Illustration: GameSheet
Earlier this month, the Northwood Boys’ Prep Hockey Team played in its first tournament of 2026. The prep team had won this tournament the last two years, but this year’s competition was tougher than ever. Being the first games since the break, the boys were looking to have a strong start to the back half of the season.
“The first games back are always tough. It has been a while since we have all been together, and hopefully, we’ll pick up where we left off in the first game,” Parker Thompson, third-year senior and prep captain, said.
The first game was a big test for the boys. Kimball Union is always a great team, and the boys were looking for a challenge in their first game back.
In the first period, the boys were rolling. Three goals to Kimball’s none. There was a hiccup in the 2nd period, and Kimball came back to score 3 goals. Despite taking the foot off the gas, the boys came out flying in the 3rd period to seal the game with an impressive 5-3 win.
“I thought we played a great first game. We dominated most of the game and pushed through adversity. It was a great way to get back into it,” said senior goalie Owen Maclean.
The boys moved on to the second round, where they faced a very tough opponent in Culver. After a hard-fought game, the boys unfortunately fell to Culver. The next day was a consolation game, and the boys knew it would be hard to get everyone excited. They faced Frederick Gunn. The boys ended the tournament on a high note, winning 3-2 and carrying momentum for the next big weekend at home. Despite the loss, the boys played a great tournament. It was the perfect way to get back into the swing of things this season.
