Less than an hour after hitting a prestigious milestone, CJ Compagnola was already being challenged by a younger teammate in the parking lot as they walked to the bus.
“I’m going to get 100, too,” the younger player stated.
“You have a long way to go,” Compagnola replied with a laugh. “But I hope so.”
Compagnola, a senior on the Paul VI High School ice hockey team, became just the second player in school history to notch 100 career points after he scored a goal and added two assists in the semifinal round of the Mercer County Tournament on Feb. 13. Fittingly, No. 100 was a primary assist on longtime line mate Steve Gresch’s goal. It’s just how Compagnola preferred to create his memorable milestone.
“It feels good, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Compagnola said. “Me and Steve Gresch have been playing together ever since I came here. He’s the reason I got there, so it was perfect.”
And Compagnola may be the reason others get there, too, even after he graduates. The power forward has been a reliable lead-by-example player who was named co-captain this year. The Eagles have been trying to build their program into a contender and rely on players like Compagnola to strengthen their tradition. And he delivered just like he does with his wicked top-shelf wrist shot.
“I think the biggest compliment I can give him is he’s a much better person than he is a hockey player, and he’s a [heck] of a hockey player,” Paul VI head coach Charlie Hall said. “The way he and our captains led this year really speaks to who they are as people.”
He learned it from somewhere. Maybe it was from assistant coach Cameron Chandler, a 2019 Paul VI graduate, who just happens to be the other 100-point scorer. Chandler broke in with the Eagles as a freshman forward and transitioned to defense for his final three years to fill a need on the blue line. Now in college, Chandler works with Paul VI players, hoping to pass down some of the traits he learned while wearing royal blue.
“I play club hockey so I try to get to [Paul VI] as much as I can to work with them,” Chandler said. “I work with CJ on face-offs and shooting the puck hard from the wing. It’s little stuff like that, battling the corners and trying to get the puck out first.”
Chandler has the school record with 118 career points, which will hold as Paul VI’s season is now complete. But he’s no longer lonely in the school’s 100-point club.
“It was awesome,” Chandler said. “[Compagnola] only played two and a half years, so it’s a pretty big accomplishment for him. I’m glad we both stay at where we are now. Hopefully there will be more.”
That’s what the Eagles are hoping, too. They are creating a winning environment despite the somewhat expected step back in terms of wins this season. With only four seniors, a 6-10-3 record wasn’t far off expectations in a tough Colonial Valley Conference. The Eagles had been a combined 15-11-2 during the two prior seasons, and the momentum is still moving forward.
“This year has been the realest team I’ve ever played on,” Compagnola said. “It’s just a great group of guys. They’ll do great next year.”
The team chemistry is a big reason. And that can sometimes be tricky with a co-op program, as Paul VI has four players from Camden Catholic High School who are regular contributors, including Ben Williams, TJ Williams, Jake Lavin and Eric Burgese. According to the team, it didn’t even cause a ripple in the locker room.
“I don’t think of them as rivals anymore,” Compagnola said. “I mean, when I first came onto the team, I didn’t know what to expect. But now it’s just kind of natural. I’ve gotten close to these guys.”
The Eagles are already excited for the 2023-24 season.
“Next year is going to be another year of positive growth,” Hall said. “It’s a slow process, and it’s going to take time. The way the game is now, it takes a lot of teaching and a lot of attention to detail. Part of that is on me, and part of that is on them. It needs to be a cohesive type of thing for us to grow.”
Looking back on the last three years, Compagnola has more than just 100 great memories of playing at Paul VI.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “The games, the practices, the bus rides. I remember my sophomore year, my first game. Even through it was a COVID year, the atmosphere was like no other. The bench, the energy, the physicality … it all goes hand-in-hand. It’s a great feeling to represent your school and play with your teammates.”
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