It was only last February when the Flyers stormed into the Ice Hutch and defeated Iona Prep to earn the title of league champions. Now, the JV squad is back on the ice and ready to defend their championship.
"Our expectation is to win the title every year," said Chaminade head coach Walter Gilroy, who is entering his sixth season at the helm.
Gilroy, who has won the JV title every year since he arrived at Chaminade during the 2019-2020 season (no championship was awarded during the 2020-2021 due to the pandemic), spoke about what makes this Flyers team different from the rest in the CHSHL:
"Our strength is definitely our depth. Four good forward lines, eight solid defensemen - if we just roll all lines, nobody can keep up with us."
Thus far, Chaminade has played three games and boasts three wins, starting their title defense undefeated.
The puck dropped on the 2024-25 campaign on November 20 against a familiar foe, Kellenberg. It was a back-and-forth game, with Kellenberg finding cracks in the usually sturdy Chaminade defense. However, the Flyers offense came alive and pulled away from the Firebirds to open the season with an 8-5 victory.
Chaminade's defense found its rhythm when they hosted Fordham Prep two days later, holding the Rams to just one goal while the offense exploded for eight more. Final score: 8-1, Flyers.
It was much the same when Chaminade traveled to Brooklyn on November 24 to take on Xavier. Once again, Chaminade's defense surrendered just a single goal. However, the real story was the production of Cole Lombardo, who tallied five goals to lead Chaminade to a 6-1 win over the Knights.
"He's a monster," said Coach Gilroy when asked about Lombardo. "He's a tremendous asset that everybody follows in terms of how hard he plays."
Lombardo was an impressive contributor to last year's success, and his efforts were rewarded, as he took home league MVP. With his lightning-fast skating and powerful shots, Lombardo hopes to haunt opposing defenses and goalies again this season.
Buoyed by fellow forwards John Dipaolo and Landon Butler, this is a Flyers group that has already shown a propensity to put pucks on net and promises to score goals at a rapid rate.
On defense, sophomores Peter McAdams and Chet Wakie will take charge of a no-nonsense, physical defensive core this year. They hope to continue to limit the amount of opponent shots on goal while trying to create opportunities in the offensive zone.
If pucks do end up near the net, however, the Flyers enjoy the services of three solid goaltenders - led by sophomore Leonid Remsha - who are off to a great start this fall.
After its strong start, Chaminade will enjoy a bit of a Thanksgiving break in its schedule as it gears up for a rematch of last year's championship game on December 6th in Brooklyn against Iona Prep. Puck drops at 6 p.m.
