Every time a name was announced, the crowd roared. Parents stepped foot on the ice to wrap up the last home game for their Tiger hockey players. EHS’s Varsity hockey team played in front of a packed fan section on Thursday, Jan. 30. A win against the O’Fallon Panthers concluded the regular season.

Early into the first period, junior Tyler Schaefer scored two goals followed by a goal by junior Christian Trevino. Two periods passed without any goals scored by either team, leaving a final score of 3-0.

Varsity’s assistant captain senior Zach Loehr is bittersweet about the season ending but is looking forward to playing in the playoffs next week. Loehr will go on to play hockey at McKendree University this fall.

“In my opinion, we’re going into the playoffs playing our best hockey all year,” Loehr said. “Overall, I think our team has developed tremendously throughout the year.”

“We play as a team now,” said team captain senior Drew Lewis. “We know where everyone is on the ice and we are more comfortable making plays with each other.”

Senior Kristine Shady has been a devoted fan for the last three years and has followed the seniors and watched them grow. Shady’s boyfriend, Lewis, has played for varsity since his sophomore year but does not plan to play in college.

“It [senior night] was definitely bittersweet,” Shady said. “It’s exciting to get ready for the playoffs and championship but then that’s it for us seniors. It’s also hard knowing that these are the last few games I’ll get to see Drew play in.”

“My whole high school career has been great,” Lewis said. “I have enjoyed every minute of it.”

With the end of the season comes the passing down of the lead varsity roles on the team. “The advice I would give to them [juniors and sophomores] is to take the younger kids under the team and be leaders to them,” Loehr said. “There’s no ‘freshmen’ or ‘seniors’ when it comes to a team. Everyone is a team and they should play that way.”