GBN Hockey Hopes to Replicate Last Year's Success

A year ago the Glenbrook North boys hockey team made it all the way to the state final, leaving big shoes to fill.

This year’s Spartans are still talented, but the graduations of four all-staters, Jack Day, Tommy Washburn, Sam Katz and goaltender Troy Carroll, made for a transition period in the beginning of the year. Throw in a new coach and it’s no wonder GBN is just now getting into a groove.

After opening the season against a number of top teams the Spartans were just 2-5-2 in September. GBN is 14-1-2 since following a 1-1 tie against Prairie Ridge Tuesday in Northbrook.

“I think we’re really starting to hit our stride,” first-year coach Evan Poulakidas said after the Prairie Ridge game. “It’s a good time to hit your stride. Early on we had some injuries, we had some other issues where guys were out and it took us probably eight or nine games to really get everyone together. Since that time I think we’ve played as well as anybody in the state.”

The new coach takes over for Mark Brunner, who took the Spartans to three Blackhawk Cup finals and won back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008. Poulakidas coached at St. Viator previously, but has worked in the Northbrook hockey program for 17 years, so he’s not a new face.

“A lot of what I’ve taught in the past has been continued on so there’s not that big of a change,” he said. “It’s a quality program with quality kids, you’re not going to change a whole lot.”

“I’m happy with our new coach, but I miss Mark,” junior Garrison Sanipass said. “I think our team has adapted quite well, though.”

Poulakidas inherits a team that returns a number of key contributors to last year’s successful group. Sanipass, a big center, has led the team in points in conference play so far. Senior captain Eric Anderson, juniors Jonathan Gauger and Seth Gideon and sophomore Nick Day have been more important in the offense so far this season.

Junior Ryan Maksimovic has been a big-time scoring threat after taking two years off from hockey.

“We don’t have a top power like we had,” Anderson said. “We have more depth this year than last year.”

Defensively, senior Patrick McNally and junior Blake Raven return after seeing a lot of time last year. Senior Max Gerber scored the tying goal against Prairie Ridge with 3:07 left in the game.

The team is already in position to do something last year’s team did not: win the Metro North Conference. The Spartans are off to a roaring 9-0 start to Metro North play, leading the league in both goals for and against.

“We’ve been doing great in conference so far,” Anderson said. “Hopefully we go undefeated.”

One relative unknown is goalie, where Carroll’s efforts last March carried the team through the postseason. Sophomore Matty Memolo made 28 saves against the Wolves, allowing only a first-period goal, and has been getting most of the playing time recently. However, seniors Sam Berlin and Griffin Peifer are also in the mix.

“We have three good goalies,” Poulakidas said. “I think Matty probably right now is a little ahead. I don’t know who the No. 1 goalie is and that’s something last year and in the previous years they knew who the No. 1 goalie was. It helps when you do have that, but we’ll find out.”

The Spartans (16-6-4) play at Warren Wednesday in a Metro North game before visiting second place Highland Park. The big Thanksgiving rivalry game at Glenbrook South is looming next Wednesday.

“Our entire team has been talking about it for the past week already,” Sanipass said. “It’s just going to keep getting bigger and bigger.”