One night most student athletes look forward to in their last year of high school is senior night where they get to be recognized and celebrated for all their hard work put into their sport.
Liberty hockey held their senior night at Wentzville Ice Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and a 7-4 victory over Holt capped off a special night for the players. Liberty had a backdrop and carpet set up at one of the ice entrances. All the senior had bouquets of flowers to give their mom when they skated up to their parents. The seniors skated to their parents, and siblings if they were there, and got a few pictures taken.
“Oh, that was awesome. I was really happy to see them (his parents), and obviously I think my mom shed a few tears,” Lucas Kempf (12) said.
Unlike last year, where the team had only two seniors, this year there were seven. These seniors were Jude Bill, Greyson Howarth, Max Westhoff, Diana Kemp, Zach Pruss, Carson Brassel, and Lucas Kempf.
This night was also Holt’s senior night. Liberty did their ceremony first, followed by Holt. After both ceremonies were complete, and the referees got the nets set up, warm-ups started, followed by the game.
Only 30 seconds into the first period, Holt got a 2-minute minor penalty for tripping. While short handed, Holt scored the first goal of the game at 14:19. At 9:02, captain Lucas Kempf (12) opened the scoring for Liberty. Nicholas Kuhn (11) and Greyson Howarth (12) got the assists. Zach Pruss (12) then got a 2-minute minor penalty for high sticking at 8:31. Pruss then scored the final goal of the period at 3:08, assisted by Ethan Peters (9).
“I think it was a pretty good game from everybody. A couple of good goals, a couple of trash goals, but a goals a goal. It’s a team effort, everyone played good,” Pruss said.
Holt once again opened the scoring in the second period at 7:57. Liberty responded just over a minute later with a goal from Josiah Ditch (11), assisted by Pruss and Reid Wells (10). Kempf then got his second goal of the night at 4:47, with the assist going to Carson Brassel (12). Holt then responded with the final goal of the period at 4:05. There were not penalties this period.
Tying the game up, Holt got the first goal of the third period at 12:17, that also being their last of the game. Pruss got his second goal of the game, and the game winning goal at 11:15, assisted by Jake Meyer (10). Kempf the got his third goal, scoring a hat-trick, at 8:53, assisted by Kuhn. At 7:28, Meyer got a 2-minute minor penalty for tripping. Pruss then got his third goal of the game, also scoring a hat-trick, assisted by Ditch and Kempf. With 1:12 left in the game, Cam Winkler (11) got a 2-minute minor penalty for slashing.
After the game was finished, and the hand shake line was complete, Liberty’s seniors were able to bring their friends and families on the ice to take pictures with their banners. The rest of the team went to the locker room to get changed, but some of them also joined the seniors who were still put on the ice after getting dressed.
After everyone was done on the ice, there was cookie cake and cupcakes for everyone to enjoy to celebrate.
“A good memory is just going out to eat after practice with the team,” Howarth said.
Three Stars of the Game:
1st – Lucas Kempf; 3 goals, 1 assist
2nd – Zach Pruss; 3 goals, 1 assist
3rd Nicholas Kuhn; 2 assists
| Score/Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final |
| Liberty | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Holt | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
