LEWISTON — Holderness School sits just north of Lake Winnipesaukee, in Plymouth, New Hampshire, a 105-mile trek from Lewiston.

That’s where the Maine Nordiques started to build their foundation for the inaugural season, as they had eyes on goalie Connor Androlewicz and forwards Isaiah Fox and Kevin Pitts. The three were instrumental in leading the Bulls to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council’s small school final — where Holderness lost to the Tilton School 5-2 — as Fox (30 goals and 24 assists) and Pitts (21 goals and 33 assists) led the team with 54 points on the season.

Androlewicz was Holderness’ starter and had a 2.88 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.

He was also the first player officially announced by the Nordiques to sign a tender and played the role of recruiter.

“Fox was tendered (in another league) and Pitts was up in the air on what he wanted to do, whether that was the (Canadian Hockey League) or Canadian (Junior “A”) league,” Androlewicz said. “I kind of told them, ‘Hey, I am a part of this, I think you guys should be a part of this here because it’s going to be something special.”

His teammates soon followed during spring break.

“We were at my house, there were like 10 of my friends at my house,” Fox said. “(Pitts) was there and I got the call, and (the Nordiques) sent me the (tender contract) and I signed it with all of them.”

Pitts signed later that day.

The friendship of Fox and Pitts extends back to before they started playing together at Holderness.

“With me being a (1999)-birth-year (player) and this being my last junior year, it’s important to play with two of my buddies that I have grown with the past couple of years,” Pitts said. “It makes the last year that more fun for me.”

Unlike Fox and Pitts, who grew up in Quebec, Androlewicz is from St. Louis, Missouri, and he said when he arrived at Holderness he felt comfortable.

“The whole Holderness community is small,” Androlewicz said. “Everyone kind of knows who you are, everyone knows what you do. It’s a pretty tight-knit, close community. It was easy to feel welcomed there.”

The transition for the three from prep school hockey to junior hockey has been smooth on the surface. Fox and Pitts are continuing to put up points, as Fox (seven goals and nine assists) has 16 and Pitts (six goals and nine assists) has 15. That puts them third and fourth, respectively, on the team.

Still, there has been growing pains facing bigger and faster players compared to prep school hockey the three have been used to.

“The transition has been pretty difficult, a lot of big bodies in the league,” Fox said. “As soon as you play a couple of games, then it comes pretty easy.”

Maine Nordiques coach Nolan Howe saw the three needed some work in all facets, both on and off the ice, but sees the potential in them.

“I think with those three guys, it starts with their character,” Howe said. “Also, at the same time, all three of them would be the first ones to tell you they had some growing up to do. That’s where our junior hockey opportunity is great for these young men to come in, grow up a little bit on and off the ice. Iron out areas of their game where they can improve, and the same time build confidence.”

Fox, who was a shoot-first player at the prep school level, has changed his mentality slightly as he has been looking for his teammates more this season.

For Pitts, after all the preseason training camps he got adjusted well to the new level.

“After main camp and training camp, I got used to the speed and now I am fully adjusted,” Pitts said. “It took us a couple games to get on a roll and get some points. I think at prep school we were playing against younger guys, smaller guys, it was easier to have the puck and put the puck in the net when we wanted to. Here it’s different, less time with the puck and you are always pressured (by the opponent).”

For Fox, he has also had a knack for sticking up for his teammates, as he leads the team with 117 penalty minutes. The majority of the minutes have been because of ten-minute and game misconducts, and in most cases defending a teammate.

“I am going to keep (the penalty minutes) down, but if my teammates go down, I am going to help them,” Fox said. “Like (Nov. 15), (Derek) Hessinger went down, there was no choice (but) to help him. I try to do those little things.”

On Nov. 15 in a 6-4 victory over the Johnstown Tomahawks, Fox received a 10-minute misconduct as he went to defend Hessinger after Hessinger was cross-checked in the back by Johnstown’s Carson Gallagher, who received a double-minor for the infraction.

Pitts said Fox has been always someone who has defended his teammates when they were in trouble.

For Androlewicz, not only is he the first tender to sign with the Nordiques, but he also committed to the University of Maine the same weekend that he signed with the Nordiques. He said the transition from prep to junior hockey has been a big step, as he’s 8-9-0 with a 3.57 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.

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