Toledo St. John’s is experienced but still young this year. That’s a pretty good mix for head coach Derrick Stumm, who has 11 returning juniors on his roster. Those players already have varsity experience but still have room to grow and make the Titans a competitive team in the Red Division of the Northwest Hockey Conference and in the Sylvania District playoffs this year and next.

The goals for the Titans this year? Win the NHC, win two of the four in-season tournaments they are competing in, and win the Sylvania District playoffs.

“They know what the season entails and what it will take to win games,” Stumm said of his large stable of juniors. He is in his eighth season coaching at St. John’s with a tenure that includes three years as the JV head coach, followed by three more years as a varsity assistant that prepared him for elevation to the head coaching job at the varsity level last season.

Stumm says the Titans are a very quick-skating team that likes to be aggressive and apply pressure on the puck carrier.

Will Lowery, Tyler Meader, Declan Loisel and Carson Perino will lead the forward group and provide scoring in tight games. All four have extensive varsity playing experience and will be relied upon to provide leadership to the rest of the forwards.

Perino, Lowery and Meader are all serving as alternate captains to defenseman Charlie Anderson.

Anderson, Max McCanna, Max Perino and Sean Pollex will form the defensive core and handle powerplay and penalty killing responsibilities.

“Having inexperienced goaltending will require the four of them to play at their best in the defensive zone,” said Stumm.

Junior Wyatt Farmer and freshman Curtis Belli, both rookies at the varsity level, will assume the goaltending duties.

“Goaltending will be key for us this year,” said Stumm. “We have two first year varsity goalies who will need to adapt to the speed of the game very quickly.”

Stumm had both games this weekend circled as measuring sticks for his club before the season: a visit to St. Edward Friday followed by a league game against Findlay on Saturday.  

Other big dates include a December 22 rivalry game with St. Francis (which will be played under the lights at Toledo’s Fifth Third Field), a tournament in Traverse City right after Christmas and a February 2 bout with Saint Ignatius.

St. John’s will also host the Mark Rasmus Memorial Tournament January 14-16.

Stumm was asked to size up the NHC’s Red Division race:

“Bowling Green and Findlay both have strong teams that are able to beat anyone in our division,” he said. “And St. Francis is always a tough team to beat and our rivals.”

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest