Revival of an Old Tradition Signals the Start of a New Era/Portledge Varsity Boys Hockey Returns to the Princeton Day School Invitational

This weekend the Varsity Boys Ice Hockey team will be playing in the Princeton Day School Invitational Tournament. This tournament has a very rich history and boasts prestigious hockey programs such as Lawrenceville, The Hill and Brunswick as former champions. The Portledge Panthers are also part of the glorious past of this great event. During the mid 80s, a Portledge team that included current Advancement Director Turk Lewis '87 and was captained by former Headmaster Hugh Gregory's son John '86, was victorious over a competitive field of fine hockey clubs. Then in the late 80s, another Portledge team, whose most dynamic player was current Portledge parent and alum Justin Ort '90, once again hoisted the PDS Trophy in victory. Finally, the 1996 Panthers, coached by Mr. Pierre Ranger and yours truly, and captained by two Sophomores who would go on to make a great deal more Portledge Hockey history, defeated Princeton Day and a heavily favored Millbrook School to secure yet another championship at this annual ice hockey fest. A few years later those two Sophomores, Jordan Karp '98 and James Sedoruk '98, would lead a Panther squad that included several future NHL professionals and Division I college stars, in the first of three consecutive Brooks-Pingree Holiday Tournament championships. Could this return to the Princeton Day Tournament usher in a new era of Portledge Hockey success? We'll have to wait and see. Right now, however, we are all very excited about seeing Portledge return to this classic competition of some of the best schoolboy hockey in the Mid Atlantic region.