After receiving the MVP award at state last year, former goaltender, senior Zach Grabowski quit the varsity ice hockey team due to conflicts with the coach.

“The coach didn’t know what he was doing,” Grabowski said. “He didn’t know how to run a power play. He played the wrong players at the wrong times and ran dumb practices.”

Although Grabowski disagreed with many of his coach’s decisions, Coach Tom Mueller had a hard time dealing with Grabowski’s decision.

“The situation with Zach without a doubt was the hardest issue I had to deal with in all my years of coaching, but I understand his position and respect his decision to move on,” Coach Mueller said.

Although Grabowski is seen as a talented goalie, he is confident senior goaltender Austin Eckert succeed in taking his place.

“Austin is pretty good too; I just don’t want what I did to affect the team mentally,” Grabowski said.

Junior Brennan Anderson, believes the team may be affected more than just mentally due to Eckert’s other commitments.

“Austin is good, but he isn’t playing every game,” Anderson said. “He plays for another [team,] and misses games.”

Coach Mueller believes Eckert’s success and skill may have upset Grabowski.

“All the statistics showed Austin as having a better year and deserving of equal playing time,” Coach Mueller said. “This upset Zach; he thought with his MVP status of last year he earned the right to play all the time.”

Although Grabowski quit this year, the thoughts of quitting have been lingering for a while.

“I didn’t quit last year because we had a chance to win,” Grabowski said. “I almost quit before finals, but [the team] convinced me to stay.”

After Grabowski quit, the team went on to beat Fort Zumwalt South 9-1.