By GORDON GLANTZ
How do you turn negative energy into positive?
For the 2024-25 Wissahickon Ice Hockey team, it has been a unique equation: One key transfer, two sets of siblings, a league-high three girl players with a ton of heart and four senior leaders who won’t let the team quit.
Through eight games, the Trojans are 5-3 (49 goals for, 43 against) and are zeroing in on earning an elusive invite to the Flyers Cup tournament.
For Wissahickon, it would be akin to a college basketball team earning a trip to March Madness, where anything that happens after would be gravy.
“I think it would be a really cool thing to celebrate,” said second-year coach James Rumsey. “Whether we win a game or don’t win a game, I think it would be a really big thing for us.”
A year ago, the Trojans started off decently but slid backward into oblivion, but head coach Rumsey sees zero evidence of that happening again.
His biggest concern is the immediate future, as the Trojans will be without two key players – Aiden Brooks (1 goal 9 assists) and Joey Gambino (6 goals, 4 assists) -- due to suspensions for fighting in their last game with division leading PW.
It doesn’t come at the best time, as the Trojans take on a difficult Springfield team Wednesday at Hatfield Blue at 7:30.
“When it comes to the second half of the season, the next couple of games are really going to tell the story about us,” said Rumsey. “When our whole team plays, I think we can be the best team in the (American Division).”
However, the Spartans, he cautions, are better than their 2-6 mark indicates. They have lost three games by two goals or less and have scored 24 goals while giving up 26.
“The record doesn’t tell the full story,” said Rumsey. “They have a pretty good team.
“It’s a pretty even division this year. A lot of it depends on who shows up and who has club games.”
For example, captain Jack Raebiger (5 goals, 2 assists) and La Salle transfer Logan Dicus (2 goals, 8 assists in just 5 games) both have commitments to Triple A club teams.
“That’s two solid guys on a 14-player roster,” said the coach. “Any more missing than that, when you’re playing three periods, it gets tough.
“When everybody shows up, I have all the confidence in the world in them. That’s what we want for the rest of the season. It’s just the attendance and keeping their heads on straight.”
Leading the Way
In addition to Raebiger and Dicus, the crew of leaders includes the likes of Brooks, defenseman Alex Winkowski (3 assists in 8 games) and John Kuffner (2 assists in 7 games).
“I feel good about it,” said the coach. “Last year was tough. We didn’t have older leadership like we do this year.”
Sabrina Honeycutt, meanwhile, returns as an assistant captain. She recently represented Puerto Rico in a 3-on-3 tournament in Brazil and will be playing college hockey at Liberty University.
With her experience, Honeycutt has served as a mentor to the other female players – Brielle Rumsey (1 assist) reserve goalie Caitlin Campbell.
“She has a really good attitude,” said Rumsey. “She’s great with the other girls on the team. They really look up to her.”
And the guys on the team?
“They listen to her more than the other guys, probably,” said Rumsey.
Rumsey also treasures the time he has with his daughter, Brielle, who he also coaches on an all-female travel team (Lady Patriots) out of Hatfield.
“It’s awesome just on a father-daughter level,” he said. “When you’re one of maybe five women in the league, and you’re playing in an all-male league, I think it helps all of their confidence levels.”
Special Talent
The team’s sniper and top goal scorer in the American has been Benjamin Raebiger, Jack’s younger brother.
He has 13 goals and 3 helpers through 7 games so far. Of those 13 tallies, 5 have come on the power play and 3 while shorthanded.
“He is a phenomenal goal scorer,” said Rumsey. “He shoots more than anybody on the team. He always finds the back of the net. He is always around the puck and he is always hustling. He just has that mentality. He’s very competitive and he wants to win every game. He’ll do whatever it takes.”
Rumsey added that, along with his skill level, the younger Raebiger is displaying supplemental leadership qualities.
“He’s also really good on the bench,” said Rumsey. “He kind of has that coach mentality to him. He asks for more out of his team a lot, which I love. His brother is the same way. Jack provides every bit of leadership that we need on the team. We look to him for a lot of advice. Him and Ben are very knowledgeable about the game.”
Sabrina Honeycutt’s younger brother, Logan Honeycutt, has contributed 10 goals and 3 assists.
“It’s really nice having a couple of sets of siblings on the team,” said Rumsey.
Success Story
A year ago, as attrition set in, goalie Fletcher Lynch found himself under fire.
This year, with defensemen like Brooks and Dicus and Winkowski in front of him, Lynch (4.37 goals against average, .858 save percentage) is playing better than ever.
“He just has more confidence,” said Rumsey. “He still faces a ton of shots, but he has more confidence in the game in front of him this year. Last year, there were games where there were 60-70 shots on him. It just made him better. This year, he facing more like 20 to 30 and he is just more comfortable. He’s comfortable with his defense. They don’t hang him out to dry, and that helps a lot.”
In fact, Rumsey is fully confident that he can ride Lynch into a successful second half of the season and beyond.
“He’s such a great kid, and he has a great attitude,” said Rumsey. “He is super competitive. He definitely wants to win. I’m glad we have him in net.”
Rumsey and assistant coach Jay Jaisle have been coaching a lot of these players together since the middle school level.
Lynch, at that time, was still a defenseman.
Said Rumsey: “Fletcher only started playing goalie 2-2 ½ years ago. One year, when he was in high school while I was still coaching middle school, they didn’t have a goalie and he decided to go get a pair of pads and take one for the team.”
It ended up being more than just an experiment.
“From there, he just started going to goalie clinics every Sunday and just got really good,” said the coach. “For Fletcher to have only started playing two years ago and to see him playing the way he is now, it’s pretty amazing to me.”
What has also amazed the coach is the approach of Caitlin Campbell, the backup goalie, who is a transfer from Lansdale Catholic.
“She has a really good attitude,” said Rumsey. “She has only played in one period so far this year, but she really enjoys just knowing that she can be called upon at any time.”
Counting on Reinforcements
Among the players of concern from Springfield are: Owen Quinn (8 goals, 6 assists), Gavin McManus (5 goals, 4 assists), Christopher Cahill (4 goals, 3 assists) and Kellen Warman (4 goals, 2 assists).
With the Trojans already missing two key players, Rumsey will be looking for others to step into the void.
The list begins with two promising freshmen: Andrew Ensminger (1 goal, assists) and Kevin Meng (1 assist).
Others are Link Matozzo (2 assists), Evan McCutcheon (1 assist) and Dryden Jaisle.
National Logjam
Council Rock South enters the 2025 portion of the season atop the National Division with a perfect 9-0 record with a staggering 70 goals for as opposed to 22 against.
Next – all at 8-2 – are Pennridge, North Penn and Central Bucks South – and that deadlock can be detangled a bit this week.
On Wednesday night, Norh Penn takes on Neshaminy at 7:20 at Grundy while CB South faces CB East at 8:30 at Hatfield Gray.
Meanwhile, Pennridge will be looking to hand CR South its first loss at 9 at Hatfield Blue.
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