Andrew Morgan was admittedly “upset and disappointed” this past fall when he was not selected for the co-op Waubonsie Valley varsity team. He really wanted to why he was not selected.
Morgan, though, didn’t harp the disappointment. Instead, he was motivated for a solid JV season.
Morgan, 16, a junior who attends Metea Valley High School, has been the JV team leader, playing on the powerplay and penalty kill units – and he was voted team captain, which he acknowledged is “a huge honor.”
“I am not a vocal leader, but I try to lead by example,” said Morgan, who lives in Aurora. “I try to work hard and always be positive. I also try to lift up my teammates, especially if their heads are down and (I) may even take a few penalties for defending my guys.”
Waubonsie JV head coach Jake Jauch said Morgan has been a hard-working and reliable player all season, as Waubonsie sits at 5-8-2 in the IHSHL West Division, now led by Naperville Central. “He has embraced his role as our captain and has been a leader both on and off the ice,” Jauch said. “Andrew is a player who we can put in any scenario or situation throughout a game and know that he will give us 110 percent effort and succeed.”
Morgan, wearing jersey No. 20, has been playing for 10 years – and he scored a goal in his first-ever game. “I’ve seen the video and remember seeing me waddling back and forth in excitement after the goal,” he said, laughing.
Morgan is developed into a hard-nosed player, a grinder who is not flashy, but always works hard at both ends of the ice.
“I’m not very big, but I’m not afraid to throw my body around as needed,” said Morgan, who praised all his past coaches. “I’ve been very fortunate to play for great coaches from mite hockey all the way through high school. I try to take as much knowledge as I can from each one.”
Morgan said his favorite high school memory was winning the spring league title during his first season with the Warriors. He also won the NIHL Gold Wolves Cup as a squirt, playing for the Sabres.
Slapshots with Waubonsie JV player Andrew Morgan
Favorite NHL Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Favorite NHL Player: Alexander Ovechkin
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Happy Gilmore
Favorite Pre-game Meal: Chipotle
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Adam Sandler
Best Hockey Tip: “Body!” Meaning, play the body, not the puck. – From the Waubonsie coaches.
Teammate Who You Can See As A Hockey Coach: Shane Stanuszek
Hardest Slapshot on Waubonsie JV Team: Scotty Li
Most Accurate Shot: Jonah Maldonado
Fastest Skater: Michael McGrew
Best High School Uniforms (other than Waubonsie): Spartans
Combined Division Team: “For the most part, I’ve known quite a few of my teammates from club hockey. Waubonsie and Metea are pretty close in general, so my circle of friends attend both schools. Playing in Illinois West is great because I get to play against a lot of my former teammates from Sabres.”
Away From Hockey: “I play golf, hang with friends and play video games.”
Little-Known Facts: “I have two golden doodles at home, and I can wiggle my ears.”
Season Goals: “My team goal this year is to win our division; my personal goal is to try and lead as best I can and average a point a game.”