KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Eagles are eligible for the MHSAA state hockey tournament for the first time ever this season.
After 35 seasons as a club team, the Eagles are now a co-op thanks to Gull Lake High School picking up the charter for the co-op.
"The excitement level has been raised tremendously,like ten fold," Eagles head coach Jason Lindstrom said. "This is what we have been wanting, we wanted to be part of this, we wanted to be able to show that our kids are as good as any or most and we have that opportunity this year and we are excited."
The Eagles are made up of kids from Gull Lake, Harper Creek, Pennfield, Plainwell, Paw Paw and Parchment high schools.
"The excitement level is all the way up to the top," junior Jimmy Lindstrom said. "I think for everybody in the group and the changes really is we just got to come prepared every game and play the best of our capability that we can."
"It is big for this organization," Conner Greger said. "It's new, they have never been in it. I think it is great for our coaches getting experience for that too. It is going to be fun, see what we can do."
The Eagles currently lead the South Central Hockey League South division with two games to play.
They will play their first state tournament game February 4th against the Capital City Caps out of the Lansing area.
