The Warriors Hockey Club enters the season fresh off their fourth AHAI Combined Division State Championship and is on a quest to defend their Blackhawk Cup title. However, the Warriors take the ice this season with major changes – up and down –the program. This story is sponsored by Fair Oaks Ford and Fair Oaks Lincoln.
After going head to head in the 2022 Combined State Championship, which the Warriors won 4-3, players from the Wheaton West Hockey Club have joined forces with the Warriors. After decades as rivals, students from Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South are now playing alongside their former opponents from Metea and Waubonsie Valley.
“It felt a little weird at first because of that history of playing against them in the championship. But it’s a great opportunity because they are two historically successful clubs merging together,” said Warriors Hockey Club Team Member Colin Voress.
Low numbers force a merger
The Warriors Hockey Club name remains with a new logo and color scheme. There is also a new head coach on the bench, but it’s a familiar face for the former Wheaton players. Keith Fahrforth takes over for a retiring Jeremy Dombro after spending 13 seasons leading the Wheaton West varsity team. The merger took place last spring, which helped transition the former Illinois West Conference rivals into teammates before the 2024-25 season began.
“Anytime you can have previous knowledge of players like that, whether it was at the Sabers or somewhere else or playing against each other in youth hockey, that’s an important thing. Something a little bit underrated, but I think what’s happened for us is in the spring season, these kids came together in the locker room quickly to the point where when we came to the fall season, it didn’t feel like we were merging two teams so they were already a team after the spring season,” said new Warriors Hockey Club Head Coach Keith Fahrforth.
Since the meeting in the 2022 Blackhawk Cup finals, the number of players began to dwindle for both programs.
“We graduated 24 players two years ago, and then 22 players last year. So losing over 45 players in two years was difficult. “I know they were in the same situation of graduating kids and not having a lot of incoming kids, and it locally made sense.” said Fahrforth.
New and familiar faces ready to contribute
The Warriors return many familiar faces from last season’s state championship team. They believe this will help boost their confidence for another deep run.
“I think it is important that we have that experience because experience takes a lot and it’s important in order to make deep-state runs and you must know how to buy in and mix well together,” said Warriors Hockey Player Elijah Houlihan.
The Warriors are off to a strong start, winning over sixteen games, including a recent Carillon Cup semifinal win over Oswego to punch their ticket to a seventh straight Carillon Championship appearance. While the Warriors have a new look, a new talent pool of players and a new coaching staff, the goals remain the same.
“Even though we’re winning a lot of games right now, there are things that they can improve upon. I’m looking to see these kids grow as young men, but also on the ice and seeing our success,” said Fahrforth.
Hopefully, that success will culminate with another trip to the United Center next March.
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