Escanaba HS Hockey Team 'Grateful' To Get Season

Click the AUDIO button to hear comments from Captain Nick Kolich, Asst. Captain Spencer Bourdeau, and sophomore Brayden Martineau. Also click the videos to see comments from all three boys.

ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School hockey team reacted with joy Thursday after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that winter contact sports could continue after being shut down since November.

The boys have been doing "non-contact" practices since mid-January, and were skating on their own before that when the governor allowed hockey rinks to re-open for private skating.

Now, with a season opener suddenly on the horizon, in less than 100 hours against the Hancock Bulldogs Monday night, there is a new sense of urgency for the Eskymos.

"I was shocked, and just grateful to have a chance at a season," Eskymo captain Nick Kolich said shortly after the governor gave the green light to hockey's return. "We've been practicing for months and months, but not really. I mean, we didn't have any games scheduled, but now we do, so I'm pretty pumped."

"Big sigh of relief," another Eskymo senior, assistant captain Spencer Bourdeau, said. "It's beem tough. We were just waiting and waiting and waiting. Takes a lot of stress off the shoulders knowing that we can finally play. I mean, I was getting my hopes up, then she'd extend it again. So, towards the end, I never really got my hopes up. But now we're here!"

What's it been like, having his senior season be pushed back over and over again?

"It's been stressful, I mean, it's been depressing," Kolich said. "It's just really hard to go through it, and I guess now, that's over, so I guess we're ready."

The younger guys, like sophomore Brayden Martineau, were also starting to lose hope.

"I was surprised because she just kept extending it, extending it," Martineau said. "I didn't think we were ever gonna be able to play. It's amazing (having a season). You just feel free. All the boys are just super happy and we're ready to go. We're gonna be flying out there (against Hancock Monday night). We're gonna be loud. For however many people we can have in that place, we're gonna be loud and jumping!"

Bourdeau agreed, and said that he has a whole new perspective on things as he nears the end of his high school career. He saw the Class of 2020 miss out, and now, he's grateful to have this opportunity.

"That's not how I want my senior year to end," Bourdeau said. "I just want to be able to go out there one last time, and play a couple last games. So, I'm just happy to do that. Four years goes by quick. I never believed that until now. I can't wait to play. Finally!"

The Eskymos-Hancock game will be broadcast live on WCHT-FM (93.5) and WCHT-AM (600) as well as on-line at www.rrnsports.com, Monday night.