BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Staff Writer

Little did Zach Aughe know that all that time playing hockey in the driveway would pay off with an NCAA Division I commitment.
Aughe, a 19-year-old Clarkston native and 2018 Clarkston High School graduate, recently committed to play for the University of Maine, starting with the 2020-21 season. Maine plays in Hockey East, one of the top conferences in the country.
“It feels amazing, and I was super honored to commit to such a great program,” said Aughe. “My goal has always been to play Division I hockey. The feeling is still there, but I still have so much work to do.”
Before he heads to college, Aughe will play junior hockey next season either in the North American Hockey League with the Aberdeen (S.D.) Wings or in the United States Hockey League with the Dubuque (Iowa) Fighting Saints.
Aughe signed a tender agreement with Aberdeen last December and was selected by Dubuque in the 13th round (189th overall) in Phase II of the USHL Draft last month.
“We liked Aughe because of his versatility,” said Dubuque general manager Kalle Larsson. “He is a right-shot forward with good size (6-foot-3, 201 pounds) but more importantly, he has the ability to play all forward positions on the ice.”
This past season, Aughe captained the Victory Honda 18U AAA team, based in Plymouth, and recorded 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 27 games. Victory Honda also won the 18U AAA state championship and advanced to the USA Hockey National Tournament in Grand Rapids.
“Winning the state championship and making it to Nationals was my biggest highlight in youth hockey,” said Aughe, who also played for the Troy-based Oakland Jr. Grizzlies. “I grew up just playing in the driveway and started playing ice hockey when I was about four or five at Lakeland Ice Arena. I played baseball and golf growing up, but hockey was always my main priority.”
Born in Philadelphia, Aughe has lived in Clarkston for the past 17 years and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
“We moved here when I was 2 for my dad’s work,” said Aughe, who also attended Springfield Plains Elementary, Sashabaw Middle School and Clarkston Junior High. “I like the small-town feel of Clarkston and have some lifelong friends here, too.”