The Kent School hockey team’s first New England Prep School Athletic Council championship was extra special for the Cobb brothers.
Colin and Aidan, separated by two years, both played key roles in the Lions winning the 2019 large-school championship. Colin, the team’s senior captain, was a leader for a team that turned it on down the stretch, while Aidan, a junior, played on the top line.
In the team’s 2-1 win over Cushing Academy in the final, Aidan had the first goal and Colin assisted on the game-winner just 11 seconds later. Once the final horn blew, the brothers celebrated a feeling few get to experience.
“It was indescribable. That feeling was something I never want to lose. The emotions of it all coming together and knowing you’re on top was amazing,” said Colin.
“It was definitely an amazing feeling. The whole game was a battle. I was glad our team pulled out on top because we had a pretty amazing group of guys,” Aidan concurred.
Kent had a talented team with four Division 1 college commits — Army’s Alex Laferriere, Air Force’s Michael Posma, Penn State’s Dane Dowiak and Dartmouth’s Ian Pierce. All but Pierce were newcomers to the team this season. There was plenty of reason for optimism in the preseason, but a 7-6 loss to Salisbury in the middle of January was the point in which Colin knew this was a special team.
“I knew from the start of the year that this was a different group. I knew it clicked when we lost to Salisbury. We were up 4-0 and we blew the lead, but I knew we hung with the number one team in New England. That’s when I knew we could make a playoff run,” Colin explained.
Winning a championship is special enough, but doing it as brothers made it that much more memorable for Colin and Aidan.
“It was pretty amazing having him alongside for the victory, especially him being the captain. We grew up together outside and on the ponds,” said Aidan.
“It’s a thing a lot of kids and a lot of brothers can’t do. It was unique and special. It’s something we’ll remember forever and talk about for a long time. I love my brother. It was great to win it together. We talked about it after our first season here,” added Colin, who emphasized his parents and the role they played in it.
“My mom was very emotional and very proud of us. You could tell my dad was proud of us, too.”
Colin and Aidan had a brotherly rivalry growing up that helped both become better hockey players.
“Even before we got on the ice, we were always playing street hockey and stuff. It was always very competitive. It fueled both of our very competitive edges. We didn’t want to lose against each other. We’d end up in screaming matches on the bench or in practice, but it’s fun,” Colin remarked.
“He pushed me. Sometimes I’d come off the ice and maybe it wasn’t my best shift and he’d tell me that I needed to be better,” said Aidan.
Colin concluded his senior season at Kent with four goals and 11 assists, which earned him interest from a few NESCAC schools. He ultimately chose Wesleyan, which is about a 45-minute drive from his family’s home in Ridgefield, Conn.
“The NESCAC was very appealing to me because of the outstanding academics,” Colin said. “It was a great opportunity to play college hockey and receive a great education as well. It will be nice to be close to my family. I really like Coach (Chris) Potter. He’s a players’ coach, and my assistant coach at Kent, Coach (Jeff) Beck, played at Wesleyan and had nothing but great things to say about it.”
While Colin is off to college in the fall, Aidan will be back for his senior season. After putting up 11 goals and 13 assists this winter, he’s generating some buzz among Division 1 recruiters. Playing against older competition and playing alongside Laferriere and Posma, two of the best players in prep hockey this season, helped improve his game.
“I’ve improved many aspects of my game. Maturity is a big thing. It’s a lot different coming from youth hockey to prep,” said Aidan.
“My speed and puck pursuit,” when asked about the strengths of his game. “I tried to win battles in the corners and get them the puck. We worked well with each other with our skill, speed and grit,” he continued.
Like his older brother, Aidan has taken full advantage of the opportunities prep school offers. He’s taken great pride in being part of the school community.
“Going to Kent was the best choice I’ve ever made in my life. Hockey, academics, great teachers and meeting friends,” he said. “It was amazing to bring back the banner. I love it there.”
