Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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FireAntz Mid-Season Report by JASON FLEMING The Fayetteville FireAntz hockey team has reached the mid-point of the 2012-13 season. Fans, management, the coaches and players have to be pleased with how the first half went. After getting off to the best start in the club's 11-year franchise history, the team has remained in first place in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) the majority of the season. Photo Courtesy: J. Shank The FireAntz can boast the league's top Photo Caption: Leading Scorer Josh McQuade scorer, the top goaltender and the top leading rookie scorer among many other team stats, both offensively and defensively. FireAntz Head Coach Mark DeSantis has been impressive in his first season behind the bench for the club. After winning 12 of their first 13 games, DeSantis and the FireAntz have not let up. They continue to control the SPHL, battling with the Pensacola Ice Flyers for the top spot in the league. Josh McQuade, the league's leading scorer, continues to build off a very successful season last year with the FireAntz. Going into the second week of January, McQuade averaged nearly a goal per game, netting 22 in his first 27 games played. He also contributed 17 assists for a total of 39 points in those 27 games. He has already equaled his goal output from last year, when he played 52 games. Additionally, McQuade has been named the SPHL Player of the Week twice and was the Player of the Month in the league, for October/November. Goaltender Marco Emond has been a tremendous anchor between the pipes for the FireAntz this season. The 35-year-old veteran is in his first season with the team but has very quickly become a fan favorite, and the rock for the FireAntz defensively. Ranking first or second in all of the major goal-tending categories among SPHL goalies, Emond has proved invaluable to the team this year, often making it look easy in doing so. Joining McQuade, Emond also won an SPHL Player of the Week award this season, allowing no goals over a two-game stretch against Pensacola, the league's second place team, at the time. Rookie forward Derek Elliot has been a very pleasant surprise for FireAntz fans, though probably not surprising to his teammates and coaches. He continues to lead all rookies in the SPHL in scoring 23 points in his first 27 games. Netting nine goals and 14 assists, Elliot also is tied for 11th, overall, in scoring in the league. The defensive corps has shined as well for the FireAntz this season. The group consists of Andrew Smale, Tristin Llewellyn, Mike Kavanagh, Kyle Frieday, Corey Toy and Brock Sawyer. This is a really good group to watch as they combine size, speed, passing and shooting abilities, but maybe most importantly they are a very smart and tenacious group. Combined, they have a +41 plus/minus rating. This means that they have been on the ice for 41 more even strength goals than they've given up. With all of the great things going on for the FireAntz it's time to come check them out for yourselves, if you have not done so yet. If you have, great, keep coming. The second half of the season is sure to be just as exciting, if not more, than the first half. Visit fireantzhockey.com for more information on the team, how to purchase tickets, and much more! For more information about JASON FLEMING, Contributing Writer. the FireAntz visit www.fireantCOMMENTS? editor@upandcominzhockey.com JANUARY 19 • RELAY FOR LIFE CHILI COOK-OFF/ POKER RUN Visit www.capefearhd.com for more information. APRIL 13 • 3RD ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS RIDE at Cape Fear Harley Davidson. Registration 8 a.m., ride 9 a.m. $15/single, $20 double riders. 50/50 raffle. Proceeds benefit Community Schools Scholarship/Turkey Drop/ Toy Drive. Call 813.380.1018 or visit ncbuffalosoldiers.com for more information. PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse group of patriots from every state that come together to honor fallen soldiers at funeral services across the country. Visit www.patriotguard. org for more information about the group. Breast Cancer Run February 23rd 12 noon Call for more information 4624 BRAGG BLVD. Happy New Year! Thank you for your business and looking forward to a prosperous New Year for us all! gweekly.com 18 UCW JANUARY 16-22, 2013 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM