8:00PM : I‑35 vs I‑10
Welcome to Week 1, where we all collectively agree that the naming convention is terrible, but we’re going with it because that draft table clearly drank first and “focused” on the draft second. Smart.
Game 1 opens with I‑35, captained by Penn, taking on Junior’s I‑10 squad in a matchup that’s got more returning characters than a Fast & Furious sequel. It’s also a battle of two of the league’s most well-fed egos, and we mean that with love (mostly).
I‑35 rolls into this one looking stacked on paper, but we’ve seen this movie before. Penn’s the architect of some truly dominant rosters… but he’s often nowhere to be found until the playoffs roll around. With Micah, Ian, and Kevin in the mix, there’s enough speed and grit to make noise early (and we’re not referring to Mallery’s skates). Felipe’s in net, probably unaware of what nightmare traffic metaphor he’s being dragged into this season. Good luck.
I‑10, meanwhile, is another a team full of “maybe next time” guys. Vital to this team’s identity is the eternal mystery that is Glenn Domingo. Taylor Newton mans the net, and Junior captains yet again, which means we’ll hear post-game reflections that sound like philosophical TED talks with zero practical hockey insight. The real storyline will be whether Collin and Ashton can develop some chemistry, or if they just go full heroball while Ray Ortega mutters quietly to himself on the bench.
Watch for:
- Glenn Domingo to silently log 3 assists without anyone noticing or even showing up.
- Rick Odom falling on his own stick. Twice.
- A five-minute conversation mid-game about whether it’s “I-10” or “the I-10.”
Prediction: A chippy, chaotic opener that ends 6–4 with someone blaming the goalies unfairly.
9:00PM : I‑35 vs Loop 1604
The second half of I‑35’s doubleheader has them taking on Loop 1604, captained by Andrew Minerd — which means we’ll have the pleasure of watching Minerd try to overthink his way through this game while juggling line changes, defensive rotations, and probably his own feelings. And maybe the feelings of the other team, too.
1604 comes out of the gates with what might be the most drama-laden bench in SARHL history: Jaiden, BVV, Popham, and Ron Ylagan. That’s four guys with more tangled history than the loop itself. Add in Artzberger in net and you’ve got the emotional equivalent of a semi jackknifed at Bandera Road during rush hour. That said, this team could be nasty if they keep the bickering to a minimum and get the puck to Matt Gilbert once in a while. No more than once in a while, though.
I‑35, on the other hand, will be coming off Game 1 with either sky-high confidence or complete exhaustion depending on how that first game goes. If Penn and crew go full freight train on I‑10, they might carry the momentum. If they sputter, though, expect Minerd and Gilbert to play keep-away while Jaiden screams at people for not changing.
Watch for:
- Zack Merullo to finally get his gear out of his car after 4 months.
- BVV to score, celly like it’s overtime, and disappear for 5 shifts.
- Popham to ask for the puck on every rush, whether he’s open or not.
Prediction: Ugly, tense, unnecessarily dramatic. This one ends 5–4 in OT after a last-second penalty that no one agrees on.
Ready for the season. Let the bitterness, confusion, and rebranded highway hockey chaos begin.