This season the hockey team fell short in their opener, losing 6-3 to a tough Oceanside squad.  However, the boys didn’t let this rough beginning hold them back from thriving for the rest of the season.  Their first game was crucial in bringing out the best in their players.  Port proved this during their next game against Wantagh where they won 7-6 and followed this win with another victory against Locust Valley/North Shore by a score of 5-3.

So far Port was currently has a record of 8-5 and hope to win their last three games of the regular season. Although hockey is one of the more unrecognized sports at Schreiber, the boys always have positive attitudes and appreciate it when the student sections are filled especially during the playoffs. 

“When it comes to playoffs, we have been able to fill student sections that could rival most other sports,” said senior Andrew Athanasian. 

This season the boys have had to learn to play without the seniors who graduated last year.  A lot of them were scorers who had a big impact on the team, which has led to a few ups and downs this year.  Since the boys lost some skillful players, it was a bit of a difficult transition, especially with new players coming onto the team.  However, everyone has stepped up into their new roles, especially the seniors. 

“We have been leading the team in the right direction and will continue to do so until the end of the season,” said senior Sam Geida. 

 With the seniors leading the team, the gritty and eager players were ready to take a spot in the playoffs once again.  Athanasian says that heart, and determination has helped keep the players focused and committed to the team.  During practices, the boys don’t only do drills, but they also put all of their skills on display in scrimmages to make sure that they are always ready for competitive games. 

The team has worked hard throughout the season and their chances to get into the playoffs are looking good.  Their goal is to make the playoffs, which is pushing the boys to work harder especially since they have made it to the postseason multiple times in the past few years. 

To stay in top shape during the off season, a lot of the boys play on other travel teams.  The hockey team represents Schreiber High School, however it differs from the rest of the school sports because they aren’t funded through the school.  This means the boys have to pay in order to get time on the ice, and practice is held once a week.  This takes a hard toll on the team because if they were funded through the school practices could continue throughout the week, and the team could grow stronger as a whole.  Yes, this is a challenge since they don’t get to play as a team as much, but the boys make up for the lost time on the ice during games. 

As do all other sports, Port has a few hockey rival teams including Bellmore-Merrick, Long Beach, Oceanside, and Manhasset, however, the biggest rival team is Syosset.  Beating them gives the boys something to work towards throughout the season. In their first match against Syosset, the boys were able to steal a win which not only ended the Syosset hockey team’s winning streak but ended any chance of Syosset having an undefeated season, which is a big moral booster. 

 “You can tell the seniors really care about the team and always push their teammates to work their hardest even when they’re tired. There is no other team that matches their effort, you can tell that they really love stepping on the ice with each other and representing port,” said junior Christine Worms. 

Worms is an avid supporter of the team and has watched them grow throughout the season.  She sees how the seniors such as Sam Geida, Finn Tatti, and Andrew Athanasian have truly become the backbone of the team and have each stepped up to lead the team. 

After a season of working and playing hard, the boys are approaching their last three games and are hoping to stay qualified for the playoffs.  The team has never let the fact that their sport isn’t as recognized in the school affect moral as they continuously prove what a strong team they are.