Boffo In Billings Wv Grad Endears Himself To Montana Fans Playing Hockey With Junior A Team
Brian Moon was so well-liked in Billings, Mont., that he even had a game day named for him.
Moon, a West Valley High graduate, for three years has been a popular member of the Billings Bulls, an American Frontier Hockey Junior A team.
Brian Moon Photo Day last winter recognized Moon as the new franchise’s first three-year player.
“He was a good team player and it was a tribute to the kid,” said Bulls owner, Eric Bonanno.
The first 2,000 in attendance that night received a poster of him, as the fans recognized his contributions to the Tier II team.
“It was a privilege to be known like that,” said Moon, 20, just returned from the USA Hockey Gold Cup national tournament. “It’s nice being in the limelight.”
At the end-of-season banquet and fundraiser, his jersey, No. 13, brought a team high $625 at auction.
Moon also became one of just a handful of Spokane hockey products to play in the USA Hockey nationals.
Junior A hockey is significantly below the level played by the Spokane Chiefs, said Bonanno, but above that played by the Spokane Braves.
The Bulls finished second in the AFHL. They beat Casper, Wyoming, 4 games to 1 and swept Helena, Mont., in the playoffs to make nationals in their first year of eligibility.
Although losing four games in Sioux City, Iowa, earlier this month, the Bulls were a national semifinalist.
Moon was a hard-hitting baseball player for the Eagles before become the Bulls hard-hitting defenseman.
As a junior American Legion player in the summer of 1993 Moon batted .400 and hit five home runs. He also was the team’s pitching ace.
That fall he had a tryout at Bonanno’s request and was signed to the new team in a new league.
Bonanno had been in sales with the Chiefs and their P.A. announcer and knew that players like Moon could play at that level.
“I read one USA Hockey magazine in my life,” Bonanno said. “The next thing I knew I wrote a check and was on my way to Billings.”
Moon originally played forward, but was moved to defense. Last year was bittersweet because he missed 15 of 50 games with a shoulder separation and pneumonia and lost his starting spot. Still, he had a career high 9 goals and added 12 assists.
“I’m not a goal scorer,” he said. “I was trained to get to the net and get guys out of the way so people could score.”
The Moon family didn’t become hockey fans until Brian and his older brother Brad began playing as youngsters. Brad had watched a friend play and said he wanted to try.
“My mother (Betty) said my brother was playing and asked if I wanted to play, too,” said Moon, who was 7. “I said I would. I’d never seen a hockey game.”
It became an expensive, but successful, hobby. Outfitting Brad, a goal keeper, cost about $3,000. Then there were the travel expenses for the boys who competed in Bantam regionals.
Although sought after by Grand Prairie, Alberta, Brad ultimately decided hockey was not for him and enrolled in college. Brian, however, was ready to play in Powell River, B.C., before Bonanno called.
Initially it was tough being away from home, but Moon and his mom adjusted.
“You know how mommas are,” said Jerry. “They like to have their boys at home. I told her he has to do what he has to do.”
Like the Chiefs and Western Hockey League, players live with area families. Brian attended most of his senior year of high school in Billings, returning to WV for baseball and graduation.
He became Billings hockey fans’ adopted favorite son.
“He was a pretty popular player,” said Bonanno. “He was not the most skilled guy, but was an exceptionally hard worker. He was not just a player but a good friend.”
He has the option of continuing hockey at a smaller school that plays the sport.
Even if his hockey career has ended, Moon has no regrets.
“It’s been fun, the best experience of my life,” he said. “If it comes to an end it will be tough to quit, but I loved it.”
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