Corell makes move to high school hockey

Freshman goaltender part of girls’ 3-0 start

By: Justin Feil
   Chelsea Corell is a freshman, but she has been going to Princeton High School ice hockey games as long as any Little Tigers player.
   Her father, Bob, is an assistant with both the boys’ and girls’ teams at PHS. Years ago, he was the head coach of the girls’ team when the program was still gathering steam. Now Chelsea is playing for the PHS teams, as a goaltender for both the boys’ and girls’ teams.
   "It is a big deal," Chelsea said. "He was always coming home and talking about the high school games. Now to play in them is a big deal."
   Adding the goaltender has been a great aid to the girls’ team. It is the first girls’ team that Corell has played for in her career.
   "High school boys was difficult, but not as hard as girls," Corell said of her adjustment to high school hockey. "In boys, everything is a little faster. The girls’ game is slower. I’m used to the defense hitting (in the boys’ game)."
   The PHS boys are still looking for their first win of the season after a challenging early schedule has left them 0-3-1. If Corell, who has split time for the PHS boys’ goaltending, has had any difficulty in adjusting to the girls’ game, it hasn’t shown. Plenty was expected of her coming into this season, and she has lived up to the billing. It has helped the Little Tigers to a surprising 3-0 start.
   "Chelsea has been outstanding," said PHS girls’ coach Matt Becan. "You couldn’t ask for anything more than what she’s doing. She hasn’t allowed any goals and she’s kept us in every game. Her concentration is outstanding. She’s covering the puck and not allowing any rebounds.
   "We’ve been able to hold teams off the board. That makes it easier on the offense because they know they don’t have to score six goals to win."
   The Little Tigers don’t have to, but they did in a 6-0 win over Upland Country Day on Friday. It was the second straight game in which the Little Tigers have given a team their first loss of the season and the second straight via shutout. Corell made 21 saves in a 1-0 win over Morristown-Beard last Wednesday.
   "It was a pretty big win for a lot of the veterans," Corell said. "It was only the second time they beat them in a couple years. It was a sign we could do something this season, we’re good players. We’re not just girls playing hockey, we’re girls’ hockey players."
   Corell is in her first year with a girls’ team. She started playing hockey at age 7 and soon after she found the position she would excel in for years to come.
   "I played defense my very first year," Corell said. "In the summer league, neither of our goalies showed up and I decided I wanted to play. I liked it.
   "I like that you’re able to play an individual game within a team game," she added of playing goalie. "Every time a shot comes, it’s an individual battle with the shooter."
   Corell has so far won her share of confrontations while playing on three separate teams. In addition to appearing in games for the PHS boys’ and girls’ teams, she splits time in goal for the Lawrence Flames boys’ bantam A team. She gets her share of work between the three teams.
   "It’s pretty busy," Corell said. "I’m playing hockey pretty much every day. It’s a lot of fun. It’s helped me seeing the puck that much."
   Corell faced her biggest challenge, and came up the biggest, in the Little Tigers’ win over Mo-Beard. She showed her value to the PHS girls in the win.
   "Mo-Beard, we were outshot and we still managed to pull off a victory," Becan said. "She was key in keeping us close to give us a chance to win it."
   It is in the biggest spots that Corell’s poise and presence have shown through, almost uncannily for a freshman. It’s a calmness she began developing through her years of playing boys’ hockey and now has shown up in her first year of high school play.
   "Chelsea had so much experience coming in," Becan said. "She’s been playing for boys’ teams. She has more experience than most of the players on our team. Her focus is key. She’s been able to concentrate with everything. There’s a lot of pressure on her. We brought her in as a starter as a freshman. She’s not used to the players and not used to the teams we’re playing and she’s been prepared for every game and focused."
   Corell was called on to make just eight saves in the win over Upland. Fellow freshman Haley Thompson had three goals and two assists. Dee Dee Mahon, one of just three seniors on the Little Tigers, had three assists.
   "I’m really surprised how quickly the team has come together," said Becan, whose team is not scheduled to play again until January. "We have a lot of chemistry on lines already. The team is playing with togetherness, not playing as individuals. I’m seeing a lot of teamwork, not individual play. I was worried about that because we have a lot of talent and you never know if that will happen. But we’re seeing the exact opposite.
   "We have different players scoring every game. It’s been spread out. We have players with a lot of talent."
   Corell gives the Little Tigers a talented player between the pipes. She is a talent that has grown year after year in her technical form and ability to dominate the crease. It didn’t hurt that her father has been heavily involved in hockey and could guide her development, whether as a head coach, assistant or just a parent.
   "The fact that he was always there was helpful," Corell said. "He was able to help me out in all aspects of the game. He knew what I was going through. Last year and this, he’s been able to tape games and we could analyze them. It’s been helpful."
   Just as helpful to PHS has been adding Corell to a girls’ hockey team that narrowly missed the Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic playoffs last year. PHS is a young team overall, but hasn’t played like it.
   "I was expecting the Summit and Upland games to be a little closer," Corell said. "It was surprising that we won like that.
   "I didn’t think our team would be 3-0 going into the break. I thought we’d win one. Now we’re more confident what we can do later on."
   Later on doesn’t just include this season. With a strong base of new talent, the Little Tigers could be strong competition for anyone for years to come.
   "We have a young team. That’s a great thing," Becan said. "I know they can develop over the next couple years. We know Chelsea will develop to be a top goalie in the state as she continues to play. We have a number of players who have the ability to be top players in the state. It’s great to have the ability to develop young players."
   The transition to high school hockey has been easier for Corell because the Little Tigers have made a commitment to improve their defensive zone play. That dedication has shown up most prominently in the last two games.
   "It’s been pretty solid," Corell said of the defense. "We don’t have too many people who actually play defense, but we’ve had people step in. The defense has been led by Blair (Thompson) and Suzanne (Hudis). They’ve done a good job of clearing the zone and getting the puck to the offense so they can score. Strong defense is leading to strong offense."
   With Corell, the Little Tigers know they won’t need a whole lot of offense most games. She can make enough of the big stops to keep PHS within striking distance of any opponent. She has helped PHS get out to a quick start.
   "We’re pretty confident in our team’s ability, much more so than in the beginning of the year," Corell said. "We’re off to a good start. It’s going to be fun coming back after the break."
   The Little Tigers hope they can sustain their momentum after a long winter break. After playing so well to open the season, there’s a natural sense among the Little Tigers to want to keep it going. They’ll have to wait over a week until their next official game. Waiting Chelsea Corell can do. She’s been waiting for these high school moments for a long time.
   "I pretty much grew up around the hockey rink," Corell said. "I went to a lot of high school games. It’s a lot more fun to play in them."