Three players and head coach Patrick Keough of the Langley Saxons Winter Club Ice Hockey team were members of a metro area high school team that recently won the National USA Hockey Showcase Tournament in Dallas.
This team, called the DMV, represented the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association. At the Lone Star Showcase, they lost their first game to Team Washington, 4-3, in a penalty shootout, and then won with a 4-1 record.
Keough was the team's head coach. Langley's team included goaltender Harrison Smith and skaters Noah Scheinerman and Chris Valko. Players from other local high schools who joined the team were Flint Hill's Colin Barnett, Washington Liberty's Oliver Black and Madison's Jack Spieth.
Barnett, Scheinerman, Spieth and Black had goals and assists in the showcase. Valko also recorded an assist. Smith scored the winning goal. In the championship game, Spieth and Scheinerman had assists and Black scored the goal. Smith made 11 saves in the final.
Overall, the DMV player roster consisted of 20 players from 14 different public and private high schools in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. Langley, with the most contestants from a single school.
The Potomac Valley team defeated the Colorado State team 3-1 in the championship match. Other wins included a 2-2 win over Team Midwest, a 9-0 win over Team Oregon, and an 8-1 win over Team Arizona.
This showcase tournament, sponsored by the NHL's Dallas Stars program, is considered the premier high school scouting event nationally. Many scouts from colleges and junior hockey programs across the country were watching the competition.
“It's an intense experience for the players,” Keogh said.
During Langley's 2023-24 high school season, these three showcase players were instrumental as the Saxons went 13-0 and won their third consecutive Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League Championship.
