Ethan Jasa, a senior defenseman on the Scarborough High boys’ hockey team, has dual American/Canadian citizenship and plans to attend college in Canada. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer
Scarborough High won the state boys’ hockey title in 2015, and finished second the next year. The Red Storm have not been back to the championship game since, but appear to have rebuilt themselves into a contender. One of the reasons is senior defenseman Ethan Jasa.
“In my opinion, he’s the best defenseman in the state,” said Scarborough coach Jake Brown. “He logs a lot of time. He’s big on our special teams. He breaks the puck out well. He helps us in the offensive zone, too. He’s just a competitor.”
At Scarborough, Jasa began his high school career with bus rides to the Colisee in Lewiston for games and practice – because the Red Storm had no local rink to play in. His sophomore year, Scarborough went 3-15 and did not reach the playoffs. Now, Scarborough not only has home ice at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, but the Red Storm are winning – 10-8-1 last year, and 4-1-1 so far this season.
Jasa learned the game from his father, who grew up playing hockey in the Toronto area. Ethan Jasa has dual American/Canadian citizenship. He spends summers in Canada, and plans to attend college there.
Q: Why the dual citizenship?
A: I was born in the States, but both my parents are Canadian, so it made sense for me to get citizenship there, too.
Q: Your parents are from Canada?
A: My mom is from Chile. She came to Canada when she was young, and my dad is from Croatia. There’s a bit of a mix there. They both grew up in Canada. They moved here for work.
Q: That’s quite an international family tree.
A: I have relatives everywhere, almost every continent.
Q: Do you have any siblings?
A: I have an older brother, Anton. He was a swimmer and played lacrosse (at Scarborough). He’s a junior at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. He plays lacrosse there.
Q: Will you go to school in Canada?
A: For sure. It makes sense. I’m Looking at McGill (in Montreal). Good school and they have a hockey team, so who knows?
Q: What do you plan to study?
A: Finance.
Q: You’re on the high honor roll. What kind of courses are you taking?
A: All (Advanced Placement) this year. Physics, Calc, Spanish, English and Economics.
Q: What’s your favorite?
A: Probably calc. I have a good teacher.
Q: What are you reading in English?
A: Right now, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It’s an intense book. A bit weird.
Q: What’s your favorite book?
A: I liked The Great Gatsby. We read that last year. You root for the bad guys the whole time. You’re rooting for Gatsby and then you find out he’s a criminal.
Q: When did you start playing hockey?
A: When I was in kindergarten. My dad played and I was out on the pond when I was young.
Q: Your jersey number is 4. Any significance?
A: I’ve always have been No. 4. Bobby Orr was my go-to guy when I was younger. I’m a Bruins fans. My parents are Canadiens and Maple Leafs fans, so there’s a bit of a rivalry at home.
Q: When you first played for Scarborough, you had to practice and play in Lewiston. How was that?
A: If you’re going to play hockey it’s the kind of sacrifice you have to make, right? The team had to play (and practice) in Lewiston. You love the game, so you go. It would be late (getting back home). Made it tough with homework.
Q: What do you like about your team now?
A: We’re just really excited to play this year. That’s what makes the game fun, when you have guys on the ice who love to be there. It’s an environment this year when we can really win. That’s exciting, you know? A chance to really do something.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
