A Penticton hockey player is Washington State-bound after being selected in the first round of this year乌鸦传媒檚 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.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 surreal,乌鸦传媒� Preston told the Western News after the selection. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been dreaming about this since I was a little kid.乌鸦传媒�
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.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 really special,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淛ust being from here, it乌鸦传媒檚 pretty cool to be one of the only Penticton guys to be drafted.乌鸦传媒�
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.
That乌鸦传媒檚 when Preston suspected he乌鸦传媒檇 be heading south of the border.
He says he乌鸦传媒檚 never been to Spokane, but can乌鸦传媒檛 wait to get started with the two-time Memorial Cup champions.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e heard it乌鸦传媒檚 a really beautiful place,乌鸦传媒� Preston said. 乌鸦传媒淪pokane couldn乌鸦传媒檛 be a better organization to go to乌鸦传媒乌鸦传媒檓 so excited.乌鸦传媒�
Preston will turn 15-years-old on July 21.
After the Chiefs乌鸦传媒� selection, three more players from the Okanagan were taken in the WHL draft乌鸦传媒檚 first round.
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
