Two local high school varsity club hockey teams begin their 2023-24 campaigns later this week.

The Columbia Eagles and Freeburg-Waterloo Raging Bulldogs both compete in the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association with several other teams from throughout the area.

Games are played at ice rinks in O’Fallon, Granite City, East Alton, Edwardsville and Fenton, Mo.

Columbia opens play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against O’Fallon at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O’Fallon.

The next game for the Eagles is against Triad at 6:15 p.m. Monday at the new RP Lumber Center in Edwardsville. 

Key returning players from last season for Columbia include seniors Rece Sanderson (18 goals, 29 assists), Nathan Carr (14 goals, five assists), Andrew Donjon and Carter Toal, along with juniors Jack Reuss (35 goals, 11 assists), Anderson Judy (13 goals, 12 assists) and goalie Dalton Fitzgerald (16-9-2). 

Freeburg-Waterloo opens play at 7 p.m. Thursday against East Alton-Wood River at Granite City Ice Rink. 

The Raging Bulldogs then battle Vianney at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Granite City and take on Bethalto at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.

Key returning players from last season for the Raging Bulldogs include seniors Connor Blair (23 goals, 14 assists), Michael Gildehaus (12 goals, nine assists), Cohin Reynolds (eight goals, two assists) and Ty Griffin, along with juniors Layne Wilkens (13 goals, seven assists), Caiden Anderson and Austin Hopfinger. 

For more on the MVCHA, visit mvchahockey.org.