Kevin Constantine (FHS ’77) has met some famous people in his day — Tiger Woods, Elton John, Neil Diamond — but last Saturday was a first.
Constantine and the Houston Aeros had President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara visit the locker room before Saturday’s home game against San Antonio. The Aeros were celebrating their sixth annual Military Appreciation Night.
“It was pretty cool. He was just talking to everybody,” Constantine said Tuesday, noting “a million photos” were taken.
The Aeros presented the president a No. 41 jersey (Bush was the 41st president), and Barbara received a hockey stick autographed by the entire team. It also happened fairly quickly, because the couple arrived about 20 minutes before the puck was dropped. The Aeros eventually won 5-2 in front of 8,433 fans.
“I think they actually came because they wanted to watch the hockey game. They stayed the entire time,” Constantine said.
Another big surprise for Constantine was how personable the couple was, even with how famous they were.
“They were as down to earth as you could possibly imagine,” Constantine said. “Really nice.”
Houston is tied for second in the West Division of the Western Conference in the American Hockey League, and return to action Friday at Cleveland.
American Hockey League
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Manchester 9 3 1 1 20 36 23
Worcester 8 4 0 1 17 38 35
Lowell 7 5 3 0 17 49 47
Springfield 7 5 2 1 17 41 47
Hartford 8 6 0 0 16 50 43
Bridgeport 7 10 0 0 14 36 47
Providence 5 8 1 0 11 37 47
Portland 5 9 0 0 10 37 49
East Division
W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Hershey 10 5 0 0 20 52 31
Albany 7 6 0 1 15 39 39
W-B/Scrant. 6 4 1 1 14 29 28
Norfolk 7 7 0 0 14 37 33
Binghamton 6 6 2 0 14 40 44
Adirondack 6 5 1 0 13 29 30
Syracuse 4 6 2 1 11 31 47
WESTERN CONFERENCE
North Division
W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Rochester 12 1 1 0 25 49 29
Hamilton 8 2 1 3 20 36 28
Abbotsford 8 5 2 1 19 45 51
Manitoba 8 9 2 0 18 36 51
Gr. Rapids 8 4 0 0 16 44 38
Toronto 6 4 1 1 14 34 36
Lake Erie 6 8 0 0 12 39 42
West Division
W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Texas 10 2 0 2 22 39 22
Houston 8 7 0 0 16 37 34
Rockford 7 8 1 1 16 45 46
Peoria 6 4 1 2 15 41 45
San Antonio 6 6 2 1 15 44 49
Milwaukee 5 5 0 2 12 31 37
Chicago 5 7 0 1 11 36 39
NOTE: Two points are awarded for a win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
Going deeper ...
• Speaking of the AHL, Ben Gordon (FHS ’03) was called up by the Providence Bruins for two games but failed to record a point. He had two penalty minutes and one shot on goal.
For Reading in the East Coast Hockey League, Gordon is tied for fourth on the team in scoring with five points (2G, 3A) in eight games. He’s second on the team in shots with 28.
• Andrea Millerbernd (L-BF ’06) and the St. Ben’s volleyball team qualified for another NCAA Regional Tournament and have their eyes set on another NCAA Tournament.
“I think we’re better than last year,” Millerbernd said Tuesday.
Last year’s team advanced all the way to the Elite 8 before the season came to a close in that same round.
This year’s Blazers, which didn’t lose anyone from last year’s squad and have the No. 2 seed in the regional, play against Luther at 3 p.m. Thursday in Oshkosh, Wis. St. Ben’s must win to continue its season. The regional champion advances to the NCAA Tournament, which is Nov. 19-21 at John Carroll College in University Heights, Ohio.
This is the third regional for Millerbernd. The Blazers lost in the first round her sophomore year.
St. Ben’s, currently ranked No. 15 in the AVCA Division III poll, started the season 4-4, but have since gone 22-1. They won the MIAC regular season and playoff championships and haven’t lost since Oct. 8 against St. Mary’s.
“We learned we can’t go out and expect to win,” Millerbernd said about the early-season struggles. “And we have to go out and work hard for every single point and every game.”
Millerbernd, who was also featured Tuesday in an article by the St. Cloud Times, is second on the team in ace serves (29) and digs (310).
• Justin Franz (L-BF ’09) performed well and on both sides of the ball this season for Vermilion Community College.
As a freshman, Franz opened the year at tight end before moving to defensive end. Then after a couple injuries on the offensive line, he filled in at guard and played both ways. He ended the season back on the defensive line.
He finished with 38 tackles for the Ironmen, who ended the season with a loss in the MCAC semifinals. Vermilion won the Northern Division and finished with a 6-4 record.
• Justin’s uncle Marc Franz (FHS grad) also made headlines recently when his Rogers Royals high school football team advanced to the Class 4A state tournament. Rogers (9-1) defeated St. Michael-Albertville in the Section 5AAAA final and will play undefeated Totino-Grace (10-0) on Friday in the state quarterfinals at Maple Grove High School.
