February 8, 1990
More often than not, Larry Byrne plays defense. But he made the most of an opportunity to play offense last Thursday, scoring 6 goals and handing out two assists in the Ridley ice hockey team’s 11-1 rout of St. James. Making his accomplishment even more impressive is the fact that 3 of the goals were short-handed.
“The first couple of shifts I didn’t think I’d get anything,” the Ridley junior said.
“They had guys just sticking on me. But finally, I got the chance to break away and I did.
“I don’t even think about scoring goals. If they go in, they go in. That night they went in.”
For O’Byrne, who plays defense for the Little Flyers, it was the first game back after missing four games with a concussion and bruised ribs.
“I was in a midget tournament [for 16- and 17-year-olds] in Montreal and the first game I just got blasted, I had to go to the hospital,” O’Byrne said. “I missed three games with that, then I got bruised ribs in a college game. “The Little Flyers, we play all college teams, junior varsity. It’s fun, and you get recognition. It helps, too, the speed and the quality of the game.”
O’Byrne is hoping to spend his senior season with a New England prep school, either Deerfield School (Mass.), St. George’s School (R.I.), Pomfret School (R.I.), or Avon Old Farms School (Conn.), where he can play hockey as a stepping stone to a good Division II college team.
“Avon Old Farm won the Prep School championships last year; they have a great team,” O’Byrne said.
“All of them have good team,s and the academics are really good. The coach at St. George’s called me – I go up for interviews at all four next week.”
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