It’s a chilly November day. The stands are packed. Cheers roar through the rink as the timer dwindles down to the last few seconds. The temperature is barely reaching the 60's, but no one seems to notice. All eyes are glued to the players as the game concludes: Briar Woods defeats Oakton 4-2; yet another win for the home team. Even the most introverted students have been drawn to the Ashburn Ice House, and every classmate is screaming fervently for their peers. Finally, hockey season has arrived.

While ice hockey is not technically considered an official team sport in Loudoun County high schools, the club has brought some of the highest levels of school spirit and pride.

“It seems so American!” Said Junior and Norwegian exchange student Hedda Oeverjoeen, “Just hearing people talk about it, everyone gets so excited!"

Hundreds of students anticipate the beginning of the season; not only are the games free, but many classmates agree the matches bring a sense of unity, as well as an adrenaline rush.

"My favorite part [of the sport] would have to be how fast-paced it is," said Junior Hannah Borkowski. "It seems a lot faster than football, which seems dragged on but this is very quick and exciting. Everyone gets so pumped, and the games can get intense; they're really entertaining."

Despite its recreational status, the Briar Woods hockey team has proven to be one of the most competitive teams in the Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League, NVSHL. For the past two years, the Falcons have played at varsity level-- last season, the team made playoffs for the first time in school history.

Though the club was founded only in late 2006, the influx of passionate players brought the team from Junior Varsity to Varsity level after one season alone. This year, the hockey team hopes to match, if not exceed last year's achievements.

Spanning from December to February, the Falcons have nine games left during the regular season. The matches will be held at the local Ashburn Ice House as well as the Reston Ice House; all students are encouraged to come out and support their classmates in what could possibly be the most successful hockey season yet.