OUR TIMES
A supplement to the Los Angeles Times

May 9, 1999

A Cool Coincidence

Three Concord High hockey players are proof that Southern Californians can burn up the ice.

Story by Eric Stephens Photo by Bryan McLellan

Long after the coming of living legend Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles, and the arrival of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, hockey began to take hold among a sizable segment of the youth population in Southern California.

Max Duganne, Will Bentley and David Andrews were three of many youngsters who not only became followers of the sport when L.A. became a hockey town, but also became active participants.

To the surprise of many, particularly those in traditional hockey towns up north and on the East Coast, these three California natives are winning championships. What's more ironic is that all three attend the 76-student Concord High School in Santa Monica. Susan Packer Davis, an administrator at the small private school, jokes about the coincidence.

"I figure I'll have schools calling us up about our prospects," Packer Davis said. "People will think we're a hockey power."

The school itself has nothing to do with hockey. Athletics don't exist there. But the three are bringing the school a lot of attention through their own exploits on the ice. Duganne, a sophomore, and Bentley, a freshman, complete for the Junior Kings, a AAA bantam-level team sponsored by the Los Angeles Kings. The two helped the squad win the Pacific Regional championships in Seattle in March, and they recently competed at the AAA Nationals in April.

Andrews, a sophomore, plays for the West Valley Wolves. The Wolves, a AA bantam squad, won the Pacific Regional Championship in Anchorage, Alaska, as they competed with teams from five states.

There's no doubt the trio relishes the success they have on the ice, particularly because of the comments and looks on the faces of people who don't believe anyone from California plays high-quality hockey.

"I remember someone telling us that they thought we were a bunch of surfers," said Bentley about a recent competition.

Duganne added, "People would expect us to get beat 10-0, or something." Andrews' squad won all six games at the Pacific Regional finals. "It was great to see them laughing at us." Andrews said. "I love it. It only gives me more drive to show them that we can play hockey."

All three said their love of the sport initially grew out of following Gretzky when he was a member of the Kings. During the time the hockey superstar was in Los Angeles, the sport's popularity grew so much that roller hockey, an offshoot of ice hockey played on concrete, grew into a sport that now has leagues and rinks all around the Southland. None of the three have real hockey bloodlines. Only Bentley's father had any experience on ice.

"My mom was totally against it at first," Duganne said. "She was wondering why we would have to get up at five in the morning to go to a tournament. She would be the one always complaining about why we needed to be up this early.

"I had to promise her that while I was playing, it wouldn't be violent. Yeah, right." Nor were any of them looking at hockey as anything other than friendly competition. "I never knew how to ice skate." Bentley said. "I just started with Rollerblading. Then I decided to try going on the ice."

Love for hockey seemed to grow out of its most attractive element: speed. "I just couldn't find anything else like it in any other sport." Bentley said. "The thrill of scoring a goal... you can't explain it."

What started as an occasional trip to the ice rink in Culver City for a pickup game here and there has turned into a full-time commitment. Andrews travels to the Iceoplex facility at the north end of the San Fernando Valley, while Duganne and Bentley go to Lakewood.

Then there are the many tournaments in the far reaches of the United States and Canada. Each of the three now figures to make a major move to one of those traditional hockey towns to attend college.

Said Duganne, who would like to attend college hockey power Boston University: "I know I'll have to move back East to go to a prep school."

"You just don't get seen out here," Andrews said, "No one considers this an area to look for talent."

The three are realizing opportunities that didn't exist only a few years ago. Duganne waid he expects players from California will someday make the National Hockey League beacause of the increasing number of participants in ice hockey around Southern California.

Perhaps one of them may don an NHL jersey one day. "It's not totally impossible now." Andrews said. "At lease you can dream about it."