The Prep hockey squad hopes to celebrate a lot of wins this season. Photo of the team from last year, provided.

The Northwood Boys’ Prep Hockey team took on the North Jersey Avalanche on September 13-14 for their first 2 games of the season.  Coming off a very successful season, the Prep team has high expectations for this year. “We knew coming into the weekend that it would be a tough test for our team. Everything is very new to all the guys, and it was sort of a test weekend for us. The expectation was to win both games, but we ultimately fell short in the second game. We’re not worried, though; this team is promising, and I know we’ll keep getting better as we spend more time together,” Parker Thompson ’26, Prep team captain, said.

The team started strong in their first game, winning 3-1. The performance showcased a very promising group with considerable potential this season. A hat-trick from Thompson led the team to its first victory of the season.

In the second game, the team was down, but a goal from Hunter Bridges ‘26 tied the game up at 1. Unfortunately, the boys fell short, losing 3-2, but they are not worried about it and are focused on the upcoming weekend. “We had an okay first weekend as a team. It was a fun experience to get our first win, and even though we had a tough loss, I feel like we responded well, and we are ready for Pittsburgh,” Max Stracar ’26 said.

Adam Sherman ‘26 feels that it is only up from here.  “Not the exact result we were looking for, especially since I collected the loss. But it was the first weekend of the season, and I think we’ll only improve from here.”

U16 Assistant Coach Justin Felhaber ’14. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

The 2025-26 season has started for the Northwood boys 16U hockey team. The team played two games against the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on September 13-14 at the Nexus Center in Utica. This was their first time playing together as a team.

While the games did not go as they had hoped – losing 5-2 and 3-1 – Assistant Coach Justin Felhaber ’14 noted, “For being our first weekend, we went and played against a highly ranked 16U team that has played together for a few years and played more games.” Northwood’s 16U team had only been playing together for about ten days before they headed to Utica. “We kind of expected this would be a great challenge. It was ultimately positive. We did a very good job bouncing back, and we did not lose our confidence throughout the games. Our belief in ourselves really helped us coming into the second game getting some very good chances,” Coach Felhaber ’14 added.

“The boys played strong; now just got to play into our systems, and we will be fine for the next games,” Ethan Fitzpatrick ‘27 said.

As this is the first season in several years that Northwood has offered a 16U hockey team, it is a season of firsts. Kelly Matozzo ‘28 scored the first goal, down low from a pass from the point by Luca Staffieri ‘27. Remember their names; they have become part of Northwood’s rich hockey history and may even become the answer to a school trivia question one day.

Coach Felhaber ‘14 named a few standouts from the first games. “I got to give my hat off to the new guys, it is always a challenge getting acclimated to a new team. Chase Brock ‘27 as well, he really established himself as a leader on this team, and his positivity was really infectious through the squad this weekend.”

This week, the team has been practicing daily. Coach Felhaber ’14 says the focus has been on “locking down our D zone and transition game. With another week together working on systems as a team, it will set a solid foundation for the rest of the season.”

The team is looking forward to the upcoming Yale Showcase on September 20 – 21, in Hamden, Connecticut. They will be playing against the Valley Forge Minutemen and Boston Advantage. Their goal is to record the first of many wins this season.

The wait is finally over; the NFL is back. Here are some of the best games from week one.

Ravens 40, Bills 41 — Lamar and Baltimore blow a big 4^th quarter lead. Baltimore’s inability to close games comes to the forefront once again.

Without a doubt, the game of the week. It may even end up being a contender for game of the year. High-flying offense was the theme throughout all 4 quarters. Both offenses combined for 929 yards and 10 touchdowns. Through 3 quarters, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry tore up the Bills’ defense. Henry ran for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day, while Lamar had a passer rating of 144 on a scale of 158, virtually a perfect game. With 11 minutes to play in the 4^th quarter, Baltimore led by 15 points. With 10 minutes to play, the Bills turned it around and found a way to win. Their defense shut down the Ravens on all their remaining drives, while Josh Allen put on a show that only he can produce. Here’s a stat: at one point in the fourth quarter, Buffalo had a 1% chance of winning. Meaning, if this game were played 100 times, the Bills would win once, at best, yet they found a way.

The Bills celebrate their win. Photo: NFL.

All that is fun to talk about, however; here is what is most apparent: The Baltimore Ravens can’t get the job done in big games. We’ve seen it time and time again. Baltimore is arguably the best team in the league; they have been for the past few years. Unfortunately for them, they are also the best team in the league at beating themselves. If you look at all the big games they’ve played over the past 4 years, there is not one game where they lost because they have an inferior team; rather, they were the makers of their own downfall. While the Ravens did throw this game away in the final 10 minutes, the Bills deserve massive credit for mounting that comeback.

Dolphins 8, Colts 33 – Is it time for Miami to start from scratch?

The Colts came up big in week 1. Photo: NFL.

Miami came out cold against the Colts in week 1… and that may be an understatement. The Dolphins looked horrific against a team that many considered to be one of the worst in the AFC heading into week 1. First and foremost, Tua Tagovailoa needs to be examined closely over the next few weeks. His ability to play at a high level consistently is questionable. When you have the luxury of being in an offense surrounded by talent and good blocking, there are no excuses for bad play. That being said, the blame doesn’t fall entirely on Tua; the team wasn’t nearly good enough across the board and did not help out their quarterback at all. If it becomes clear they will miss the playoffs, they need to consider reshaping this team and give up on 2025. In contrast, Daniel Jones deserves a lot of praise. Jones, who has been maligned by so many analysts, balled out. He threw for 272 yards, with one passing touchdown and two rushing touchdowns – in addition, he had a 75% pass completion rate. We will have to wait and see how good the Colts will turn out, or if this was a one-off. Either way, they played well in week 1.

Chiefs 21, Chargers 27 – The Chiefs’ supporting cast and defense let Mahomes down… again. While Justin Herbert shines bright in Brazil.

For a first game back after a Super Bowl blowout, Chiefs fans would have expected much more from their team. The Chiefs addressed their left tackle problem over the offseason, while retooling other positions as well. However, other than Mahomes, none of those upgraded departments were firing. What was most concerning was the run game. You know you have a problem when your quarterback is your leading rusher. Defensively, the Chiefs’ secondary, which is very good, did a torrid job at stopping Herbert on the day. While there are many things to point at, none of them will matter come week 16 when the Chiefs prematurely secure a playoff berth; the Chiefs will figure it out.

Let’s focus on Herbert and the Chargers; they, unlike Kansas City, were firing. Herbert had a field day, throwing for 318 yards with three touchdowns and rushing for 32, earning a passer rating of 131.7 – on a scale of 158 (according to Pro Football Reference). The other huge positive for Chargers fans to take away was the performance of their former first-round pick, Quentin Johnston. Johnston, to date, has been a huge disappointment. However, if he can somewhat replicate this level of production going forward – 5 catches for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns – he can silence all the critics. The Chargers have good coaching and have some experienced veterans that can help guide the team to success, possibly even into the playoffs…

Bears 24, Vikings 27 – Caleb Williams shows positive signs despite blowing a lead.

The Vikings looked good in week 1. Photo: NFL.

This was a battle of two young quarterbacks in their first true seasons. Caleb Williams, who is now able to perform with a heavily upgraded offense, and JJ McCarthy, who is in his first true season. Both performed very well, and their respective fan bases should be very pleased with what they saw. Williams showed his dual-threat ability while also demonstrating composure in the pocket, despite some missed throws in key moments. McCarthy demonstrated a certain maturity that is beyond his time in the NFL. McCarthy’s play was reminiscent of Joe Burrow. Both teams looked good, and I believe both have recipes for success as currently constructed.

Packers 27, Lions 13 – How can you not love Jordan Love? The Pack impresses against the Goff-led Lions.

The Packers demonstrated they are a legit contender in the NFC with this win against the Lions. Jordan Love looked confident and decisive throughout the game. He was making quick reads and found the end zone a couple of times. The Packers’ defense played very well. They overwhelmed the Lions with their pass rush, consistently putting pressure on Jared Goff throughout the game and recording 4 sacks, 9 hits on the quarterback, and 9 tackles for loss. Lions fans shouldn’t be concerned about their team at all. They came up against a good team that executed a good game plan both defensively and offensively.

Head U16 Hockey Coach Shawn Lynch ’13. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Northwood history will be made on September 13, 2025, when the boys’ 16U hockey team restarts after a multi-year hiatus. The new 16U team begins its inaugural season with a two-game series against the Buffalo Jr Sabres in Utica, New York.

For the last three years, Northwood has only run two boys’ hockey teams – Varsity and Prep. Last year, a decision was made to add a 16U team for the 2025-26 season to bring younger players to the school. Before this decision to add a new team, a number of the Prep players were 18–19-year-olds who would only attend Northwood for one season. The addition of younger players prioritizes long-term development and helps build the hockey program for years to come. Head U16 Coach Shawn Lynch ’13 states that they are looking “to bring in the right kids that we see potential in. If we do things the right way, the 16U team will ideally turn into a feeder for Prep.”

The coaching team for 16U consists of Lynch, who served as the Assistant Coach for Prep last season, and Assistant Coach Justin Felhaber ‘14, who was previously an Assistant Coach with Varsity last season. Both coaches previously played Prep hockey at Northwood.

Recruiting for the team occurred from October 2024 to May 2025. Coach Lynch notes that “there were a lot of potential players that we had to work through, which led to some tough decisions being made. We are happy with how the team was put together.” The team consists of players from the USA, Canada, Russia, and Germany. Goalie Everett Marin ‘28 said, “I heard of Northwood through some people that are currently here, and the deciding factor for me was the great education, as well as great hockey with high-end coaches, exposure, experience, and support.”

The team will be playing in the Northern Schools Hockey Conference (NSHC) this season as their main conference, while also competing in many high-quality showcases and tournaments. Some of the notable tournaments they will be attending are two BEAST league showcases, the USHL Cup in Rochester, the CCM challenge in Quebec, two Player’s Group events in New Jersey, and our own Northwood Invitational. These events are all extremely competitive and showcase the strength that has been brought into the hockey program.

With the start of the season this weekend, it is an extremely exciting time for both coaches and the team. It is the start of a new tradition at Northwood, with 16U hockey looking to develop into a program that helps move players onto Prep and higher-level hockey.