Ravens Athletics has had a great year, especially in men’s hockey, as this is the farthest they have made it in the program’s history.
When the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) announced the 2012-13 OUA men’s East division major award winners and all-stars, there was a surprise for a Carleton Raven. Number 12 on the team, Ottawa native Mitch Porowski, was named OUA East rookie of the year.
Since the Ravens entered OUA hockey back in 2007, there has not been a major award winner from Carleton— until now.
“I was really excited and honoured that I could put Carleton on the map even more,” Porowski said.
Porowski earned first place with a comfortable 14-point cushion against the runner-up for the award.
With 19 goals and 19 assists, he ranked first among the East division rookies. Overall, he placed sixth in the OUA with 38 points. Ravens head coach Marty Johnston has been pleased with his performance.
“He has been great, very consistent and […] a huge asset to our program.,” Johnston said.
But Porowski won’t take all the credit for his success. He says his teammates and the coaching staff have been key elements.
“They are just open and they’re hard workers, so I just feel like with the chemistry and good guys on the team that it’s helped . . . and as well as the coaching staff has been key by helping and believing in me,” Porowski said.
Before playing for the Ravens, Porowski played for the Pembroke Lumber Kings, and more recently, he played for the Brampton Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League, where he earned 17 goals and 11 assists in the 2011-12 season. It would seem that good things were to come from him in his arrival to Carleton.
“We thought he would make an impact, we certainly didn’t think he would sort of take the league by storm but yeah, he’s had a great year,” Johnston said.
It can be tough moving on to a new team, but for Porowski, the Ravens welcomed him with open arms.
Porowski called his teammates “a great bunch of guys.”
“But you definitely have to figure out what the patterns are and get used to the guys around you, who have experience and that much more strength and hard work on the ice,” he said. “So, just getting used to little things like that.”
Since joining the Ravens, he has learned a lot, especially from the coaching staff, he says.
“I’ve had a great time,” Porowski said. “I have definitely learned a lot, been able to kind of put my whole game together . . . whether it’s being physical or helping offensively and defensively.”
All the learning and hard work he has done has paid off so far as in addition to being awarded OUA East’s rookie of the year, Porowski was named a OUA East First Team All-Star and a member of the East’s all-rookie team.
Porowski, who is a forward for the Ravens, has been playing hockey for 18 years. As for the future, this rookie of the year is not too sure.
“I’m just going to let the opportunities come, and go from there,” he said. “I haven’t set my mind on anything, but hopefully down the road, for however long. I plan to play hockey as long as I can.”
Whatever Porowski decides for the future, it is seen that this Raven is going to soar.
