On Jan. 7, Amalie Arena hosted the Lightning High School Hockey League (LHSHL) All-Stars game. The annual conference takes the best two to three players from each high school to compete in an East vs West showdown. With students from 20 schools across the state, the night consisted of anticipation and competition. Before the game could begin, the players were introduced, and a ceremonial puck drop occurred.
While Steinbrenner’s hockey team isn’t directly affiliated with the school, mostly Steinbrenner students make up the team with a few coming from other schools. The three players selected to represent Steinbrenner at the All-Stars game were Cody Horner, Chandler Moore, and Evan Darling. To get selected, players had to go through a registration and tryout process. Once they were chosen, the players got separated into the East and West teams to prepare for the game.
“I was very happy when I got selected to play…this was my last chance to play in [the All-Stars game],” said Steinbrenner senior Cody Horner. Horner is a long-time hockey player, having played for 13 years now. His older brother, as well as his childhood favorite team, the Blackhawks, inspired Horner to start playing. Through his childhood experiences, Horner was able to find a passion that would take him through high school and the future. While this was Horner’s last chance to play in the All-Stars game, other selected players still have more.
“I was very grateful and excited to be chosen to play,” said sophomore Chandler Moore. Moore has been completing his high school years online, allowing more time to focus on hockey. Alongside Horner, Moore has also found a passion for this sport as he’s been playing for just over ten years. He found his spark for hockey after attending a Lightning game when he was just a kid.
The All-Stars game started at 7:30PM and ended around 9PM. Many moments throughout the game left fans on the edges of their seats, wondering who would take home the win.
“The crowd and energy was high…lots of screaming and shouting…on the jumbotron they were all dancing…,” said senior Zach Conner. As a lifelong fan who’s watched hockey since he was young, Conner arrived at the game with full energy to support Steinbrenner and their players.
The game ended with the West side, which includes Steinbrenner, taking home the win with a 7 to 6 score. Before concluding, the best three players of the night were recognized. Horner was named the third best star from the game and was gifted a signed hockey stick.
The All-Stars game provided an achievement for these players as well as the Steinbrenner team. Looking forward, Steinbrenner varsity is preparing for their first round of playoffs taking place on Jan. 30 at AdventHealth Center Ice.
