Player of the Week
The Fishers High School senior center scored twice in the opening period against No. 1 Penn Gold and finished the Summit City Crossover with nine points, earning THE FINAL.’s Player of the Week honor.
Photo by THE FINAL. Press Corps
Madden Houck had eight goals to choose from. The one he remembered most gave HSE A the lead against Penn Gold.
The Kingsmen had tied Saturday morning’s game at 1–1. With 2:56 left in the first period, Houck put the Royals back in front. Before the period ended, he scored again, this time with six seconds remaining.
For the Fishers High School senior center, taking the lead against the team atop THE FINAL.’s rankings made that first goal especially meaningful.
“Us gaining that lead was huge,” Houck said.
HSE went on to win 7–3, with Houck completing a hat trick in the third period. It followed a four-goal performance against Marian-Riley on Friday night and became part of an eight-goal, one-assist weekend at the Summit City Crossover in Fort Wayne.
The nine points earned Houck THE FINAL.’s Player of the Week honor for Nov. 6–8. The Royals finished 3–1 at PSM Icehouse, beating Marian-Riley 11–3, Penn Gold 7–3 and Lakeshore St. Joe 3–1 before falling to Culver A 5–3.
Houck scored seven of his goals in the first two games. His explanation began with the players around him.
“Just our chemistry together,” he said. “We just share the puck and create good plays together.”
Friday’s opener gave HSE an early example of what that chemistry could produce.
Houck scored three times in the first period against Marian-Riley, then added his fourth goal in the third. Boden Young assisted on three of those goals.
Coach Kyle Snow, in his first year coaching Houck, sees the chances developing before the puck reaches his stick.
“Madden knows how to read the game very well,” Snow said. “He speaks to who he’s on the ice with to let them know where to be and where he is going to be to get the chance to make a play.”
Saturday morning against Penn required HSE to respond after Grady Harrell’s power-play goal erased Jackson Morris’s opening goal. Houck answered 1:38 later, then extended the lead to 3–1 just before intermission.
Remembering the late goal, Houck described turning with the puck and finding an opening.
“I spun around and shot the puck through the goalie’s legs,” he said.
Snow saw a player determined to use the time still available.
“He will work until the horn to make sure that we take advantage of all of the time we have to score a goal or make a play,” Snow said. “That transfers over to the rest of the team and having that late goal helped drive the momentum and energy of the rest of the game.”
Houck added his third goal with 12:43 remaining in the third period. Young finished with assists on both of Houck’s first-period goals, giving him a hand in five of Houck’s seven goals across the first two games.
Their understanding extends beyond their time on the ice.
“Bo and Madden are friends off the ice,” Snow said. “They communicate often on plays and structure on the ice to drive our offensive strengths.”
Houck appreciates Young’s ability to anticipate where he is headed.
“He knows my speed and he has a great hockey IQ,” Houck said.
Houck finished the crossover with a goal and an assist against Culver. His assist came on Evan Swann’s first-period goal, and he scored in the third as HSE tried to work back from a deficit.
Houck started skating at 4 years old. He describes the interest in hockey as his own, and says he wanted to take the sport seriously “right from the start.”
High school hockey brought an adjustment to the pace and the range of skill on the ice. It also gave him a team he enjoys being part of.
“It’s been fun and there’s nothing better than HSE hockey,” Houck said.
His dad has been the biggest influence on his development, pushing him to keep working rather than becoming comfortable with where his game stands.
“There is always room to improve,” Houck said of the message he carries from his father.
This season, his own approach includes enjoying the game and taking responsibility for the players around him. Snow has seen that responsibility grow as Houck has settled into the program.
“It’s been great to see him take on a leadership role helping other players with plays and building them up,” Snow said.
That shows in how he handles difficult stretches, too. Snow described an intense, determined player who understands the effect his response can have on the bench.
“When things aren’t going our way he will speak to players about necessary changes and seek to get back on the ice to make a play,” Snow said.
For younger players watching Houck, Snow would point to his awareness away from the puck: keeping his head up, recognizing a play as it forms and communicating where he is going.
Those habits helped create the scoring chances at the Summit City Crossover. They also give Houck a way to contribute when the puck is on someone else’s stick.
Away from hockey, Houck enjoys listening to music and playing sewer ball with his teammates. After high school, he hopes to attend college and earn his real estate license.
There is something he wants to accomplish with HSE before then.
“I would love to accomplish as a team the state title because it’s a huge achievement for not only me but the team,” Houck said.
Snow wants him to keep helping the younger players grow along the way.
“I would love to see Madden continue to uplift our younger players and grow the leadership qualities he exemplifies,” he said. “He has done a great job meshing with our program.”
Eight goals made Houck stand out in Fort Wayne. The one he valued most was the one that put his team back in front of No. 1 Penn Gold — a lead the Royals carried through the rest of the game.