Senior Lucas Jeffreys is entering his fourth and final year on the Ranger hockey team. The team captain has devoted 15 years of his life to the sport, and it has formed him into an incredible leader.

“The biggest thing that I have learned from high school hockey is how to be a better leader,” Lucas said. “Being a 14-year-old freshman on the team, you have the opportunity to look up to the 18-year-old seniors that know how to lead a team.”

The transition into the hockey program as a freshman was made easier for Lucas with the help of his older brother, Ryan. The Jeffreys brothers have played a lead role in the last couple of years for Ranger hockey; this year, Lucas has come together with fellow seniors Josh Smith, Jake Munger, Tyler Weaver, and Sheldon Ramsay to discuss the teams’ plans. 

“As a team, we would like to have a better bond together and be able to learn more about each other,” Lucas stated. “Also, our two biggest goals are to keep beating our rival East Grand Rapids, and to get past Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Regionals.”

After losing nine seniors last year, Lucas has the opportunity to lead the young and inexperienced group in the upcoming season. The team is going to expect a lot out of the senior. Throughout the year, the Rangers will be put in tough situations on the ice. In times like these, Lucas will be there to keep the energy up. 

“I am going to make sure that not only me, but the team has a positive attitude towards everything,” Lucas explained. “The team is going to be able to look up to me and see a guy that is willing to push every day for his teammates around him”  

The captain racked up 18 goals in just 24 games as a sophomore. His junior year was shortened due to COVID, but his contributions remained unmatched; his success has fueled his desire to continue his hockey career after high school. 

“I would love to keep playing hockey after high school, and that is the goal that I am working towards,” Lucas said. “I am in the process of working my way onto a junior team, which prepares you for college hockey. I will keep my hockey career going for as long as I can; the game is what keeps me going.”

High school hockey will forever be ingrained in Lucas’s life. The program has had its fair share of success while Lucas was on the team. One of his favorite memories was made last year against East Grand Rapids when the score was tied, and the Rangers were set up with a power play. 

“Our coach had taken a timeout to draw up a play, which was designed for me to get the puck for a back-door shot,” Lucas said. “The play worked out just as the coach had drawn it up, and I buried the puck to give us the lead over EGR, which ended up being the game-winning goal.”

Overall, the captain is looking forward to the upcoming season, which starts Friday, November 19, against Traverse City West.

“Our first game against Traverse City is right around the corner, and it is the perfect opportunity for us to get off on the right foot,” Lucas said.