By Harry Fisher – Sports Editor 

After a hard-fought season, the Milford Mariners finished with a 4-15 record on the year.

Throughout the season, the young Mariners team continued to evolve as a team. They battled for pucks in the corner, worked the offensive zones, and showed a lot of growth and improvement.

During his first season as the head coach of the Mariners, JP Shimko worked hard to make sure the team was ready to have a successful season. Despite falling short of the State Tournament, Shimko was still extremely proud of the growth and work ethic the team showed over the course of the year.

“Although our goals were not met this season, we are very happy with our growth over this past year,” Shimko said. 

Shimko said his favorite moment from the season was beating Wilton 2-0 in Ridgefield.

“It was the way we won that game that made me so proud to be a part of this program,” Shimko said. “We played a complete game with everyone contributing in different ways. Specifically, our defensive group came together to shut down Wilton in the third to hold onto the lead. Our goalie, Aiden Riker, stood on his head to preserve the lead and get us the win. An all-around great effort from our group.”

Hunter Griffin, a senior captain from Law, was one of the important pieces on the Milford Mariners lineup. As a captain, Griffin motivated the team and encouraged each player to bring their game to a new level. He showcased his skills while scoring two goals against Norwalk/McMahon to help the Mariners take the victory.

Griffin said he created some incredible memories with the team this year.

“My favorite moment was when we beat Branford in the last 30 seconds of the game for a 4-3 win,”  Griffin said. “My goals this year were to lead the team as a captain and get as many wins as we could. This season both were accomplished.” 

The Mariners are now focused on working hard in the off-season to prepare for next season.