In 2014-2015, Oratory Prep Hockey played its inaugural season at the varsity level, and all I can say is “Wow! What a year.”  This team went through it all from last second game-winning goals, to blowout losses against some of the state’s finest, and hatties scored in multiple games. Oratory was led by senior captains Mike Middlebrook and Jake Gertz, both of whom carried the team to the successes that they had. The team also had great leadership from all the seniors including Liam Breen, Joe Bizub, and acrobat goalie Brian McGovern. Without them, the rams would not have done as well as they did in their successful first varsity season.

From the perspective of a student and fan of the team, it is certain that this season had its ups and downs. I could never forget the weekday nights at the Nank Tank (Warinanco Park) where the Rams played absolutely filthy teams such as Summit and Westfield, or the games at a packed Union Sports Arena, where Aiden Wright and Jake Gertz dangled past conference foes. Also, who could forget Thomas Hegeman totally dropping a guy on Dayton  right in the middle of the zone and getting away with it, or Nick Yoder burying seven against Edison, or Jake Gertz’s hatty against Private School foe Gil Saint Bernards at Mennen Arena? I certainly won’t. Sure, the boys might have put me through excruciating pain sometimes, but it was all fun and entirely worth it to be there for the ride.

Despite the team’s losing record and failure to make the UCIHL playoffs, this past season will always go down as a high note in the program’s history. The hard work, talent, and silky-smooth hands that the men displayed leave everyone to think that this is only the beginning of something great. Hopefully by this time in twenty or thirty years, the future hockey team will be playing at the Prudential Center for the Private State Championship. Thanks to everyone on the team for such a great season and hope to see more great stuff next year from the underclassmen.

Roster: Brian McGovern (G), Paul Kellam (G), Jake Gertz (D), Mike Middlebrook (D), Dan Thek (D), Anthony Pergola (D), Rich Gilman (D), Steven Heller (D), Owen Durkin (F), Jake Gertz (F), Nick Yoder (F), Mike Calandrillo (F), Liam Breen (F), Joe Bizub (F), Jack Bizub (F), Anton Kral (F), Aiden Wright (F),

All Oratory Hockey Hair Team

Jack Bizub- F

Liam Breen- F

Nick Yoder- F

Jake Gertz- D

Steve Heller- D

Paul Kellam- G

Three Stars of the Season

First Star- Jake Gertz

Second Star- Brian McGovern

Third Star- Jack Bizub

Honorable Mentions:

Mike Middlebrook

Aiden Wright

Nick Yoder