On the night of Friday January 24, 2025, the Benet Academy Hockey team faced off in their second-to-last conference matchup. A large crowd of over 250 teachers, parents, and many members of the senior Class of 2025 came to support Boys Hockey during one of the last games played on their home ice rink, Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge. The Benet community came together to honor fourteen different players of the Benet Academy Hockey team: Jimmy Cannon, Ava Christensen, Ben Ciesla, Gianluca DiCosola, Thomas Dusek, Davin Frasco, Hudson Hollweck, Hudson Schlie, John Neboyskey, Michael O’Rourke, Evangelos Petratos, Vincenzo Porro, Daniel Quinlan, and Cade Rosenthal. In particular, Ava, the only woman on the team, was congratulated on her commitment to play Women’s Ice Hockey at Oswego State University in New York. The team faced off against Niles Notre Dame, a formidable opponent who was placed in the middle of the Chicago Catholic Hockey League, the conference that Benet Hockey competes in.
Although Niles Notre Dame’s goalie, Freshman Michael Mulac, was able to block a large amount of shots in the second and third periods, two shots evaded his capture in the opening minutes of the first period. Due to successful goals by senior Hudson Schlie and junior Joel Ihde, by minute four of the game, the Redwings were up with a commanding 2-0 lead. Speaking about this lead, senior Hudson Schlie, Benet’s all-time leader in points scored, stated “Benet’s student body is unmatched in the state, and there is constant support throughout every sport. The crowd definitely contributed to our hot start in the game.”
A stalemate soon emerged between the two teams, with Benet Hockey holding a significant advantage. Benet’s All-Star goalie, senior Benjamin Ciesla, along with the aforementioned Ava Christensen, did a superb job, with only one goal being scored by Niles Notre Dame in the waning minutes of the third period.
Although Benet Hockey’s hopes of its first undefeated CCHL regular season were dashed by a freak loss to Fenwick the next day, a statement had been made that Benet was a team to be reckoned with by finishing 19-1 in the Chicago Catholic Hockey League. Both players and fans alike were satisfied with the outcome of the game that Friday night. When speaking about the level of support that the Hockey Team was given by its fans, Schlie stated “The crowd was unbelievable. To see our classmates there rally behind us and support us is a special feeling. It is one of the reasons we all play high school hockey. We are greatly appreciative of everyone’s support, especially us seniors on our big night. It was incredible.”
The Boys Hockey team will continue their program-defining season with a game against St. Rita High School to begin their playoff journey in the opening weeks of February.
