Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 Alumni Update FORMER PANTHERS EXCELLING IN THE NCAA, OHL, AND CIS. Richard Schofield: NCAA Lake Superior State Laker. The former Pickering Panther Captain has picked up right where he left off in Pickering. As a freshman Schofield is 3rd in Lake State scoring, 1st in freshman scoring, and 2nd in goal scoring. The Pickering native has 5-goals and 4-assists for 9-points in 18-games with the Lakers. Schofield scored the game-tying-goal as the Lakers tied Michigan State recently. Mike Banwell: NCAA University of Maine Black Bears. The Panther stalwart rearguard has jumped into Maine’s roster and dressed for 13-games already this season. Maine, one of the top hockey programs in the United States, is currently 7-9-2 in 18-games overall. Banwell has recorded 1-assist, and is one of three freshmen defencemen that Maine will be looking to step up to a larger role next season. Brad Fogal: NCAA Adrian College. The Panthers standout netminder has stepped into NCAA hockey at Adrian College and earned the starting goaltender spot for the Bulldogs. Fogal’s stats are stellar for a senior, let alone a freshman; 9-2-0 record, .920 save %, 2.25 goals against average. Fogal has played 75% of the minutes available at Adrian, with 9-starts and some relief appearances. Adrian is currently 1st in the NCAA MCHA with a 7-1-0 conference record, and 10-3-0 overall record. Zack Fenwick: OHL Kingston Frontenacs. Pickering’s PP weapon from the blueline started the year at NCAA Mercyhurst, but has since joined the OHL team that drafted him the Kingston Frontenacs. Fenwick has played 6-games with Kingston, already recording 3-assists. The ’89 born Fenwick joins three other ’89 birth year defencemen as next seasons Frontenacs defence corps. Jesse Hebscher: OHL Sudbury Wolves. Born in 1990, Hebscher went from OPJHL Rookie to OHL Rookie in consecutive seasons. ‘Hebsie’ has appeared in 35-games for the Wolves already this season, recording 3-assists. Never to shy away from physical play, Hebscher has 29 penalty minutes so far this season. Hebscher is part of three youngsters on the Wolves blueline that boasts two 91’s, one 90, three 89’s, and one 88. Kevin Huinink: NCAA Salem State. The rugged rearguard has appeared in 10-of-11 games at Salem State this season. Best known for scoring Pickering’s game-winning-goal in Game-7 against Vaughan in the 2nd round of the playoffs, Huinink attends Salem State with another former Panther Justin Fox. Huinink has recorded 3-assists, and 20-PIM’s so far this season, and made his NCAA debut against another former Panther Matt Rigtrup. Matt Rigtrup: NCAA St. Michael’s Purple Knights. The American born former Panther is lighting it up at St. Michael’s College. Rigtrup, who was improved steadily as the year went on, is on a point-per-game pace in his freshman year in the NCAA. Rigtrup has 3-goals and 6-assists, is 4th in team scoring, and the leading scoring freshman on the Purple Knights. Rigtrup (as stated above) made his NCAA debut against two former Panthers; Kevin Huinink & Justin Fox – the trio, while in Pickering, were commonly referred to as “The Whitby Boys” (along with Phil McIlhone). Kain Allicock: OHL Saginaw Spirit. Pickering barely got a chance to know Kain, but his ability was well known throughout the league. The Panther rookie this season was called up to Saginaw, and has never come back. The big winger has appeared in 34-games for the Spirit this season, recording 1-goal, 1-assist, and 66 penalty minutes. Allicock played only 2-games in a Panther uniform, but managed 2-goals and 1-assist. He joins a pair of former Panther standouts in Saginaw; goaltender Ryan Daniels, and forward Chris Chappel. Brett Connolly: CIS UOIT Ridgebacks. A fixture in Pickering Hockey for years, Connolly actually finished his Junior ‘A’ career with the Aurora Tigers, as he was dealt to the Tigers, and assisted them in winning a RBC Cup Championship. Connolly, a Pickering native, was a 2nd generation Panther, as his older brother Ryan also played for Pickering. Connolly made his Panther debut as a 15-year-old in Game-6 of the 2nd round of the OPJHL Playoffs against the Wexford Raiders. Connolly spent time in the OHL before returning to Pickering to play with longtime best friend and neighbor Richard Schofield. (UOIT stats unavailable). COPYWRIGHT PICKERING PANTHERS JR.A HOCKEY CLUB NEXT HOME GAME TORONTO JR.CANADIENS @ PICKERING PANTHERS FRI.JAN.11th 7:30PM 2007 NCAA COMMITMENTS NCAA DIV.I MICHAEL BANWELL MAINE NCAA DIV.I RICHARD SCHOFIELD LAKE SUPERIOR NCAA DIV.I ZACK FENWICK MERCYHURST NCAA DIV.III BRAD FOGAL ADRIAN COLLEGE NCAA DIV.III KEVIN HUININK SALEM STATE 2007 OHL SIGNINGS JESSES HEBSCHER SUDBURY