Captain Matt Marotta has one goal this year: Vengeance. Marotta ripped the C right off of outspoken former captain Mark Lesher’s chest this offseason and stated, "All I want is the championship." Last year, the Hawks finished in second place. The Hawks started last EBHL season on a hot streak, winning their first three games. After the hot start, they finished their season winning only 2 of their final 8 games. They snuck into the playoffs as a 5 seed, taking down the Mallards and Sloths in the first 2 rounds. This lead to a showdown in the finals versus the Raw Dawgz. The Hawks battled, but lost to the Dawgz in 2 games.
Marotta loaded up in the off-season, signing several men’s A level players. The defense is lead by superstar John Oswald, along with Alec Myers, Kenny Patrone, Mark Lesher and Brian Grant. This will be one of the best defensive units in the league. With Marotta behind them in net, the Hawks will be tough to score on.
The Hawks have a top level offense as well, lead by forward Eric Zimmerman, who was named an All EBHL 3rd team player in 2018. Zimmerman is expected to be in the MVP conversation in 2019. Drew “Gritty” Weatherby, along with his funnier and cooler brother Pat Weatherby, will lead an offense featuring talented forwards Dan Geatens, AJ Carusone, and bearded Italian winger Rob Basille.
The Hawks feel that they do not get the respect they deserve after their 2nd place finish last season and honestly, they are probably right. This team has elite talent up and down that will not go unnoticed this year. The Hawks are a championship contender and one of the most complete teams in the EBHL. The Hawks kick off the season with a championship rematch against the Raw Dawgz and you can bet they will be coming out hungry. Look for the Hawks to be one of the teams in contention for the EBHL championship.