USPHL Elite Players Of The Month – January 2023: Florida Division

Summaries by Joshua Boyd

Florida Division

Lorenzo Marchetta, Florida Eels 

The top point-producer of the whole South Region (and second in the league), Marchetta ran through teams left and right, north and south. He posted nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points in a 6-2-2-1 month for the Eels. The Fort Myers squad leads the division by 11 points. Overall, Marchetta has 60 points in 36 games. 

Colby Sims, Atlanta MadHatters

Sims (‘04/Rocky Mountain House, Alb.) jumped right out on 2023 with a 10-point run at the USPHL Tampa Showcase, and just kept on rolling to end up with 9-8-17 by the end of the month. Atlanta qualified for the Elite playoffs during the month, and Sims is third on the team with 40 points.  

Lucas Nichols, Palm Beach Typhoon

Nichols was on a roll with a 14-point month (6-8-14) through January, putting up points in all but one of the playoff-bound Typhoon’s games. He ended January on an eight-game, 12-point scoring streak as well – and extended that to nine games with his first February action. Overall, Nichols has 43 points in 37 games to rank second on the Typhoon. 

Defense

Jachym Cermak, Florida Eels

Always a two-way threat, Cermak had his best month of the season, with his 16 points more than his November and December output combined. He scored the bulk – 12 points – in his final five games of the month. Along with a +4, he has posted 40 points to stand in a tie for the league lead with Carolinas Colby Markham. 

Carter Trussler, Tampa Bay Juniors 

Trussler (‘06/Land O’Lakes, Fla.) helped the Juniors to remain at second in the Florida Division with a 4-3-0-1 record for the month. Putting up a +6 rating, he also had six assists in eight games. That point total helped him place in a tie for second on the Juniors in the month of December. Trussler leads the Tampa defense with 21 points in 37 games. 

Goaltender

Jake Mork, Florida Eels

Mork emerged as the only completely undefeated goaltender on the Florida Division’s top team, going 4-0 in the month of January. He stopped 98 of 107 shots over the course of January for a .916 save percentage. Mork remains on a six-game winning streak since rejoining the Eels in December.