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Hockey Player of The Year candidate Marshall Bowery has helped make Rochester United a state power
Rochester – Chart the growth of the Rochester United hockey program and it will coincide with the progress Marshall Bowery has made as a player.
Bowery is a senior at Rochester Adams and is one of the candidates for the annual State Champs Hockey Player of the Year award.
Rochester United consists of students from Adams and Rochester High.
Bowery played house hockey at age four and began competing in travel hockey (Rochester Rattlers) four years later. When Bowery entered high school he made the decision to quit travel and play for his high school. It wasn’t an easy decision. For years, while playing travel, Bowery was convinced that to become a better player one had to play travel.
“I never thought I’d play high school hockey,” he said. “I thought I’d play AA. I always thought high school hockey wasn’t good enough.
“I don’t have any regrets. High school hockey has helped with my skills. Mentally and physically, it’s progressed. If you can advance your education and continue to get better (playing hockey) at the same time, that’s the way to go.”
In Bowery’s case, the decision was made easier knowing that during his freshman season he would get the opportunity to play with his brother, Matthew, who was a senior.
RU coach Craig Staskowski said Bowery and Max Harper, another player on the Hockey Player of The Year watch list, have teamed to take the program to another level. When the two were freshmen Staskowski would schedule games against teams that weren’t in contention for a state title. The past two seasons RU has played against some of the state’s top teams including Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and Detroit Catholic Central.
“What’s special for me is I’ve had a chance to see (Bowery) grow,” Staskowski said. “Coming in as a 15-year-old freshman, it’s pretty awesome. Marshall was talented but he was a little guy. We were rebuilding then. We knew he’d be a difference maker.
“He plays bigger than what he looks. You can’t tell he’s as strong as he is. He’s skilled and strong. A lot of goals he has, he creates himself. Goal scorers aren’t afraid to shoot the puck.”
Bowery is 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds and, with 71 points, he leads the state in scoring.
