Durrell player invited to try out for Halifax Mooseheads

DURRELL - For Zack Lodge of Durrell, a Grade 10 student at J.M. Olds Collegiate, the news was a total surprise.

He has been invited to attend a walk-on tryout in late August for the Halifax Mooseheads hockey organization of the Quebec Major Junior League, the same team that former classmate Travis Randell played with for the past season. And, yes, he is accepting the invitation, and can't wait.

Zack came to the attention of Allie MacDonald, the chief scout for the Mooseheads, it is understood, as a result of Zack's play with 'AAA' Major Junior Ice Pak for four games this past winter. One of the coaches who was attached to the Mooseheads had passed Zack's name along for consideration. Zack was also one of seven members from the Twillingate Combines who were invited to play with the Central Selects at the Atlantic AAA Midget Championships in Moncton in late March that may well have been witnessed by various scouting representatives.

The telephone call, reported his dad Roy Lodge, came while Zack was involved in another activity away from the home.

"I could hardly believe my ears," said Mr. Lodge, "and Zack was more than surprised."

Mr. Lodge, physical education teacher at Riverwood Academy in Gander Bay, was also involved in hockey as a player in his younger days. Originally from Catalina, he played for some 13 seasons with the Bonavista Cabots before coming to Twillingate to teach where he played some four years with the Twillingate Combines senior team.

Zack, at six feet and weighing 187 pounds, will be 17 years of age in July so that he already has size on his side and "room to grow." And he has the abilities as well. This past season he was selected as Best Defence for the local Midget team, a team that won the provincial banner in the "D" division at Port aux Basques. He also had the same distinction as Best Defence for his years in the Bantam league.

For the tryouts in August, Zack will be one of some 40 players being considered in the Mooseheads rebuilding phase. He will be billeted as a regular player, it is understood, while the process unfolds. Mr. Lodge noted that Zack is expected at the training facilities on a Friday when a meet-and-greet social get-together is planned. Then on Saturday, the players will go through a regimen of training. For the next couple of days or so exhibition games are being planned.

Meanwhile, Zack has already started jogging in earnest. In addition, a training package is being forwarded to him so that he can be better prepared for the tryouts in August.

Congratulations are extended from family and his many friends.