Last season, the Chaminade Flyers were swept in two games in the CHSHL finals by Iona Prep, marking a disappointing end to a promising campaign. However, this year's version of the varsity Flyers came into the season with a determined mentality, hoping to bring home the league title for the first time since the 2022-23 season.

"Although we are very talented, it's the little things that are going to let us win," stated head coach Keith Macias '98. "We have to get to the dirty areas." 

Chaminade's start to the season has been nothing short of exceptional. The Flyers have an overall record of 11-1-0 and a league record of 6-1-0, hold second place in the CHSHL Varsity AA Division, and rank third in the most recent New York State rankings at MyHockeyRankings.com.

Despite this impressive start, the playoff sweep at the hands of Iona Prep is still fresh in the Flyers' minds and serves as a source of motivation for the journey ahead. 

"It was like a bad toothache," said Macias. "They wanted to rip that tooth out."

The Flyers began their season on November 21 with a league game on their home ice - Cantiague Ice Rink - against the Stepinac Crusaders. The game ended in an 8-2 final in favor of the Crimson and Gold, and Macias left satisfied with his team's play as a strong unit. 

With the start of December came two non-league games. This short stretch began with a dominant 8-4 victory over Portledge and concluded with a trip to Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange, New Jersey for a huge matchup against Seton Hall Prep. There, the Flyers handily defeated the Pirates, 8-3, for the program's first win over a New Jersey Catholic school. In the triumph, senior Michael Johnson lit the lamp five times.

The Flyers returned home on December 5 for a league game against Xavier which ended in a 4-1 defeat - Chaminade's only loss of the season to date. 

"Xavier is a good team, and the puck bounced right for them," reflected Macias. "We came out flat, and it cost us."

Missing a few key players, the Flyers got out to a slow start and couldn't close the gap against the Knights, who currently rank third in the standings with a league record of 3-1-2.

Hoping to bounce back from the loss, Chaminade traveled to Rye two days later for a league game against Fordham Prep. Propelled by a shutout from goalie Nathaniel Pitman, the Flyers took down the Rams, 5-0, to return to their winning ways.

The team then arrived at the Ice Hutch to take on the Pelham Pelicans on December 9. Chaminade came out on top in this game by a score of 4-0, with Pitman recording his second straight shutout.

The team returned home to Cantiague on December 12 for a contest against the Xaverian Clippers. Led by the line of Johnson, Jack Petrone, and Timothy Barrins, the Flyers posted yet another victory, this time by a score of 7-5.

"Jack Petrone is a spark plug," praised Macias. "He sets the pace and never gives up. He's a very special player."

With their league record now 3-1-0 and their overall record 6-1-0, the Crimson and Gold next took to the ice to face Monsignor Farrell at Aviator Sport and Event Center in Brooklyn. In this Friday-night battle, the Flyers topped the Lions, 4-1, successfully matching the opposition's physicality to win battles for the puck.

Two days before Christmas, the Flyers headed up to New Rochelle to take on the Iona Prep Gaels. Here, the team hoped to not only avenge last season's finals defeat, but also capture first place in the division. It was a game the Flyers had circled on their calendars for months. 

"We treated the game like any other, but knew it was for first place and wanted to send them a message," admitted Macias.

The Crimson and Gold took control in the first period and held on the rest of the way for a 5-1 statement victory, extending their winning streak to five games. Yet again, Pitman put on a stellar performance in net, while all five Flyers goals were netted by different players. 

"I was happy with the way we played our system and executed," said Macias.

The Flyers closed out December with a pair of neutral-site victories over Lancaster and Canisius - two high schools from the Buffalo area - by scores of 5-2 and 3-0, respectively.

In its most recent game on January 2, Chaminade squared off with Monsignor Farrell for the second time. Buoyed by a fantastic performance from junior goalie Christian Licari in his first league start at the varsity level, the Flyers emerged victorious by a score of 7-1, bringing their league record to 6-1-0 and their overall mark to 11-1-0.

Macias has been delighted by his team's start to the season, but he realizes that the most important games are still ahead:

"We have to remember that it's about accomplishing our goal and bringing a state championship to Chaminade," he explained, adding that he was especially appreciative of the leadership role his seniors have taken, both on and off the ice.

The Flyers' next outing is a road rematch against league foe Xavier on January 6.

"We're going to play our game," promised Macias. "We're going to backcheck, forecheck, and play for better results."