Ashland Seniors Hornung and McGoff Big Supports in Medway-Ashland Girls’ Hockey

The Medway-Ashland girls’ hockey team has gone 20-13-7 over the past two regular seasons, but has only managed three Division 2 tournament victories during that time span. In order to improve upon the past two seasons Coach Kurt Crater is going to rely on Ashland seniors Maddy Hornung and Katie McGoff heavily.
“They two are seniors who have been 4-year varsity athletes and are key components to our success,” the Medway-Ashland Coach said. “They are both capable of playing on the next level and should be able to score 20-30 goals for us if they stay focused.”
The two have been friends for a long time and were teamed with one another on the same line during their sophomore season – Hornung centering McGoff on the left wing.
“We had been on the (Minuteman) Flames together and we seem to complement one another,” McGoff said. “Having played together for so long we know exactly where each are on the ice at all times and I believe this helps our game.”
Hornung agreed that being paired with her friend on the ice has allowed their chemistry to grow over the past few years as they know what each is thinking at all times.
Both Ashland athletes began their love for hockey in Framingham in developmental programs, but at very different times of their lives. McGoff laced up her skates at the tender age of three because hockey was in her families blood. Her grandfather and uncle, on her mother’s side, as well as her two brothers (one older and one younger) all played hockey.
“Hockey was originally forced on me, but after I kept making the top teams I grew to like playing it,” McGoff said.
While McGoff was skating around at such a young age Hornung didn’t take interest in hockey until she was around 9 years old.
“I began as a figure skater and my younger brother (Jackson) was playing hockey; he seemed to be having more fun than I was so I decided to switch,” Hornung said. “I joined a program in Framingham and not knowing much about positions I tried them all before settling on center. I found you can do more on the ice at center and you were always in the middle of the action.”
Prior to the entering high school and trying out for the Medway-Ashland girls’ hockey team McGoff played on the girls’ middle school team, that was then coached by M-A’s now varsity Coach Carter. Despite having played for the M-A Coach the tryouts still encompassed a very intimidating feeling as she didn’t know that many of the girls.
“Not only did I not know a lot of the girls as they were mostly from Medway (there were only 4 or 5 Ashland girls), but I had no idea what their style of play was like,” said McGoff.
Hornung also found it intimidating not knowing what kind of skills the Medway athletes procured.
“Playing for a co-op team was new to me and all these different talents coming together made things tough,” she said. “Once I made the team I was really surprised that I got so much playing time.”
Hornung, who originally followed her brother to ice hockey, realized that he had a part of his game that she also wanted.
“My brother had a real hard slap-shot, and again I wanted to incorporate it into my game, so I worked extremely hard on it,” Hornung said.
Playing together on the same line Carter is hoping that McGoff and Hornung use their skills to their ability and aide Medway-Ashland into the state tournament once again.
“The skillset on these two is through the roof. They are very close on the ice as well as off and naturally complement one another,” Coach Carter said. “I should probably split them up but they’ve been playing together for so long that they know exactly where each is”
McGoff believes that M-A is going to get back to the tournament with some of the incoming freshman helping the team to do so.
“I honestly think that we had a better shot at getting to the Garden last year,” she said. “We do have talent coming back and could go further in the tournament, but that is all going to depend on how the young defenders coming up play.”
Carter is relying on McGoff and Hornung to take their game to the next level this season as there is no tomorrow.
“I had thought that these two should be leading the state in scoring,” the coach said. “I’ve told them that this is the year, live it now and don’t leave anything on the table.”