16 The Voyager
Sports
January 2022
Ice Hockey: the Eastern sport that isn’t
and refused to officially affiliate the team with the school. This is interesting, as it’s arguable that football is just as dangerous as hockey thanks to the consistent physical contact between opposing players (in here are four major sports in the fact, football causes more concussions United States (soccer is arguper 10,000 athletes than ice hockey as per ably the fifth, and closing in on Norton Healthcare). fourth): basketball, baseball, Plus, hockey runs in the area’s veins; football, and ice hockey. The first three all the Flyers’ practice rink, the Flyers Trainhave Eastern-affiliated programs—while ing Center, is right down the block from ice hockey is an independent club team Eastern, and many past and present Flythat has no ties to the school whatsoever. ers live in the area. We’ve even produced This leads to the question:why is ice an NHLer, as Montreal Canadiens goalie hockey not an Eastern sport? It’s an inCayden Primeau (son of former Flyer credibly nuanced situation that spans Keith Primeau) is from Voorhees. across multiple superintendents who have It’s hard to see the rationale of why a refused to link the team with the school. sport as regionally popular as ice hockey The varsity team has done well in the isn’t a school-sanctioned sport. Both ice past; in 2016, an overtime winner saw the and ball hockey draw hundreds of players Vikings beat Kingsway 4-3 to claim the from the area, and it could be a tremenSouth Jersey High School Hockey League dously popular sport attendance-wise as Tier 1-B Championship, and the team towell, potentially drawing crowds similar day draws in decent-sized crowds. to that of football games due to the sport’s However, previous superintendents high-energy play. have branded the sport “too dangerous,” Goaltender Max Brzozowski sees the team’s lack of affiliation as the team’s biggest obstacle. “For the organization as a whole, it’s been a challenge to operate without the legitimacy of being a school sanctioned sport,” he said. “However, this challenge has presented a unique opportunity for us to grow together as a group and to build a community—an opportunity I believe we have capitalized on.” A lack of funding has presented itself as another challenge for the team. “Because Eastern hockey isn’t affiliated with the school, it A Viking eyes the icy terrain during a tense makes it harder to get students to matchup against the Chiefs. the game,” winger Sean PomerPhoto supplied by Tiana Cyrelson ‘22 By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 AND TIANA CYRELSON ‘22 Sports Editor and Media Editor
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The Vikings and Chiefs in the midst of battle skillfully skating to obtain control of the puck. Photo supplied by Tiana Cyrelson ‘22 antz said. “It has affected the funding, as other club teams, so none of these especially this year because we are short programs are directly affiliated with the on kids that signed up, so we don’t have schools, even though they’re comprised enough funding of students who for practice.” The fact of the matter is the go to said schools The fact of hockey team has to pay out of and have fans from the matter is the their own pocket for the most their schools who hockey team expensive youth sport in the attend games. has to pay out of Overall, it’s easy United States. their own pocket to find the positives for the most exof the school recpensive youth sport in the United States. ognizing the team as one of its own. The Eastern has a very large sports fund, profits from selling tickets to the games which is what you’d expect from a largecould be massive as the hockey team sized school with a history of athletic exlooks for the audience it wants. The fundcellence. If the ice hockey team was to be ing that the school could provide would affiliated with the school, they’d get pornot only keep the program afloat, but altions of that funding, which they desperlow them to buy better equipment and afately need. ford practices to bring the best product out Eastern isn’t the only school that has an on the ice when they play. unaffiliated ice hockey team; local rivals In the meantime, go ahead and watch the like Cherokee and Shawnee have them local ice hockey team play. It’s worth it. as well. They’re all in the same league
Hopeful and Hungry: Boys Basketball
close games.” “Defensively we aren’t talking enough and teams are getting too many fast break points.” Cehki stated the opposite, saying ith just seven wins last seathat the team needs to limit “slow starts son, this season Eastern is in the game, if we come out with a slow focused on improvement start then the other team can take advanand hopeful. for a better tage of that and for us it’s gonna be hard basketball season this year. So far, they to come back from that.” are 6-7 with 13 games left in the season. The boys were excited with their vicAccording to Jason Brice (#3), the team tory against Washington TWP game with isn’t “doing as bad as we thought.”He another win. After being down 9-12 in continued to say, “We didn’t have the the first quarter, Eastern came back and best summer, we had lots of conflicts but ended up winning 69-43. According to we like each other so it’s moving onto Evan Zanetich (#10), “It was a very vithe court now.” With another 13 games, tal Olympic conference win.” With every there is hope for this season. Jason comes win comes the team in second for the most 3pts with 16 so far this With every win the team gains a little more season. gains a little more faith faith in their identity as a family and more The team has a lot in their identity as a of pride in being like family and more hope for hope for a strong season. a family. However, it a strong season. Head Coach Kevin took time for them to Crawford mentioned grow this bond. Cehki that in basketball, the most important Hill (#4) said, “The team has improved games are at the end. The Playoffs. He on becoming one, and playing as a team. is content seeing such a young team with No matter if we win or lose, we play toall of this talent. There are only three segether. At the end of the day that’s reniors on the team this year, but Coach ally what it’s about, having fun playing Crawford says that “they’ve contributed the sport you love with people who’ve a lot.” The team’s regular starters are Jagot your back till the end.” Like with son Brice (Jr.), Noah Payne (Jr.), Shane any other team sport, there needs to be a Huggard (Sr.), Damien Edwards (So.), foundation of trust and support in order and Max Portnoy (So.). With all of these for success. younger players on the court now, the Noah Payne (#11) leads the team in future shines from the opalescence of points, steals, and rebounds. Damien Edpotential the team has in their upcoming wards (#5) leads the team in 3pts, with 19 years. so far this season. The team knows what needs to be imWhile content with the team’s successproved, and with more practice, the rest es, he also said the team isn’t “satisfied of their season is looking bright. The because we should’ve won some more Eastern community rallies behind the close games.” He suggested that in order team and cannot wait to see them come to improve the team has to `` do a better back! job closing games out and winning the By DAWN BETNER ‘23 Staff Reporter
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The boys basketball team is ready to take back the courts of South Jersey in their new season. Photo supplied by Kevin Crawford
Meet the Team: Boys Basketball #1 Shane Huggard ‘22 Senior Captain #2 Isaiah Yeldell ‘22 Senior Captain #13 Grant Yezzi ‘22 Senior Captain #33 Jared Gibson ‘22 Senior Captain #11 Noah Payne ‘23 #4 Cehki Hill ‘23 #3 Jason Brice ‘23 #12 Gavin Ems ‘23 #21 Uche Okoro ‘23 #10 Even Zanetich ‘23 #23 Max Portnoy ‘24 #5 Damien Edwards ‘24 #24 Rasaan Washington ‘24
