By Ben Shanahan

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

PERRYSBURG — His prep hockey career not over yet, but Perrysburg captain Caden Seiple is already referred to by coach Kevin Fisher as one of the best players he has ever coached.

“I’m not sure I’ve coached a more complete player,” Fisher said. “He has great hands in front of the net, a punishing physical style along the boards, exits the zone better than any wing I’ve seen, and can create in the open ice.” Said Coach Fischer.

Seiple led Perrysburg to a 15-17-3 season, outscoring opponents by a slim 121-119 count, and the Yellow Jackets were 3-9 in the Northwest Hockey Conference Red Division.

NHC wins came against Toledo St. John’s (6-5), and Anthony Wayne twice (5-3, 6-1), plus Perrysburg brought back several out of town tournament championships.

Seiple started his hockey journey following in the footsteps of his father, who played high school hockey and coached Caden during his youth playing days.

“I mean, my dad played in high school, and he put me into it when I was young,” Seiple said. “As well as him coaching me for a while when I was younger.

“I would say he was my idol. He really helped me out when I was younger and made me a better player, pushing me to my limits.”

Wrapping up his time in a yellow and black sweater, Seiple is most proud of his time wearing the C on his jersey and helping the program grow with his leadership than he is of his record-setting career scoring goals.

“I’m going to be most proud of. having the opportunity to be a captain my senior year,” Seiple said. “I’m just working with my teammates to make the team better. I’m just going to miss that, but I will be most proud of leading this team.”

Seiple cherishes leading his team his senior year the most, but his favorite game is from two years earlier when the Yellow Jackets beat powerhouse Toledo St. Francis for the first time in program history.

“My favorite game was in my sophomore year. We had never beaten St. Francis,” Seiple said. “We played one of our best games and finally beat them. That was a big moment for us.

“We had been playing them for like six years or so, and we never beat them, so to finally get one over them was special.”

According to Fisher, Seiple is a much different player on and off the ice.

“Off the ice, he is a very polite young man and an exceptional student, and on the ice, he is an absolute warrior,” said Fisher

Since Perrysburg switched to the NHC Red Division, Seiple has been a point-producing machine second only to Cody Schneider in every offensive category, such as goals, assists, and game-winning goals.

It is players like Schneider and Seiple, among others, who are the reason Perrysburg now competes in the top high school division in the metro Toledo area.

To open tournament play, Perrysburg will take on AW (5-26-1) for a third time at 6 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Tam-O-Shanter in Sylvania.

The winner will take on Findlay (19-9-5), ranked seventh in Ohio, at 6 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Tam-O-Shanter for the right to move on to the district semifinals where they will face the winner of ninth-ranked Bowling Green (23-8-2) and St. John’s (5-26).