STARPOINT HOCKEY’S STANDARDS REMAIN HIGH

When one walks into Hockey Outlet, one of the first things an observer will notice when they step foot in the old barn’s main rink are all the banners from the Starpoint Spartans’ past achievements on the ice.

Suffice to say that the standard for the program, according to coach Clayton Wilson, will never change.

“I wouldn't allow it,” Wilson said. “I don't set goals beyond making it to the sectional championship game, because anything that comes after is a bonus. But getting there is our goal every year, and it doesn't come easy. 

“This year Williamsville North is down, Clarence is down. Frontier is down – they're all small schools now. If you talk to anyone else in the sections they all say, ‘You guys have the most grueling playoffs in all of New York State for the small schools.’ It's insane what we go through to get to the regionals. We beat each other up over a two-week period to make it there and if you win, you have to play four games to move on to the regionals. It’s nuts, but that’s what we have to deal with to get there.”

If this season has been any indication, the Spartans plan on being right in the thick of things at the end. It helps to have strong veteran leadership, as Wilson’s squad boasts 10 seniors who have been through the wars at the varsity level and they’ve led Starpoint to a 13-2-1 record with a Federation-best goal differential (plus-39 – second in goals, first in goals allowed). 

“When you’ve got a lot of seniors and a lot of kids who have played a couple years on the team, that makes your life easy,” Wilson said. “Coming into the year, losing Frankie Cardarella was tough. He’s only a junior, and I'd love to have him, but he's where he belongs (playing junior hockey). I still have 10 seniors and thankfully they’ve stepped up. When you have that many guys returning, they've been in big games in the playoffs so it's easy to transition from year to year when you have that experience.”

No high school hockey team, however, can get by without good play from its underclassmen. Which Wilson’s squad has done – with one line particularly sticking out to him.

“Sammy Prezioso is a junior and he’s having an outstanding season,” Wilson said. “Carter Butcher is our freshman, and his hockey IQ is just off the charts for his age. It shows because he knows where the open ice is, he's good with the puck and he's only going to get stronger and faster. 

“And then Danny Lichtenberger, he's a fire hydrant – rock solid, and he's hard to get off the puck. He's always moving his feet, and he goes to the dirty areas. I love watching a kid like that play because he's fearless, he works hard for his team and he always wants to win battles.”

Additionally, it doesn’t hurt to have strong play in net. In fact, the Spartans’ goaltending has been so good that their coaches decided to give one of them the captain’s ‘C’.

“I have two seniors – Nick Prezioso and Rian Kunkel – and they get along great. They're good kids and I’ve had them for four years, so it's going to be tough when they graduate,” Wilson said. “Nick wears a ‘C’ and it's only the second time in my 20-plus years of coaching that I've ever put a letter on a goalie. But Nick deserves it because he is the spokesperson for the team. He's the kid that organizes everything and he is just a perfect captain for us.”

Those players will be counted on to not just lead the team on the ice, but off. Wilson knows that in order to have success, his charges will need to check their egos at the door and sacrifice for one another, and so far that mindset has been working.

“What I emphasize for our team is team unity and unselfishness,” Wilson said. “Work hard for the kid next to you – not as much as for yourself, but as much for the kid next to you, and that's what I try to instill into my players. And then you'll come to the rink and want to work hard for your team. 

“My idol is Herb Brooks, and I love how Sean McDermott emphasizes culture and chemistry with the Bills. I use a lot of that stuff in my locker room and I think it helps the kids come together. If they follow those mantras those guys on the team will become life-long friends, and that's what I try to tell them, that when they come back on their 50-year reunion you’re going to have buddies all the time to hang out with. Hockey’s special. When we're in that locker room, it's just fun, and I think that translates into success.”

Photo Gallery Credit Emily Croisdale/WNYAthletics