A Penticton hockey player is Washington State-bound after being selected in the first round of this yearsa国际传媒檚 Western Hockey League (WHL) Draft.
Mathis Preston, 14, was sitting at home on the couch in front of the TV with friends and family Thursday morning, May 11, when he heard his name called at No. 3 overall by the Spokane Chiefs.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 surreal,sa国际传媒� Preston told the Western News after the selection. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been dreaming about this since I was a little kid.sa国际传媒�
Preston has spent parts of the last three seasons playing at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, posting a total of 130 points in 59 games.
The born-and-raised Pentictonite was the first player from B.C. selected in the WHL Draft.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 really special,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淛ust being from here, itsa国际传媒檚 pretty cool to be one of the only Penticton guys to be drafted.sa国际传媒�
Scouts ranked Preston as a top-three pick ahead of the draft.
The Prince Albert Raiders owned the first two picks and opted to take a pair of Alberta-born players.
Thatsa国际传媒檚 when Preston suspected hesa国际传媒檇 be heading south of the border.
He says hesa国际传媒檚 never been to Spokane, but cansa国际传媒檛 wait to get started with the two-time Memorial Cup champions.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e heard itsa国际传媒檚 a really beautiful place,sa国际传媒� Preston said. sa国际传媒淪pokane couldnsa国际传媒檛 be a better organization to go tosa国际传媒sa国际传媒檓 so excited.sa国际传媒�
Preston will turn 15-years-old on July 21.
After the Chiefssa国际传媒� selection, three more players from the Okanagan were taken in the WHL draftsa国际传媒檚 first round.
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
