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