THE JR. THUNDERBOLTS ACCENTING LOCAL TALENT WITH FIRST TWO PLAYER SIGNINGS EVANSVILLE LOCAL STANDOUTS KODY KIFER AND ANDREW WARE FIRST TO SIGN FOR ’16-17 JR. ‘BOLTS CONTINUING TO EMPHASIZE HOMEGROWN TALENT FOR SECOND NA3HL SEASON
EVANSVILLE, IN— When Evansville’s elite junior hockey team, the Evansville Jr. ThunderBolts, launch their second season as members of the NA3HL in 2016-17, they will continue to assemble a roster replete with homegrown talent from both the Tri-State area as well as the State of Indiana. This was certainly validated in the form of the club’s initial two player signings for the team’s upcoming second season.
On this date, Jr. ThunderBolts General Manager/Head Coach Mark Cody has announced that city of Evansville local standouts KODY KIFER and ANDREW WARE have each signed tenders to join the Evansville club for the 2016- 17 NA3HL campaign.
KIFER, 6-1, 190lb, is a top-flight product of the local EYHA program, having starred the past two seasons with the EYHA Thunder High School Team, leading his squad in point production last season. Widely-recognized as a premiere power forward who excels playing an intensely physical game, KIFER registered a prolific 33-points in 24-games on a combination of 19-goals, 14-assists. His 132-PIM attest to his affinity for physical contact. The local star seems to blend the key elements of size, speed and firepower into his new team’s lineup.
WARE, a package of punch and power on defense at 5-11, 215lb, has been a stellar performer of the highest order, also with the EYHA Thunder HS squadron where he gained acclaim for the past three years. Reputed to be a very reliable, steady, physical rearguard, WARE has combined those key qualities with his outstanding puck-moving ability and strong decision-making when the pressure is on. In 26-games in 2015-16 with the Thunder, the rock- ribbed blue line bulwark engineered 11-points on 4-goals, 7-assists along with 120-PIM.
GM/Coach Cody is looking forward to having two familiar faces rejoining him in ’16-17; only this time around under the Jr. ThunderBolts banner. “I have had the pleasure of coaching both Kody and Andrew for the last two seasons. Kody has great speed and an above average shot. He is a hardnosed player who does not mind mixing it up. He will fit in extremely well with the brand of hockey our ‘Bolts will play in this upcoming season. As for Andrew, he has been a very solid defenseman for the Thunder High School team over the last three seasons. I feel that he has made great strides through the past two years and is ready to make the jump to junior hockey. Andrew is another player who does not shy away from the physical aspects of the game. In addition, he is an outstanding decision- maker with the puck and sees the ice very well.â€
KODY KIFER and ANDREW WARE represent the first two players tendered under the new Jr. ThunderBolts regime of GM/Coach Cody. Both local players will be on the ice for the start of training camp in early September.
