JR. THUNDERBOLTS LAND FIRST RETURNEE FROM LAST SEASON’S INAUGURAL SQUADRON
HARD-WORKING FORWARD BRANDON ROZEMA BACK IN ‘BOLTS FOLD FOR ’16-17 SEASON
WEST MICHIGAN NATIVE DELIVERED GAME WINNING GOAL IN HISTORIC FIRST VICTORY
EVANSVILLE, IN— The State of Indiana’s lone elite junior hockey team, the Evansville Jr. ThunderBolts, continue to attain positive strides in their player roster construction for the rapidly-approaching 2016-17 NA3HL season through their most recent player commitment to hockey-mad Evansville.
On this date, Jr. ThunderBolts General Manager/Head Coach Mark Cody has announced that center/right wing BRANDON ROZEMA will be returning for his second campaign under the ‘Bolts banner.
“Signing Brandon was one of my top priorities going into this off-season,†stated GM/Coach Cody. “Brandon’s love and passion for the game shows every time he touches the ice; whether it be in a game, at practice or helping out with the youth hockey players. I will be counting on Brandon to be a team leader both on the ice and in the locker room. His 100% effort is contagious and will help carry this team to reach its full potential.â€
ROZEMA, 19, (ROSE-mah), 19, enjoyed an outstanding initial campaign with the Jr. ThunderBolts, following his acquisition from NA3HL member club, the Wisconsin Whalers on October 21, 2015. The diminutive, dynamic 5-7, 170lb West Michigan native from Grandville, MI finished a lofty fourth in the ‘Bolts individual team scoring derby, registering 25-points in 44-games on 15-goals, 10-assists, while recording 24-PIM. Included in “The Rose’s†point-producing numbers were 3-FG, 1-UG, three 2-goal masterpieces and 1-GWG. His 1-GWG represented an historical achievement of all-time team infamy and immortality for Evansville. It came in his club’s first-ever victory as a bona fide NA3HL elite junior hockey franchise, January 3, 2016 at South Division Champion Point Mallard where the ‘Bolts laid claim to a thrilling come-from-behind 7-4 toast of triumph over the home-standing Ducks.
The relentless, indefatigable ROZEMA on-ice persona grew in extraordinary fashion as the Jr. ThunderBolts inaugural campaign progressed. In fact, through the preponderance of the season’s second half, he emerged as the team’s top point-scoring impresario, equaling the club’s second best point-scoring scourge at 6-games on a streak composed of 4-goals, 5-assists, 9-points stretching from January 16th through February 13th of the current calendar year. Moreover, 9 of his 15-goals were struck abroad while in three more games, he earned a stellar +2 rating.
Today’s signing of BRANDON ROZEMA brings to 8 the total number of players currently listed on the Jr. ThunderBolts roster and the first from last season’s inaugural lineup. Previously, the ‘Bolts announced the additions of newcomers KORY KIFER, ANDREW WARE, LUKE FRY, KYLE GREGORY, JEREMY ROSS, JONAH REYNOLDS and DREW WYNN.
