As the puck drops on a new season of Orange Lutheran hockey, the program welcomes a new head coach in August Aiken.
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Aiken is no stranger to OLu hockey, having held various coaching roles over the last several years. Now in his eighth season with the Lancers, he looks forward to guiding the team and building on the program's success.
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"The goal is to continue the tradition of OLu hockey…that when we hit the ice, we are competitive and a tough team to play against," says Aiken.
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OLu will once again field D1, D3 and JV teams this year, with nearly 60 student athletes participating across the program. Aiken serves as the head coach of the D1 squad, assisted by Ian Hong. Jon Mainberger is leading the D3 team, and OLu alum Ryan Sanchez '17 is at the helm for the JV team.
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The Lancers will be led by a strong core of returners, including seniors Atticus Knutson, Owen Lord, Andrew Rieth and Daniel Wetzstein, as well as junior Jayden Weiner. New to OLu hockey this year, seniors Mason Reed and goaltender Aiden McKerron are expected to make a significant impact.
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For the D3 and JV teams, Aiken sees a young but skilled group with potential. Several players from last season's JV squad have advanced to the D3 roster, while the JV team adds a strong group of incoming freshmen this season.
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"Both of those teams have a ton of skill," says Aiken of the D3 and JV squads. "We have a really good group. We're just really young. It's about making those adjustments to high school hockey, finding their game and finding their strengths, while learning how to play and compete at this level."
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The Lancers are a few games into their season and continue with league play this weekend. The D3 and JV teams will take on Los Alamitos at Lakewood Ice on October 18, while the D1 squad faces Pacific Ridge on October 17 at Great Park Ice and Central Cathedral on October 18 at Anaheim Ice.
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After a challenging run at last year's CAHA State Tournament, Aiken's goal for the D1 team is to bounce back and contend for both the ADHSHL and CAHA titles.
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"It's definitely about finding that consistency in our game," says Aiken. "We have a really good group of seniors and upperclassmen, and then with a couple of added players, I'm expecting a big season. Consistency will be the key."
