MyHockeyRankings.com released their weekly national standings Feb. 18 and for the first time this season, the North Pittsburgh Wildcats first-year Bantam 2002 AA team was atop the list.
Led by coach Mike Fritz, the Wildcats have amassed an impressive 32-11-7 record while ranked second throughout most of the season despite playing a schedule heavily dominated by AAA teams.
Fritz said the top ranking is a “cool” feeling, and something the Wildcats were shooting for since the summer.
“We set ourselves a goal of reaching No. 1 during the season or before the season was over,” he said. “We set that early in the season before we started playing games, and the kids have really committed themselves to it and have worked really, really hard.
“They earned it.”
Fritz said along with a No. 1 ranking generally comes a bulls-eye. Getting his players to understand that every time they take the ice the team on the opposite bench will bring their best to dethrone them from their perch was an easy conversation.
“I have no doubt the kids will play their best because they want to finish No. 1,” Fritz said. “We have nine games left on our schedule, and the way the kids are motivating themselves and pushing each other is with the ‘Hey, all this hard work would be lost if we don't finish on top' mentality.”
Fritz said his team practices and plays under three basic rules: work hard, have fun and pay attention.
“The kids are a competitive bunch and they like to compete with each other both in practice and in games,” he said. “Being a double-A team playing teams mostly in triple-A forces us to play hard each and every game because we know what we are up against every single game.”
The Wildcats play an explosive, aggressive offensive style that many find hard to combat.
Fritz described their identity as a very fast, unselfish team that is able to move the puck between the zones and attack.
He attributed much of the success to the play of goalie Connor Strobel. His ability to make both the spectacular and routine saves gives the defense the ability to pinch at center ice and send the puck down the ice.
“When Connor is on his game he tracks the puck extremely well and is good at controlling his rebounds,” Fritz said. “He allows us to play aggressively, and we have some defensemen who are very skilled players who rush the puck.”
Being an independent first-year bantam team doesn't give the Wildcats a set postseason, rather more challenging end-of-the-year tournaments to prove their superiority amongst their regional peers. Fritz said the organization gains satisfaction from how it showcases its abilities against the best the Pittsburgh and Ohio regions have to offer.
“We aren't playing for a postseason trophy, but our hardware is what we win in tournament play,” he said. “We have a tournament, our final year-end tournament in March, and that is kind of a showcase against the other top tier teams in our immediate region.
“Our goal is to finish on top in that and than next year we can compete as second-year bantam with the goal of winning a Tier II National Title.”
Brian Graham is a freelance writer.
