2016-17 squad — Isaac Smoldon, Andrew Natekin and Yuriy Natekin — but Styers is excited about the current group.

“Overall, we’re a better team than last year, even with the guys we lost,” Styers said. “Each position, we’re a year older, one year more experienced.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.