By Larry Moko
About 30 players from Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School wear a 'C' on the front of their hockey jersey this season.
It has nothing to do with the team-captaincy designation, however.
Their school's sweater redesign for the 2025-26 campaign features a large letter 'C' for Celtics in place of the team logo, which has shifted to the shoulder area.
Players' names remain on the back. Also returning is the red maple leaf patch which at U.S. tournaments serves to identify Bishop Ryan's Canadian identity.
"We change them up every year," Celtics coach Justin Cannon said of BR's attire. "We went with something a little different. The boys like the college style."
Just one of the BR players sports two 'C's. And that's team captain Levi Snider.
"They're nice," Snider said of the new-look jerseys. "Coach Cannon did a good job of designing them."
A three-year veteran centre, Snider turned in a solid performance Monday as Bishop Ryan defeated the St. Mary Crusaders, 4-1, at Valley Park Arena.
With the result, the Celtics improved their Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic boys' high school hockey record to 1-2, while St. Mary slipped to 1-2-1.
"Levi is a leader," Cannon said. "We missed him when he wasn't around because of football for our preseason or exhibition games (Snider was a starting linebacker for the OFSAA finalists).
"He plays hard and the guys follow him. Levi is a difference-maker. When he's not in the lineup we're a totally different team."
Bishop Ryan led 2-0 at the end of the first period and added a pair in the third before Noah Nevins replied for the Crusaders.
Two of the BR goals were scored by Jett Metaxas, while singles went to Mason Hunks and Marcus Muraca.
"I'm happy with the game," Cannon said. "Our guys played well in all facets."
According to the BR coach, his players focused on slot coverage, taking away scoring lanes and protecting their goaltender. Offensively, their objective was to get pucks to the net and crash the crease.
"We scored two goals from just outside the blue paint," Cannon pointed out.
Crusaders coach Jason Kokoski said it wasn't one of St. Mary's best performances of the season.
"We came in hoping to play better after losing to these guys in the junior league final," Kokoski said. "Everybody has good games and bad. We'll just forget about this one and come back better next week."
Kokoski doesn't put much stock in win-loss records because of the six-team league's parity.
"All these games are just for seeding," he said. "The elimination games don't start until February. So you learn and come back better prepared to play in the future."
As for the Celtics, they're defending champions. They've finished in first place four years straight and return about half their roster from last season.
But the Celtics were coming off two consecutive losses -- 7-3 to the Bishop Tonnos Titans and 4-2 to the St. Thomas More Knights.
"It's like a work in progress right now," Cannon said. "Our defensive game has been a struggle so far with a lot of young guys. Picking up that net front has been a real problem for us. Today, we defended well in front of the net."
Snider is confident about BR's chances.
"We moved the puck well today and everyone was involved," he said. "We're definitely a skill team. We have guys who can score and we also have a lot of guys who are going to work hard.
"We have high expectations."
Both Bishop Ryan and St. Mary are entered in a Niagara Falls high school tournament this week.
In the other Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic game Monday, the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals remained undefeated (3-0) with a 5-1 decision over More (1-1-2).
The St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves (1-1-1) and Tonnos (1-2-0) were idle.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
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