Spiders get ready for the 2017–18 season

Oct. 24, 2017

The AHA 2017–18 winter season gets underway this week. But the Spiders’ 2017–18 season roster is now set, with a few changes since last season.

The Spiders bid a warm farewell to the longest-tenured Spider of all: Paul LaCosse. Paul retires after 13 years, the lone member of the team who was there from the beginning — 2004–05 Beginner School. Paul played in 183 games for the red and white, with the honor of earning the “Paul LaCosse Sin Bin” lifetime achievement trophy, amassing 180 PIM across those 13 seasons. Farewell, #26.

Also missing from the bench this season, the Spiders IR list is unfortunately growing. In addition to Jason Freed:

• Rick Fritz will be on IR for the season.
• Tim Byland will be on IR for the season.

We wish them a speedy return to the ice.

So the Spiders now welcome:

• John Andres – John joins from the C3 Northern Horde, and prior to that, the C3 Diablos, and skated with the summer Wing+Ders (Greyhounds) this past summer.
• Dave Kuhnly – Dave joins from the Spiders’ traditional trading partner the D1 Ice Sages, and skated with a group of Spiders in the spring league.
• Dave Sommerness – Dave will be subbing with the Spiders, and playing full-time on the C3 North Gold Rush. Dave has been a member of the summer Wing+Ders every summer going back to the 2014 (Jokers) season.

Despite leading the team to its third consecutive losing season, the team captaincy remains unchanged following the usual unanimous vote: Jeremy Litton as captain, and Eric Grotbeck and Michael Schroeder as alternates.

The rest of the Spiders’ roster remains the same (albeit another year closer to the AARP league eligibility) and is ready to hit the ice this week to kick off the Spiders’ 14th season in the AHA (13th winter season; 14th including Beginner School), and will look to get back to the AHA post-season after yet another spring of early golf.

Check out the full 2017–18 C3 Spiders roster.