1/30/25 Highlight: Boys’ Varsity Hockey

By KAYLEE GONG and JUNE KOH

Even with this past week of exhausting midterms, spreading sickness, and having to combat the miserably cold weather, Exeter’s varsity ice hockey team still managed to tie their skates and get out on the ice to practice and compete.

This past Wednesday, Jan. 22, they played an intense home game against Tabor Academy, but ultimately fell with a score of 4-2. Just a brief three days later, on Saturday, Jan. 25, they traveled down to Connecticut to play against the Hotchkiss School but sadly lost again in a close score of 1-2.

Despite the challenges and undoubtedly exhausted players, the athletes’ determination and composure throughout the games still shone through. 

“The energy was high, and everyone was locked in. You could tell we were ready to leave it all on the ice,” lower Noah Poinsett-Yoshida reflected. 

Specifically reflecting on the game against Tabor, senior Will Cavanaugh recalled, “We came out with a good start. It was a back-and-forth game, with two evenly matched teams. The spirits were high, even with the loss. A bit of a flukey goal during the third period was the difference. We have to try to keep our heads up high after a loss in that fashion.”

Even with the mistakes, the team still improved from previous weeks and focused on their technical skills. “We worked a lot on making crisp passes, staying aggressive on the forecheck, and crashing the net to create scoring opportunities. These were the key areas our coach really emphasized to keep our play fast and relentless,” Poinsett-Yoshida concluded.

Despite a difficult week, the impressiveness of getting out and performing is remarkable either way. Half of the season is complete, but there is still a long and hopeful path ahead. Concerning continuing to work hard and move forward, Cavanaugh concluded with his goals and the overall team spirit for the remainder of the season. “I am looking forward to making a playoff push and competing. We have a few tough games in front of us, but I know we are up for the task.”