The standings are set for the Prep Hockey Conference, which means our Boys Prep team knows exactly who they are heading into spring break.
Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep Boys are entering the playoffs as the number two seed in the West. That means they will face Mount Saint Charles Academy, the number three seed from the East, in the opening round. On the other side of the bracket, Northwood School, the number two seed in the East, will play Saint Andrew’s College, the number three seed in the West. These two games will be played on February 20, deciding who will play the first seeds, Culver in the west and South Kent School in the east.
For Shattuck, the focus is not on the path ahead but on preparations for the upcoming weekend. Ethan Sung said, “Coming back from Saint Andrew’s this weekend, I feel pretty prepared for the playoffs as we know what we need to improve on and what we need to keep doing in order to be at our best.” This is coming from last weekend, with Shattuck splitting the weekend with Saint Andrew’s to clinch the second seed for the playoffs.
Sung also emphasized that playoff success starts mentally, with Sung stating, “For playoffs, you need to be physically ready, but in my opinion, the area that needs to be prepared the most is your brain. You need to be able to have willpower and determination before anything else.” This can mean a multitude of things, such as discipline, focus, and consistency; all these core elements can define this playoff. In tight games, understanding these traits and managing the momentum you have often becomes the difference.
The Sabres host the first game on February 20 against Mount Saint Charles Academy at noon.
