PETES’ ROOKIE STEEPED IN FOOTBALL TRADITION
By Mike Davies

Peterborough Examiner (Ontario)
February 21, 2007 Wednesday

By all rights Zach Bogosian should be playing football instead
of hockey.

The Bogosian family from upper state New York has a rich tradition
in football, starting with Zach’s grandfather Ike Bogosian Sr. who
played football for St. Lawrence University not far from the family’s
hometown of Massena, N.Y.

Zach’s father Ike Jr. captained the Syracuse University football
squad after transferring from Boston College. A running back who later
switched to free safety, Ike Jr. set rushing records for Connecticut
prep schools.

Zach’s uncle Steve was an All-American two years in a row at West
Point Military Academy.

The family lived and breathed football, yet, Zach, 16, and brother
Aaron, 20, who plays for the USHL’s Cedar Rapids Roughriders,
chose hockey.

"I’ve always wanted to play football and still kind of do sometimes,"
Zach, the Petes first-round draft pick this season, said. "I have a
love for the game growing up with my dad and him showing me how to
throw a football."

However, his father, whose football career was ended by a serious
knee injury, wasn’t keen to rush them into football especially after
they started hockey.

"With all the knee injuries going on in that sport my parents didn’t
really want me to risk my hockey career so I pretty much played the
standard hockey, soccer and lacrosse," said Zach.

He says his father and brother are the two greatest influences in
his life. He describes his father as a fun-loving man who also can
be strict and demanding. He says his brother is just like his father.

"My great-grandfather was born in Armenia and he came over and pretty
much started from scratch. He was a hard working, hard-nosed guy.

That’s the way my whole family is. Ever since I can remember, my dad
was always hard on me but hard on me in a good way. He still let me
have my freedom but he always made sure I was training and staying
out of trouble. He’s really helped me with that. He’s pretty much
been my idol my whole life. Him and my brother."

Aaron and Zach left home together two years ago to play hockey at
Cushing Academy, a prestigious Boston prep school. His brother was
his mentor and looked out for him, he said.

"If I didn’t have him, I wouldn’t be anything I am today," Zach said.

What he is today is one of junior A hockey’s brightest young stars.

He’s already ranked by International Scouting Service as a potential
high first-round pick for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

He’s done something this year few underage defencemen do in earning
top line icetime while playing power play and penalty kill. On a team
that has given up 49 more goals than it’s scored, Bogosian’s plus-five
plus-minus rating is more than respectable. Only six players currently
on the Petes roster have more than Bogosian’s 27 points.

It wasn’t an easy decision for Zach to choose OHL hockey rather
than follow his brother to Cedar Rapids, Iowa in hopes of a college
scholarship.

"It was a big part of my hockey career playing with him for two
years," said Zach. "It was a big decision. If I’d gone out there,
I would have played with him for a couple of more years."

However, Bogosian is certain he’s made the right decision. Despite
the team struggling to make the playoffs, he says the experience has
been all positive.

"It’s been everything I thought it would be," he said. "I love it. I
didn’t think I was going to be where I am right now from where I
was last year. My development has been so much better here. They’ve
helped me out so much and thrown me into every situation to help me
learn my way. It’s helped me a lot and I’m sure it’s going to help
in the long run."

In the long run, he expects the team to do well, too.

"Some people might have their doubts on us but I think we’ll prove
some people wrong," he said. "Even this year, people are saying they
don’t think we’ll make the playoffs. I really think if we keep playing
hard we can come through and surprise a few people and slip into the
seventh or eighth spot. I think we can surprise some people even this
year to give us some confidence for next year."

CANCELLATION: Peterborough Petes had a last-minute cancellation for
the Brick Birthday Box and it has come available for tomorrow’s game
against Kingston.