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River Ridge Hockey Continues To Build

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY

nmurray@tampatrib.com

Published: March 19, 2009

OLDSMAR - After three consecutive seasons of falling short, River Ridge's hockey team thinks this time will be different.

The Royal Knights open their bid for a state hockey championship Friday night at the St. Pete Times Forum, facing off against Lakeland Jenkins at 9 p.m., before the event moves to Ellenton for Saturday and Sunday.

Coach Brian Griffin, who has coached the team since its inception four years ago, says the program and players are still getting better. Griffin thinks the players' growth, especially those who have been on the team since they were freshmen, has given the team a solid foundation for the future.

"The first year, we were a brand-new high school, so we played a lot of freshmen and sophomores against a lot of juniors and seniors," Griffin said. "This year, I have four kids who have been with me all four years, and through the popularity we've added more kids, we've added more talent. I would say this is our year, but I think we'll be even stronger next year."

Senior Matt Griffin thinks the Royal Knights are a deeper team.

"When we were a young team, we had just a couple of players we normally relied on," said Matt Griffin, the coach's son. "Now we have more of a core group, all of us up front, we all chip in. We've become more of a full team."

Because the team pulls players not only from River Ridge, but from Ridgewood and Hudson, the Royal Knights play in the combined division, which allows teams to draw from more than one school. Brian Griffin said that with all the players coming from the same New Port Richey community, the atmosphere within the team has been good.

"The camaraderie is good, the kids do a real good job of getting along," Brian Griffin said. "I would say we're a pretty loose team. We don't have too many problems, the kids have fun with each other, tease each other, they look out for each other, but I think that's the nice part about us all being from the New Port Richey area."

Senior forward Brent Bertrand, who joined the program as a sophomore, said he hopes the team can continue the success it had in the regular season.

"We finished first in the regular season, so states, it should be good," Bertrand said. "I think the team's doing good. We've won most of our games so we're pretty confident."

Matt Griffin adds that the players will be disappointed if the team does not make the state final.

"I feel it would be a disappointment, we've only lost one combined game all year," Matt Griffin said. "I think every year we should have gotten at least second, so I would say it would be a big disappointment if we don't make it to at least the final game."

Standing in the way could be Springstead. The Mustangs have won four state titles, including last season. Matt Griffin said it would mean a lot to deny the Mustangs another title.

"They're probably our biggest competition at state," Matt Griffin said. "It would be a lot to take it from them."

Reporter Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243.

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