The Millard West Hockey team looks for a another year in contention for the state title after falling to the Tri City Storm in the championship game last season. After losing a lot of senior leadership from last year, the team reloads this season with great talent.

Seniors Kade Grennan, Graham Peterson, Eli Morrison, Jake Claus and Adam Walker are leading the team in the right direction with a 6-5-1 record. The team has scored 40 goals and have held opposing teams to 32 goals. The Cats’ 44 assists on the season so far, help to positively impact the team chemistry. The team is also very passionate about having a strong defense.

“We have done pretty good this season as a team overall,” Peterson said. “We lost some really close games that should’ve been ours, but it will just make us better in the upcoming weeks and playoffs.”

The Wildcat Hockey team currently sits in 4th place in the state standings behind Fremont, Millard South, and number one, Westside. The Wildcats are aiming to get better every day in practice like focusing on their craft and working on mistakes to help ensure themselves a shot at the state title and of course a win over arch-rivals Millard North and Millard South.

Claus and some of the other seniors think that the season has not gone as well as they had wanted. The team consists of five returning players and 11 rookies, so it is taking a little bit of rebuilding to get their groove back. Considering their slow start, the hockey team is hoping to turn their season around and hopefully secure a top three spot in the standings.

Morrison is the team’s go to goalie. He holds a 5-2 record with a .891% winning percentage. Grennan is the leading scorer, with 12 on the season. He also leads the team with 12 assists. All the young and older players on the hockey team appreciate and notice what Grennan for this team.

“(Grennan) is a strong skater and an easy person to play with,” Peterson said. “ He is an expert on a lot of skills and moves, that he sometimes teaches me.”

The impact Grennan has on the ice is evident, but what people do not see is how he helps the team off the ice.

“Kade is a great captain for our team,” Claus said. “He is really good at motivating the team before the game by pumping us up and gathering us together during rough times. He really knows how to lead the younger players through adversity.”

The Millard West Hockey team has big plans for the rest of the season and looks to make some noise in January during the playoffs. Catch their next game, Dec. 16th, at 12:15 PM  at Moylan Ice Complex, against big time rival Tri-City Storm. The Wildcats will be seeking revenge against the team that ended their 2017 season.