2018-19 was a season to remember for the Dublin Jerome Celtics.  35 wins, 227 goals scored, Capital Hockey Conference regular season and tournament titles, Columbus District champs for the third time in five years, then going one step further than any other team from the Columbus District ever had – becoming the first team to represent the CHC in a state championship game.

Now comes the rebuild.

Jerome returns just nine players.  There will be more new faces (11) than returnees, leaving head coach Patrick Murphy – the 2018-19 Ohio Coach of the Year – with a serious challenge in his 16th season with the Celtics.

Murphy, the only bench boss the program has ever known, will turn to five key seniors for leadership:  forwards Avery Mlicki (28-20-48), Adam Booth (13-9-22) and Matt Kish (8-11-19 in 26 games), defenseman Nolan Kunzelman (4-24-28) and goaltender Ryan Norkin (12-0-1, 1.45, .914).

Norkin backed up Second Team All-Ohio goalie Mark Bishopp last season but stepped in and got the job done when called upon.  He will instill confidence in those playing in front of him.

The Padua Tournament will give Murphy an idea how much – if at all – the team has fallen off from their Cinderella season and if they will be able to compete for more titles in the Red Division.

“We will be a strong skating team and should have some offensive punch,” said Murphy.  “With several new varsity players, we are not young, but may lack experience.”

The small returning group will be very motivated by all of the successes they experienced on the ice last year, but also by the near-miss on the biggest stage right in their back yard.

“We’ve got a bunch of kids that can really skate and a bunch of kids with a sour taste in their mouths from last year,” Murphy told www.thisweeknews.com.

Make no mistake, a third consecutive district title is the goal, but the journey may look a little different this time around.

Tight games at the Chiller Thanksgiving Tournament against division rivals St. Charles (4-2 loss) and New Albany (2-1 win), along with a 2-1 loss to Anthony Wayne, suggest Murphy has some work to do before this year’s team is ready for a post-season run.

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest