Natural move for Hawks

J's World, by Jeremiah Bartz

Like George Jefferson, the Houston hockey program may be movin' on up.

Rather than to a deluxe apartment, the Hawks are looking to move on up to the next level.

Sayonara 3A, hello 4A.

This is a natural move for Houston. In the last 12 years Houston head coach Jamie Smith and his assistants have not only built the top small school hockey program in the state, but one of the top hockey programs in the state overall.

Their 6-2-1 record against large school opponents speaks for itself. Five of those six wins came fairly easy and their only two losses against large school competition have come by just one goal. Houston was edged by Chugiak 2-1 and East 5-4. A bogus call gave East a few more seconds on the clock, and the Thunderbirds were able to slip a cheap goal into the Houston net. Otherwise, the Hawks would be 7-1-1 against the big dogs.

Houston is 7-0-0 against small school teams this year.

Frankly there is probably a better chance for Big Lake to get an NHL franchise than the Kenny Lakes of the state to steal a series from the Hawks. There is always a shot at a fluke win, such as Monroe's victory over Houston in the 2003 state title game, but the average Houston-Kenny Lake, Houston-Homer, Houston-Nikiski hockey game is like a prize fight between Mike Tyson and George Jefferson.

Right now the move has just been proposed and faces approval. Unfortunately it does not look like the timing will allow the Hawks to skate at the 4A level next season, but Houston deserves the right to play better competition. Smith and his players should be applauded for wanting to make the jump, unlike schools like Eielson and Kenai who opted to take the nosedive from 4A to 3A in football. It is only so long you can beat up on the little folks before you have to face the big dogs on a regular basis.