PR’s super stopper

Prairie Ridge senior goaltender Cory Simons is the Northwest Herald Hockey Player of the Year. Simons logged a goals-against average of 1.40 and a save percentage of .953 against some of the stiffest competition in the state. (Travis Haughton – thaughton@nwherald.com)

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Prairie Ridge hockey coach Casey Van Damme made a big decision last year for the Wolves’ program, opting to play an independent schedule for the 2009-10 season.

Van Damme wouldn’t have made that move without having the talent to pull it off. He knew he had strong skaters, especially on his top line with his son Chris Van Damme, Alexander Taulien and Christian Blatner. The coach also knew he had players such as Johnny Pottala and Andrew Sprouse.

Perhaps most importantly, Van Damme had one of the state’s top goaltenders in Cory Simons. With the Wolves playing a schedule pretty much void of gimmes, they would need Simons in top form.

The senior consistently delivered. Against a schedule rated as fifth-toughest in the state by United States High School Hockey Online, Simons logged a goals-against average of 1.40 and a save percentage of .953. Prairie Ridge finished 26-20-7 and advanced to the AHAI Blackhawk Cup Red Division State Tournament quarterfinals, losing to eventual champion St. Rita, 2-1.

For his efforts, Simons is the Northwest Herald Hockey Player of the Year, selected by the sports staff with input from local coaches. The competition for Player of the Year for Simons was stiff, just as it was for the Wolves on the ice this season.

Taulien, a junior right wing who scored 42 goals and had 37 assists, received strong consideration, as did Crystal Lake South’s Kenny Hall, who tallied 59 goals and 63 assists and led the Metro Central American Division in scoring. South was second in the Metro Central American and in the division’s Scholastic Cup playoffs. The Gators finished 40-16-3 overall and made it to the Sweet 16 in the Blackhawk Cup Red Division tournament.

Taulien and Simons shared Prairie Ridge’s Co-Player of the Year. Prairie Ridge took second in the High School Invitational Tournament, which features 12 of the state’s top teams in a round-robin, season-long tournament.

“It was a lot bigger challenge, but my team really played well and stepped up their game, too,” Simons said. “There’s some things I wish I could take back, but I can’t. I thought it was one of my better seasons, and hopefully it takes me to the next level for what I’m trying to do.”

Simons almost surely will play junior hockey somewhere next season. He has had contact with several programs and is starting the process of deciding where he might play.

Simons will play in some showcase games for prospects and has been speaking with junior teams in the U.S. and Canada. He practiced with the Janesville (Wis.) Jets, and has been in contact with the Coulee Region Chill in Onalaska, Wis.

Prairie Ridge’s players gained confidence from having such a solid player as their last line of defense.

“It was nice having [Simons] back there,” Pottala said. “It allows us to try to make plays because you know you can rely on him to make big saves. You usually always count on him to make that first save, and he’s really good at controlling rebounds and making it easy to clear.”

Van Damme was thrilled when Simons came to Prairie Ridge before his junior season after playing with the Leafs Central States 18U Elite team.

“Cory is a very promising and talented goalie and is by far the best at his age goalie to come out of the state of Illinois,” Van Damme said. “He has exceptional quickness for a medium-size goaltender [5-foot-11, 160 pounds], an outstanding competitive spirit and big-save ability. He’s strong in the mental aspect of the game.”

Simons set Prairie Ridge records for goals-against average (1.68) and save percentage (.932) in his two seasons in net.

One of Simons’ favorite games of the season came in the University School of Milwaukee’s tournament against the host school. University School eventually won the Wisconsin state tournament and Simons felt people in that state did not always pay Illinois teams a lot of respect.

“We only lost 2-1 to them,” Simons said. “Everyone up there kind of frowned on Illinois hockey. That was big for us to stay with them.”

Simons started skating at the age of 3, played hockey at 5 and discovered his love for playing goalie at 7.

“I tried it one time and fell in love and kept doing it,” Simons said. “My dad [Craig] learned a lot about goaltending and taught me a lot. We’d work in the garage on angles and body position.”

Simons credits his goaltending coach Robb Stauber and Van Damme as also helping him develop into one of the best goalies in the state.

Being voted to the Blackhawk Alumni team, which picks three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie, was a special treat for Simons. He got to attend a practice, meet players and tour the locker room. He got pictures with Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, center Jonathan Toews and former Hawks star Stan Mikita.

A few days later, he attended a luncheon and sat at the same table as Hawks goalie Cristobal Huet and forward Marian Hossa.

“I remember sitting there seeing my dad sitting by [forward] Ben Eager,” Simons said. “It was pretty cool.”