Hoover Vikings

Hoover Competes in First Official Tournament of the Season

The annual Thanksgiving Tournament at Cleveland Heights was a good introduction to the official start of the season for the Vikings. Although the team remained winless this weekend, they showed good chemistry, excellent goal tending and had the opportunity to experiment with some lineups in preparation for their first league game next weekend.

Friday night, the Vikings faced a tough match against Medina Club and went scoreless, losing 4-0. Netminder Kirk Greenho played well against a tough offensive Medina team. On Saturday at 1:15, St. Ignatius gave the team a challenge, scoring four goals against the Vikings in the first period. Although the team was down 5-0 after the second, two minutes into the third period, a pass from Preston Mackert to Daniel Murphy provided the first goal for the team, with Murphy burying the pass with a five-hole on the Ignatius goaltender. Bradley Harcourt scored the second goal 4 minutes into the third on a beautiful pass from Shane Saba. St. Ignatius answered with a goal halfway through the third making it a 6-2 win.

Saturday night, the Vikings faced Riverside in a penalty-ridden game, racking up 20 minutes in penalities, playing 12 minutes on a penalty kill. Riverside scored 4 goals in the first period, 5 in the second period and 3 in the third, leaving Hoover no possibility of catching up. The Vikings had two goals, one by Zach Lawson from Preston Mackert and Daniel Murphy on a power play in the second period, and one by Bradley Harcourt from Chaz Gordish in the third.

The Vikings played Rocky River Club on Sunday morning in the closest game of the weekend. Some line changes and adjustments proved beneficial to the team, as the score was tied throughout the first two periods, 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3. Hoover goals were scored by Preston Mackert from Zach Lawson in the first, Zach Lawson from Bradley Harcourt in the second and Daniel Murphy from Sam Hankins in the third. Kirk Greenho looked tough in the net against strong offensive play by Rocky River.

Next up for the Vikings is the first league game against CVCA at Kent on Saturday morning, followed by another league match against Chagrin Falls at home on Sunday. GO VIKES!!