Our latest team of the week takes us to the ice where the Broome County hockey team enters its second season as a program looking to build off of their inaugural season last year.

The Broome County team now known as the BC Bulls will enter their second season under head coach Jim Lalley, the team would go 5-12-1 in the regular season last year and would fall in the sectional championship game to Ithaca at the SUNY Broome Ice Center last February in the first ever sectional title game for Section IV hockey.

The team says they are using that loss from a season ago to motivate the team to get on the other side of a sectional championship this season.

"They're pretty focused on a common goal of beating Ithaca in the section final," said head coach Jim Lalley. "That's what we're working toward so hopefully by the time we get there, everything's gelling and we're clicking."

"You can tell everyone really wants to be here and get better every day," said senior forward Will Pipher. "We know what it feels like to lose. and I really don't want to go out with that feeling again."

The Bulls are expanding this year with the amount of schools involved, last year being only three with Windsor, Seton, and Vestal; but now adding five more. Students from Maine-Endwell, Union-Endicott, Chenango Valley, Dryden, and Moravia are members of this years team as well. Members from last years team say they are taking the terms team chemistry and depth to the next level.

"We've played with each other for quite a while with the travel teams and we gel really well," said senior defenseman Alex Burpee "We've got a couple new guys coming in, but it's looking good so far."

"We have a lot more depth since last year," said senior goalie Owen Morgan. "This year a lot of kids are like stepping up to play so I think the depth is going to help us a lot".

The Bulls open up their 2024-25 season Friday night at the SUNY Broome Ice Center hosting Mamaroneck at 6:15 P.M.