Boys hockey honors teachers with games and a win

Boys Varsity Hockey defeated Minnehaha 2-1 with teacher fans in the stands

Mimi Geller, Director of RubicOnline

Teachers across disciplines filled the hockey stands to cheer on their students on the ice. To thank them, the Boys Varsity Hockey team invited them for their Staff/Teacher Appreciation Day where a raffle and puck shooting contest took place.

“What the hockey team wants to do is build a relationship with the school and have more people coming to our games. We like the school support and we show that we are a team and we enjoy certain teachers who are huge allies to the hockey team,” senior and co-captain Adam Zukowski said.

The game, against Minnehaha Academy, started slowly for both teams.  After multiple penalties were given to SPA, senior and co-captain Nolan Gifford whipped the puck into the net to score in the last minute of the first period.

The zamboni break, however, was when the true action occurred. US History teacher Aaron Shulow, US Science teacher Christine Schwichtenberg, and US/MS Fitness teacher Cari Jo Anderson took to the ice to shoot as many pucks as they could in the net for one minute. Shulow, a former hockey player, started with making more than half the pucks into the net. Anderson and Schwichtenberg tied, resulting in a Shulow win. And for the raffle competition, US Counselor Susanna Short took home her prize: a SPA decorated chalice.

I love showing support for the students

— Christine Schwichtenberg

“I had a fabulous time and I love hockey. My father played hockey and took me to hockey games all the time so going to hockey games reminds me of my childhood. I always feel really honored when someone asks me to wear their jersey, so I appreciate that,” Short. said.

Despite the second place ranking in the puck challenge, Schwichtenberg echoes Short’s honor for an invitation to the game:

“It’s an honor to be asked. It’s cool to get teachers involved and I love showing support for the students I teach and this year I teach many hockey players,” Schwichtenberg said.

After Minnehaha scored in the first minute of the second period, the Spartans put forth solid efforts to drive the puck into the net. On to the third period, with a score that was still tied, that same valiant effort led sophomore Michael Bagnoli to score within the final minutes of the game. The final score was 2-1.