Langley High School’s varsity ice hockey team emerged victorious this season in Virginia High School League (VHSL) State Championship, showcasing exceptional skill and dedication as they wrapped up their undefeated 13-0 season whilst competing against state rivals.
The team has left an impact on the VHSL organization by winning their third consecutive state championship title. Senior Captain Pete Kuligowski has played through it all.
“It’s been great getting to play for such an incredibly talented program,” Kuligowki said. “It feels good going into games knowing how dominant of a program we are. It’s a confident feeling.”
An added benefit of having a state-champion hockey team is the drive for fans to come to support the players in the rink. Seniors, especially, attend the games and support the team.
“The hockey games are one of my favorite sporting events to watch,” Senior Elon Fruman said. “The atmosphere around the rink is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Everyone is so close to the action.”
Two Langley players received the honor of being a VHSL “All-State” player this season. Goalie Harrison Smith was awarded the “All-State Player of the Year” award with 5 shutouts, a 1.07 GAA, and a .94 save percentage. Forward Noah Scheinerman was also awarded as an “All-State Forward” with 13 goals, 17 assists, and averaging 3 points per game. Langley’s run of VHSL Hockey has been led by Head Coach Patrick Keough and strong senior leadership.
“We have strong guidance from coach Keough and our captains work very hard to lead our program in the right direction,” Kuligowski said. “It takes a lot of work to not let things slide after winning such a competitive title, and I think we’ve done a great job of keeping our standards high.”
Skating Saxons have made the trip up to West Chester, Pennsylvania for the week of March 18th for the High School Nationals, which are being held at Ice Line Arena. In the first round, Langley topped the Utah Miners with a score of 4-2. Many in the Langley community are in support of the players competing, and it is an exciting time to see how far they will go in the national tournament.