Band of Brothers (1.16.10)

TEMPERANCE — Four consecutive Northwest Hockey Conference White Division titles don’t come without talent, teamwork and preparation.

For Bedford’s hockey team, a band of brothers also has been a key ingredient to the success. The Mules have had siblings on the team every year since hockey returned as a varsity sport seven years ago.

Senior co-captain Drew Bachli played with his older brother Jesse and junior co-captain Jared Kujawa was joined by his brother Garryt in the past.

This year Blake and Brett Podgorski are teammates for the first time in seven years. Blake, 16, is a senior center and Brett, 14, a sophomore left wing. Both have been on skates almost from the time they could walk.

The sons of Jeff and Jackie Podgorski of Temperance were raised on hockey. Blake took up the sport at age 2 and Brett began skating at 18 months.

“My wife grew up with the (Pat and Jeff) Jablonskis,” said Mr. Podgorski, who was a big fan of defenseman Paul Coffey. “Their mom kept bugging my wife, asking her when she was going to get the boys on skates.”

Bedford coach Randy Menchaca called it “kind of unique that we’ve been able to have all the brothers benefit us at Bedford. It brings an entire different atmosphere to the team when you have brothers in the room. You always have the sibling rivalry. One wants to be better than the other.”

He said the Kujawas never fought, but the Bachlis battled quite a bit.

“The Podgorskis argue quite a lot, but don’t let anyone else cross one of the brothers,” Menchaca said. “Blake got hurt (in a game) last week and it was driving Brett crazy.”

Blake was crosschecked and suffered a neck injury in the 5-2 loss to Perrysburg — a game in which the Podgorskis picked up one tripping and two slashing penalties — and is expected to be sidelined until next week.

“I think the refs just don’t like me,” said Blake, a productive offensive player who also is a frequent guest in the penalty box.

The brothers played on house teams together for two or three years but their age difference then put them on different teams until this season.

“It’s pretty cool,” Blake said. “We get to hang out as teammates and brothers. With all these years of watching him play, I know where he’s going to be on the ice.

“We fight in the locker room but not on the ice. It’s just brothers fighting. I’m stronger, but he’s got weight on me. I’m faster (and play with) more finesse. Brett likes to get in front of the net.”

Brett adds, “It’s great to play with my older brother again. Sometimes he tells me what to do. We’re a different style of player. Blake likes to get in the corners.”

After winning four straight division titles in the NWHC, it will take a minor miracle for Bedford to win a fifth straight. That’s because the Mules dropped two games to rival Perrysburg on successive weeks.

“We’re just not hungry as much as we used to be,” Brett said. But the team still has high hopes in the Southeastern Conference and has set a goal of winning its first MHSAA Regional title in school history.

Drew Bachli said he and Garryt “played together since we were little, so it helped with team chemistry. We fought a few times, every once in a while, usually in the locker room, not so much on the ice. We can fight, but I don’t like people talking about my brother.”

Garryt Kujawa, who graduated last year, said he’s noticed a growing interest in Bedford hockey.

“My first year, we had maybe four students at the games,” he said. “Now there’s 30 to 40.”

Blake said there seems to be good chemistry with everyone on the team. Bedford’s program is self-supporting with families paying $1,600 annually per player.

“For mom and dad, it makes it nice having your sons on the same team,” Mr. Podgorski said. “It’s nice for the boys. They’re not only teammates, they’re best friends. There seems to be a good chemistry between them. They know each other very well.”

Bedford senior forward Mike Szenderski’s younger brother, Noah, is a freshman on Monroe High’s junior varsity team. Bedford does not have a JV squad, although one may be necessary as the numbers keep growing.

Mules freshman goalie Adam Glick probably will be joined by his twin brother, Conner, on next year’s Bedford team.