The Spartan ice hockey team played their last in-season game at The Rink at Lehigh Valley on Friday, February 19, defeating Phillipsburg 9-5.

With this win, Spartans advanced into the playoffs as the third seed. With ten wins, four losses, and two ties, they were eager for the playoff game on February 22. Unfortunately, they suffered a defeat at the hands of the Diocese team with a final score of 8-4.

“We played pretty well, shots were pretty even, but it didn’t end in our favor,” senior Avery Young said. “Once they began to capitalize, we lost confidence.”

The Spartan ice hockey team consists of students from Southern Lehigh, Quakertown, and Saucon Valley. Coached by David Coder, the Spartans have found that the combination works effectively and with ease.

“I was excited for the season knowing that we were going to have a pretty good team this year,” senior Jon Hendricks said, “and I was eager to play with other people from other schools that I have played against in the past.”

Since the beginning of the year, the Spartans have worked to achieve a sense of unification both on and off of the ice.

“I definitely noticed better connection in the team. Everyone is friends, so we can all communicate,” junior Ryan Luybli said. “If someone is not doing their job, we can tell them how to fix it on a personal level.”

Although the Spartans will not advance further into the playoffs, many of the players are excited for their next season.

“I feel like we were a strong team from the start,” junior Cullin Hawk said. “I think we’ll do pretty well next year.”