Risa Fingerman

Anticipating the play, Hobey Alton (12) gears up to make a pass to his teammate. Ladue Boys Hockey played this game against Webster Groves last winter. “This year, everyone’s focused on winning and that’s it,” Alton said.

In the 2024-25 season, the Ladue hockey team broke a team record and finished their season eighth in the state with a 16-2 win-loss record. The team faced several setbacks throughout the season, including an unexpected move from the middle competition bracket which the team had been playing in for years, to the top bracket. This change took the team by surprise.

“Everyone was really upset,” Co-Captain Hobey Alton (12) said. “We knew we didn’t have any chance to compete in [the top] division, and we were looking forward to winning the championship [in the middle division].” 

Before the change in brackets, the team had been anticipating a state championship after being the runners-up in the 2023-24 season. Despite the setbacks last season, the team is aiming to be the state champions. 

“It feels like we’ve been robbed of two championships,” Alton said. “This year, everyone’s focused on winning.” 

The team owed some of their success during the last season to their former goalie Nelson Vickar, a player who prior to his senior year played for a USA Junior Hockey league in New York. The hockey team greatly benefited from his decision to spend his senior season playing for a high school. 

“He was the best goalie in Missouri high school hockey,” Alton said. “We were privileged to have him.” 

After tough losses in the past, the team is focusing all of their energy on winning this season.

“The expectation is still to win,” Alton said. “It’s the only thing anyone cares about.”