Glenbrook North Gold brings talent and speed to its first season in the Academic Hockey League as the Spartans are young but do have a few talented seniors on the roster, too.

            “We are loaded with goal-scorers. We will challenge every team that we play,” said GBN Gold head coach Jeffrey Marks, in his 22nd year coaching, his 10th at the Northbrook-based school. “GBN will make a run at the AHL title and we want to upset a top eight team in the state tournament.”

            Marks, 49, who lives in Northbrook, said the talented Spartans are “eager to win and grow, not only as players but as men.”

            The GBN defense is well-rounded and it is “strong and eager to get better,” Marks said. “All defensemen have great shots and the ability to lay the hammer down.” Sully Lyons is a key GBN defenseman.

            Offensively, these Spartans are led by Jackson Strykowski, Austin Beauvois, Jackson Bobula and William Brajkovic.

            The GBN Gold goalies are Ben Melnick and Logan Spiegel.

            Breakout Players: Keep an eye on Austin Beauvois, Max Copeland and James Morrissey. Marks said the trio are “super talented with tremendous amounts of speed. When they understand the GBN way and coverage in all three zones, they will be very hard to defend."