Growing number of Islanders lacing up ice skates in college

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

They are as much a curiosity as the Jamaican bobsled team, but they are out there: ice hockey players from Hawai'i.

More than a half-dozen men from Hawai'i are playing ice hockey at Mainland colleges or in junior leagues.

Junior Andrew Vitek, a 2000 Pearl City High graduate from Waipi'o Gentry, plays on the junior varsity at Bethel College in Minnesota.

Sophomore twins Hans and Matt Suydherhoud (Maryknoll '01 of Hawai'i Kai) play on the junior varsity club team at Saint Louis University.

Matt, a goalie, was just called up to the varsity for the American Collegiate Hockey Association national tournament at Ohio University. St. Louis is ranked No. 12 in national club hockey.

"It's equivalent to Division III hockey," Matt Suydherhoud said. "Technically, it's a club but it's run like an NCAA program, except without all the regulations and without scholarships."

Grant Matsushita ('Aiea '98) plays on the club team at Pepperdine in California.

Senior Lindsey Dymond (Hawai'i Baptist Academy '00 of Kailua) was a backup goalie on the Colorado State club team last year, but switched skates and is starting goalie on Colorado State's in-line club hockey team this year.

Nearly all the ice hockey players from Hawai'i learned the game at the Ice Palace and played in youth leagues there, which are directed by Ken Prel.

Dymond actually visited colleges with ice hockey as a prerequisite.

Charlie Burggraf, Bethel's JV coach, said Vitek played "typically Hawaiian — laid back, but tough when he needed to be.

"He's a great skater and good athlete with soft hands, but appropriately aggressive," Burggraf said.

At least three Hawai'i players are playing in junior leagues, where players one or two years out of high school hope to attract the attention of scouts from colleges, semipro leagues and the NHL.

Trent Takeuchi (Hawai'i Baptist) and Thierry Nguepdjo (Maryknoll), play for the Eugene Thunder in Oregon. Stephen Vitek, Andrew's younger brother, plays in Michigan.

"The junior leagues play very competitive, very serious hockey," Matt Suydherhoud said. "The players are playing for scholarships, or pro careers."

And if club ice hockey is big, especially at schools that have dropped their varsity programs to meet budgets or Title IX quotas, in-line hockey might be even bigger.

Dymond's Colorado State in-line team has traveled to Texas, Chicago, Nevada, California and Wyoming for tournaments and has played against Michigan, Southern California, UNLV, Texas and Texas A&M, among others.