Royals Skate to Record-Setting Season
It was a season of firsts for the Royals’ hockey team. The boys compiled an 11-1 league record (17-10-1) overall) and their first Division Championship while qualifying for the school’s first appearance in the prestigious Baron’s Cup Tournament. Along the way, the Royals managed to go undefeated and bring home CVCA’s first tournament title at the Brooklyn Christmas Tournament. The very young Royals team also advanced to the second round of District Tournament. But the team’s number-one priority was to live out the team verse, Romans 12:1: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship.”
The Royals’ hockey team was lead by junior captain Jon Lile and sophomore assistant captain Mark Brower. Servant leadership was the theme for our captains this year, and they did an exemplary job leading the youngest team in the entire Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League, made up of six freshmen, six sophomores, and three juniors (no seniors).
The Royals were blessed with an abundance of talented young players this season. Freshmen brothers Luke and Mark Sunde and sophomore Mark Brower led the offense. Luke was the leading scorer in the entire Blue League, setting new CVCA records for goals and total points in a season. Mark Sunde finished third in the league in scoring and set a new CVCA record for assists in a season. Mark Brower finished fourth in the league in scoring. Luke Sunde was named First Team All-League and First Team All-Division, and Mark Sunde was named Second Team All-Division.
Sophomore Will Hess, freshman Will Anderson and freshman Zach Longo were also major contributors, each averaging better than a point per game this season. Sophomore forwards Jesse Canzurlo and John Wilson produced strong seasons, and freshman Aaron Corpora showed great improvement in his first season of hockey.
Junior John Fisher, named All-Division Second Team, led the Royals’ defense. Junior Stephen Harris and sophomore Jon Hart brought a physical presence to the team and, along with Jon Lile, formed the defensive core. Anchoring the team, goaltenders Jesse Hill (sophomore) and Jonah Savitt (freshman), both new to the position, showed steady improvement throughout the season.
The team’s most memorable moment came after a hard-fought, one-goal victory. The previous season, a CVCA player, during the handshake, had offered to pray with one of the opposing players. His invitation was not just declined but mocked. This season, the Royals began to leave the ice after a very physical game when several of the opposing players approached and asked if CVCA’s players would pray with them! It was a beautiful sight of God being glorified! This is what Royals hockey is all about!