The defending California state champions for four straight years, Orange Lutheran hockey is back on this ice this month and ready to again claim the CAHA title.
 
Coming off of one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Lancers advanced last spring to the quarterfinals of the USA Hockey National Championship Tournament in the highly competitive High School Prep division. Despite losing 13 players from that roster to either graduation or junior hockey leagues, OLu hockey head coach Ryan Frost still expects this year's team to see success.
 
"As a group, they are very, very skilled and have depth," says Frost. "If we can come together, then they'll have no problem in doing whatever they want to do. In terms of talent, it's there."
 
The Lancers will be fielding approximately 60 players across three teams in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League (ADHSHL), including D1, D2 and JV rosters. The D1 squad includes a number of players who have been a part of OLu's recent title runs, such as seniors Lucas Ananias, Matthew Mendez and Troy Skeffington, as well as junior Aiden Zakaria, all players the coaching staff will be leaning on to guide the group.
 
"I'm looking forward to seeing some kids grow into leadership roles," says Frost. "We've had a few kids that have won every year they've played with us."
 
Frost is also seeing players advance within the program, including former D3 and D2 players who are earning spots on the D1 team, a trend he attributes to the Lancer Ice Academy program that combines elite ice hockey training with the OLu high school experience.
 
The Lancers will get their regular season started this Friday night, September 29, when they face a familiar Trinity League foe in Santa Margarita at Great Park Ice. With skills development and growth at the forefront, OLu is poised for another strong year.
 
"My thing is creating a culture," says Frost. "It's about creating something that's repeatable and what are we leaving behind is better than we found it."