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Buckeye homecoming
Newcomer Pooley leads Phantoms in scoring
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
When it comes to USHL outposts and travel, no one is more of an expert than Phantoms newcomer Austin Pooley.
“Sioux Falls [S.D.] was like three-and-half hours south of us, about what Youngstown is to [Plymouth, Mich.],” said Pooley who last season was the captain of the Fargo Force.
“Sioux City was like seven [hours away].
“Omaha was seven — there was a lot of travel. Youngstown has the worst travel in the league and then I think it’s Fargo.”
In the offseason, Pooley joined the Phantoms and even though his travel obligations are about to be a little longer, he couldn’t be happier. That’s because Pooley grew up in Dublin, a suburb of Columbus.
“Now, my parents will get to come and see me a lot,” Pooley said. “It’s been awesome [in Youngstown].”
So far, the change has gone well for the Ohio State recruit. Before the USHL season began on Sept. 30, Pooley was voted one of the Phantoms’ assistant captains.
“He’s an energetic guys who leads not only on the ice, but off the ice,” Phantoms head coach Brad Patterson.
Alex Esposito, also an assistant captain, said Pooley “embraces the leadership role — it comes natural to him. “He’s outgoing, he puts the team before himself.
“People listen to him,” Esposito said.
After three games, Pooley leads the Phantoms with four goals and an assist for five points. That has him tied for second place in USHL scoring with three others, one point behind Sioux Falls’ Austin Albrecht.
When Pooley arrive in Youngstown, he was reunited with forward Tommy Apap, who has been voted the team’s captain. Last season, they played together on the Force before Apap was traded to the Phantoms around Thanksgiving.
“He was my captain when I was in Fargo,” Apap said. “I thought he was a great leader there.
“He’s one of my roommates [here]. He’s a very vocal guy, really loud,” said Apap who hopes to be on the ice this weekend when the Phantoms play the Madison Capitols on Friday and Saturday at the Covelli Centre. A hip injury sidelined Apap last weekend.
Pooley admitted that he and Apap weren’t “super close” in Fargo.
“But I saw that he has leadership skills and [could] be a good player,” Pooley said. “We’re living together now, which is kind of cool.
“Tommy has some great leadership attributes,” Pooley said. “He’s trying to get this team going in the right direction.”
After opening the season with a 5-3 loss to Team USA’s 18-under squad, the Phantoms enjoyed two blowouts last weekend (6-1, 7-1) over Team USA’s 17-U squad.
This is Pooley’s fourth and final season in the USHL. He played 46 games for the Omaha Lancers in the 2013-14 season before going to Fargo for two seasons.
Next fall, he’ll be skating for Ohio State.
“I always wanted to be a Buckeye, that’s my dream school,” Pooley said. “So when I had the opportunity to go there and earn a [scholarship], it’s pretty special.”
Especially for his parents as the 15-hour drive from Ohio to North Dakota in winter wasn’t feasible.
“One of my parents tried to come each month and watch,” Pooley said. “They’d fly up for a weekend, come in Thursday night and fly out Monday morning.
“It was hard — there definitely were some growing pains there. I loved Fargo, it was great to be there.
“But I’m excited for a change.”