By Jules Cantor, ’11, Sports Editor
Three CCDS students – Brian Brownstein ‘10, Cam June ‘10, and Michael Fitzgerald ’11 (pictured) – play varsity hockey for Indian Hill High School.
One may wonder how students from CCDS could play a varsity sport for another school. According to local hockey league rules, all interested players who attend schools that don’t offer hockey are put into a pool and then talent, based on prior experience, is distributed equally among all the schools that have varsity teams.
All CCDS students are put on the Indian Hill team because of proximity. The Indian Hill team also consists of players from schools such as Milford, Summit, and Turpin.
The 2009-2010 season has come to a close, but it was filled with many moments of excitement. For example, in the team’s final contest against Lakota West, Brownstein netted the game winning penalty shot, lifting the team to victory in overtime. The team finished with a 9-14-2 record overall, but according to Fitzgerald, “we played a lot of really close games. Except for Lakota East. They kill us.”
Interest in hockey at CCDS seems to be increasing. At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, there was a motion by a group of students to start a team. “Ice hockey” was the top response in an October Scroll poll which asked “Which winter sport would you add to CCDS?” In recent years, multiple CCDS students have participated including graduate Sam Barney ‘08 and the three current varsity skaters. Jack Willingham ’13 is a member of the Indian Hill junior varsity team.
Here’s a look at CCDS’ three players on the Indian Hill varsity hockey team:
Brian Brownstein, ’10
Brownstein has been playing hockey since he was five years old and skating since he was four. He is the team’s center, and is on the first line. He is a four year member of the varsity team, and was named team captain for the 2009-2010 season. Brownstein led the team in goals (16) and assists (23) during his senior season, building on a junior season in which he scored 14 goals. Brownstein says his best memory of Indian Hill hockey is “either scoring a hat trick versus Mason junior year or my shootout win goal over Wyoming.” Brownstein said he aspires to play for Miami University’s club hockey team next year.
Cam June, ’10
June has been playing hockey for 14 years and is also a four year player for Indian Hill. He is the team’s starting goalie, and posted 7 shutouts. On top of his ability to go whole games without letting up goals, June has also been apt to stepping up when the team relied on him. During an overtime game last year, June made what he called a “sweet splits save” that kept the game tied, preventing the team from losing. June said he hopes to play club hockey at the University of Maine or St. Lawrence University.
Michael Fitzgerald, ’11
Fitzgerald has completed his ninth season of organized hockey, and his third for Indian Hill. Fitzgerald plays left wing, and sees significant playing time, as he is on the second line. He plays a technically sound game, having served the fewest penalty minutes on the team. Fitzgerald says his best memories are “probably the times when we beat teams that were way better than us like Lakota West and Northern Kentucky.” He also has enjoyed “All of the great locker room moments.” Fitzgerald should be an integral part of the 2010-2011 team, but he said his future aspirations are “Just to have fun.”
Photo by Ilana Habib, ’11.
