‘Everyone has to want it’: A season of change in the Capital Hockey Conference
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Henry Thackeray leads the defensive effort for the Upper Arlington Golden Bears, the defending state champions. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Henry Thackeray wore a look of disappointment standing outside the Upper Arlington hockey team’s locker room at the OhioHealth Ice Haus Nov. 23. The Golden Bears were coming off a 4-2 loss to Olentangy Orange to drop their second game in as many days to fall to 2-4 overall and 2-1-0-1 in Capital Hockey Conference play.
Just a little more than seven months ago, Thackeray and his teammates were full of joy and jubilation after UA won its first state championship by defeating Cleveland St. Ignatius 5-2 in the final to finish 29-6-2. It’s the second time in the history of the OHSAA tournament a central Ohio program won the top prize after Olentangy Liberty did it in 2023. The OHSAA began running the tournament in 1978.
Things are different now for the Bears, who lost 12 to graduation as well as brothers Mason and Maddon Herndon. Goalie Mason and his twin brother Maddon, a defenseman, are now playing AAA hockey in Boston.
The slow start isn’t indicative of a down season for UA, coach Craig Hagkull said.
“Obviously these games are important, you want to set yourself up for the season,” the third-year coach said. “But we just got to build on each game and each week of practice. The games are important, but I’m much more concerned that we’re playing well in February than now.”
While the defense was a strength last season, led by Thackeray, the Bears should be formidable on offense this season.
They return their top forward line in senior Connor Hagkull, the coach’s son, and juniors Tate Rook and Ben Spence.
Junior forwards Grant Southworth and Zane Gibson and freshman forward Pete Harper are also in the mix to provide some offense.
Thackeray’s disappointment in the result against the Pioneers was just in the moment. His expression changed to determination as he talked about his role on the Bears’ development this season.
“We’re still getting the hang of things, but I feel like we’re taking steps in the right direction day by day,” said Thackeray, a senior defenseman, who was first-team all-league last season. “I think everyone wants to go back and do the same thing we did last season. But right now, (coming off a state title) doesn’t mean anything.
Ian Leskovich is one of the Olentangy Orange seniors who anchors the Pioneers’ defense under first-year head coach Dylan Gray. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“We’ve still got to get to the end of the season. We’ve got to get everyone on the same page and start working together more as a team. Everyone just has to want it. I know I have the right people around me. I’m just trying to do everything in my power to help this team.”
Change is inevitable in high school sports. Players graduate and coaches move on. It’s the nature of the beast. Those changes are more amplified this season.
Perhaps the most noticeable is the Capital Hockey Conference dropping from three divisions down to two with the loss of Columbus Academy and DeSales. Dublin Scioto hasn’t fielded a varsity hockey team since the 2020-21 season.
The Red Division features eight teams – Cincinnati Moeller, Dublin Jerome, New Albany, Liberty, Olentangy, Orange, St. Charles and UA.
The White Division has seven – Cincinnati St. Xavier, Dublin Coffman, Gahanna, Olentangy Berlin, Thomas Worthington, Watterson and Worthington Kilbourne.
There are no crossover matchups in league play, also a change from years past.
“I think we’re trying to keep it the same as last year,” New Albany senior forward Will Yoho said. “Don’t make too many changes to ourselves. Keep it kind of steady and go out and have fun. I don’t think it’s that big a deal. We still have a team, and we still have games to play. It doesn’t matter (what the divisions are).”
Is this a sign that hockey participation is down?
“I’ve been involved in hockey for over 20 years,” Orange first-year coach Dylan Gray said. “Just the way youth hockey’s have been blown up in Columbus – I mean there’s so many travel teams and programs and youth organizations. So (participation is) definitely trending up. The McConnells are doing a great job of funneling money into the (Columbus Blue Jackets) youth sports.”
Gray previously coached the junior varsity program at Orange and looks to seniors Ian Leskovich (defenseman), Josh Lambert (forward) and Nolan Perry (defenseman) and junior Maverick Scholvin (forward) to set the tone.
Will Yoho is an offensive catalyst for the New Albany Eagles, who now function under the school’s athletic department. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“We (focused) our strategy this year on the amount of depth that we have across the board,” said Gray, whose team is 2-2 overall and 2-2 in league play. “We did change some stuff. It’s been working out well so far. (We’re) just polishing off those rough edges as we go along.”
Like Orange, New Albany has a first-year in coach Mitchell Goodin.
“One thing that is a little different is the pregame routines,” Yoho said. “He (tries to get us) in the zone 10 minutes before games. There’s very little or no talking. (We) keep it really calm – laser-focused energy in the locker room before the game. It’s a little new, but I’ve enjoyed it. Especially that first game against Moeller (a 5-1 win Nov. 15), there was a difference. We felt the difference out there.”
Goodin is threading the needle of using the experience of his mentors and putting his own knowledge and personality into the program. He spent the last six seasons as an assistant at New Albany.
“I think just having six years of experience in knowing how the flow of a week goes and being able to tailor my coaching style along with that,” Goodin said. “The main thing I was telling everyone was – I’m not worried about anything on the ice. My biggest learning curve is administrative.”
One administrative-related change for the Eagles is they are now under the umbrella of the school’s athletic department.
“So, that’s been kind of a big,” Goodin said. “(It’s) having extra access to resources, access to funds to be able to get a couple extra (things) for the team and make sure that we’re most prepared for the season.”
Danny Greiner said the biggest change entering his third year leading St. Charles is that there hasn’t been much change. The Cardinals were young the first two years of Greiner’s stint, but now return a lot of talent.
Senior defenseman Tommy Scharfenberger, a first-team all-league selection last year, highlights a strong defense that’s anchored by a pair of goalies in junior Dylan Bell and senior Dylan Fansler.
Junior Will Howard and sophomores Jack Jensen and Jack Goodwin highlight the offensive unit.
The Cardinals, who are 4-0 overall and in league play, have plenty of motivation to return to the state tournament after a one-year absence.
UA ended St. Charles’ season with 2-1 victory in five overtimes in a regional semifinal.
“We tied (UA) twice and lost to them in five overtimes,” Greiner said. “So, I think we are a lot better than maybe our record showed or how we finished up. But I think that gives us motivation for this year and what we can do.”
Blue liner Tommy Scharfenberger (right) is a returning first-team all-league selection for the St. Charles Cardinals. Photo: Kevin Rouch
See our high school photo galleries so far this season:
Olentangy Orange at Upper Arlington (Nov. 23, 2025)
St. Charles at New Albany (Nov. 22, 2025)
Olentangy Liberty at Olentangy (Nov. 16, 2025)