This year, the Lakewood Rangers hockey team had a remarkable season. The Rangers are champions, going undefeated 12-0 in the 2024-2025 Blue South Division. The team stayed determined from the first puck drop to the last second of their final game. Throughout the season, the Lakewood Rangers played with teamwork and dedication and overcame challenges that stood in their way.
“Having the team go undefeated in the division was amazing,” Lakewood hockey coach Andy Senkovich said. “This crew worked so hard every day-in and day-out. They were coachable and did their jobs. Everyone knew their role on the team. It truly was a joy watching the team put it together to finish 12-0. They played through injuries, extreme fatigue when our bench was short, and physical play but this team did everything right from day one and that is why they ended up with that record. Myself and the coaching staff could not be more proud of the team and the effort they played in this year.”
Every player contributed, from the forwards and defensemen carrying out flawless plays to our goalie senior Ryan Sterling making crucial saves. Their chemistry on and off the ice is truly inspiring, with tremendous displays of sportsmanship.
“The record reflects the entire effort of the team,” Ryan Sterling said. “It shows the hard work we put in and what we achieved with the smallest bench and a very young team. It was hard at points but what we accomplished was nothing short of incredible, and it was a great year to end hockey off on.”
This season, as the Rangers played in the Blue South Division, they played against NDCL, North Olmsted, Cleveland Heights, and more. The team played their best in each game, putting in all their effort and making memories that will last a lifetime. Several players throughout the season had the rush of scoring their first goal in their high school hockey career. Fallon Popovich scored her first goal against Cleveland Heights, Freddie Showers scored against Brooklyn, Parker Toke nets the puck against Twinsburg, Camden Fegely gets his first goal against Whitmer, and Max Nemrava scored his first against NDCL.
“The game that stood out the most this season was our last divisional game against NDCL. It was a hard-fought game all around, and it made it seem that all our efforts throughout the season came together in that game,” senior Ronan Johnson said. “Another game was a tournament game that didn’t matter if we were to win or lose against Whitmer. It went to overtime and we won with seconds left. It was another game that was an all-around win.
Along with the first goals, the rest of the team was on the ice with hat tricks from seniors Ronan Johnson and Tyler Volcansek. Ryan Sterling had a career game in goal with 32+ saves against NDCL on Saturday, Dec. 21.
“It’s hard to pick just one moment from this season as the most memorable, but I’d have to say beating North Olmsted on their ice this year,” Senkovich said. “They played a very physical game and our team did not back down from them, we played as a true team, made all the right decisions, and gritted out a great win in a tough environment. It’s always great beating that team and watching our players play a complete game from beginning to end like they did is always a great moment.”
During December, the Rangers also placed second in the Bay holiday tournament, playing hard throughout the weekend and adding to the team’s successful season.
Whether the team was having early morning practices before school or practices after school, they put in effort every second. Improving their skills together as a team and individually.
“I think the biggest challenge was the workload this season,” Sterling said. “We didn’t just have hockey practice we also had lifts, and partnering that with school and work it was extremely hard to keep this balance. It has just got to a point where you kinda just had to deal with it. I overcame it, simply because I just kept going. It was stressful at points but it was with it in the end.”
Everyone worked hard to get to where they are today. They spent hours improving their skating, shooting, and different strategies, never losing sight of their goal to keep working hard and being the best team they could be.
“As far as obstacles this year I would say our lack of hockey experience was a big one. The majority of our team has less than 3 years of hockey experience. That’s what made this season so special. The experienced players helped out the new players. The new players worked incredibly hard to improve every day and find their role on the team,” Senkovich said. “Everyone stepped up in a major way, and halfway through the season you could tell that no matter what was thrown at this team they would dig deep and rise above it. There were a few games where we had two subs on the bench, but that didn’t stop anyone from believing they couldn’t win. Whatever our team lacked in experience they made up for it with hard work, perseverance, and believing in one another to get the job done.”
“The chemistry of the ice developed slowly throughout the season, but towards the middle, it became easier to understand how each other played, and that is partly why we had a successful season,” Johnson said. “Off the ice we immediately had chemistry and it was very easy to bond with teammates.”
The team had goals individually and together, either growing their skills or building trust and teamwork. They worked together on goals as a team, creating an undefeated season for the roster and pushing each other every day with each win. As they continued throughout the season, they focused on their goals, reaching new heights together.
“A big personal goal was to achieve an undefeated record and another goal was to just give it my all,” Sterling said. “This season I just gave hockey everything and I think it was worth it for the memories and everything we were able to accomplish.”
As the season ended, the team celebrated their seniors on senior night winning 9-0 against Cleveland Heights. Whether it was their first year playing with the team or it was their 4th year, Gavin Beisel, Gavin Fulmer, Camden Fegely, Ryan Sterling, Ronan Johnson, and Tyler Volkansek showed off their dedication every second they were out on the rink.
After the season ended, five players were recognized as all-league team members in the Blue Division Conference. Ronan Johnson and Tyler Volcansek received 1st team, Ryan Sterling and Gavin Beisel received 2nd team, and Camden Fegely received honorable mention.
Along with the team being recognized, Coach Senkovich received coach of the year. His commitment to growing the team’s teamwork and skills on and off the rank was apparent with every game and practice. The team was taught how to be leaders and great teammates.
“The main thing I learned from the coaches this season was definitely how to lose,” Johnson said. “They taught me the importance of bettering yourself after loss.”
It was clear that this was more than just a team that played hockey together; all around, this was a family. Beyond the wins and losses, the team’s bond grew every single day, creating new memories any moment they got. It wasn’t just about being able to go undefeated this season; it was also about creating a bond that will last a lifetime with players and coaches.
Congratulations to the whole team all around for such a fantastic 2024-2025 season.
