The Parma Redmen finished last season with a record of 29-6-0 and a Blue North Division Championship after finishing league play with a 13-1-0 mark. The 29 wins is the most in school history, but unfortunately the season did not end the way the Redmen had planned. They ended up as runner-up in the Baron Cup III Final, losing a hard-fought game to CVCA, 2-1, followed up by an earlier than expected exit in the State Tournament losing in the opening round to Avon, 6-3.

The 2019 Baron Cup was the second time Parma lost in the final (2014). This has the Redmen motivated this season. Despite setting a single season record for wins last year head coach Joe Gaudino, in his 16th season, has high expectations for this year’s squad.

Coach Gaudino is excited about the 10 new faces he has entering the program, which is the most since 2007, but also is excited to see how the chemistry offensively continues to build this year.  Guadino will be relying a lot on captains Matt Higginbotham and Robbie Gudin to lead the charge this season and with help from Robert Takacs, the sky is the limit for the Redmen.

With last year’s success, Parma was moved up a division and will now play in the White South. The schedule will be full again this season with league games and four tournaments.

The Redmen won their first six games of the season through Thanksgiving.  That included a championship at the Nordonia Thanksgiving Tournament where they out-scored their four opponents 38-2.

Next up was a return visit to the Adam S. Hamilton Memorial Tournament in Kent where they went 2-1-1 against some stiff competition that included Amherst Steele and tournament host Kent Roosevelt.

As usual, Parma will host a Tournament over the Christmas break. They finished second last season and last won their own tournament in 2016.

Before qualifying for the Baron Cup and State Tournament, Parma will have one last chance as they host their annual MLK Tournament, where they will try and repeat as champions.

--- Thomas Liegl for Ohio Hockey Digest