PIHL Notebook: 2013-2014 Class AA Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, October 14, 2013 | 10:25 AM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook” as we continue out countdown to faceoff on October 28 with a full team-by-team preview. Last week we took you inside every team in Class AAA. This week it’s time for Class AA to take center stage.

All of the sections have a new look, starting with Section 1 where rebuilding (but possibly ready to break out) West Allegheny joins Penguins Cup semifinalists Bishop Canevin and Chartiers Valley. Section 2 is the only one where all the teams competed together last season with Moon and North Hills likely to again duel for the crown while Montour continues looking for the return path to success. Section 3 is easily the biggest wildcard with Erie Cathedral Prep and Hampton facing off with the newly formed Armstrong program, a merger of the Kittanning and Ford City programs. How good can this squad be? They won a collective 30 regular season games in 2012-13, scoring a total of 324 goals. The Wildcats made an appearance in the Class A Semifinals while the Sabers captured the Open Cup. Think expectations will be high for Armstrong? You think correctly. Last but certainly not least, defending state champion Latrobe highlights Section 4, with any competition for first place likely coming from Plum unless Franklin Regional can drastically change its fortunes of recent years.

(Teams listed in order of 2012-13 winning percentage)

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE:

SECTION 1:

Bishop Canevin Crusaders

2012-13 Record: 16-1-2, 34 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 102 GF, 36 GA, 228 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in Semifinals

2012-13 Three Stars: Patrick Large (21 G, 22 A); Christopher Reda (9 G, 28 A); Nikita Meskin (9-1-1, 1.80 GAA, 0.922 SV%, 2 SO)

Chartiers Valley Colts

2012-13 Record: 14-4-1, 29 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 121 GF, 54 GA, 314 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in Semifinals

2012-13 Three Stars: Anthony Franks (34 G, 32 A); Cullen McMahon (40 G, 25 A); Noah Stevenson (10-3-1, 3.04 GAA, 0.882 SV%, 1 SO)

West Allegheny Indians

2012-13 Record: 5-12-2, 12 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 76 GF, 95 GA, 445 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2012-13 Three Stars: Jess Ligas (21 G, 15 A); Sean Weber (12 G, 19 A); Matthew Grebosky (12 G, 11 A)

SECTION 2:

Moon Tigers

2012-13 Record: 10-6-3, 23 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 94 GF, 74 GA, 250 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2012-13 Three Stars: Trevor Handlovitch (22 G, 23 A); Austin Siebert (23 G, 16 A); J.T. Cillo-Owens (10-6-2, 3.72 GAA, 0.892 SV%, 1 SO)

North Hills Indians

2012-13 Record: 8-11-0, 16 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 81 GF, 98 GA, 285 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in First Round

2012-13 Three Stars: Brett Berner (28 G, 17 A); Tyler Heisel (13 G, 23 A); Tyler Volz (15 G, 13 A)

Montour Spartans

2012-13 Record: 1-18-0, 2 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 25 GF, 118 GA, 313 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2012-13 Three Stars: Brian Luebbe (10 G, 2 A); Brian Gerstel (6 G, 2 A); Sean Sigel (1 G, 7 A)

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE:

SECTION 3:

Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers

2012-13 Record: 13-6-0, 26 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 113 GF, 71 GA, 305 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2012-13 Three Stars: Jimmy Bufalino (22 G, 20 A); Benjamin Eliason (12 G, 19 A); Grant Kennedy (9-2-0, 3.66 GAA, 0.821 SV%)

Hampton Talbots

2012-13 Record: 10-7-2, 22 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 92 GF, 62 GA, 250 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2012-13 Three Stars: Zachary Kosick (31 G, 18 A); Ethan Homitz (18 G, 19 A); Cam Raidna (10-7-2, 3.23 GAA, 0.871 SV%, 3 SO)

Armstrong

2012-13 Record: 13-8-1, 27 PTS (Kittanning); 17-2-1, 35 PTS (Ford City)

2012-13 Team Stats: 136 GF, 65 GA, 145 PIM (Kittanning); 188 GF, 41 GA, 297 PIM (Ford City)

2012-13 playoffs: Lost in Semifinals (Kittanning); Won Chiefs Cup & Open Cup (Ford City)

2012-13 Three Stars: Kittanning = Christian Miller (45 G, 37 A); Hunter Grafton (38 G, 43 A); Cameron Langham (12-5-1, 2.29 GAA, 0.912 SV%, 2 SO); Ford City = Jesse Valasek (39 G, 32 A); Josh Oliver (13 G, 35 A); Adam Cogley (14-1-1, 2.26 GAA, 0.883 SV%, 1 SO)

SECTION 4:

Latrobe Wildcats

2012-13 Record: 16-3-0, 32 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 123 GF, 31 GA, 204 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Won Penguins Cup & Pennsylvania Cup

2012-13 Three Stars: Josh Singley (21 G, 30 A); Adam Ferguson (19 G, 24 A); Shane Brudnok (15-3-0, 1.73 GAA, 0.919 SV%, 3 SO)

Plum Mustangs

2012-13 Record: 8-10-1, 17 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 79 GF, 84 GA, 316 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2012-13 Three Stars: Andrew Walters (24 G, 24 A); Joe Randazzo (27 G, 13 A); David Stonebraker (12 G, 13 A)

Franklin Regional Panthers

2012-13 Record: 0-19-0, 0 PTS

2012-13 Team Stats: 31 GF, 188 GA, 353 PIM

2012-13 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2012-13 Three Stars: Nico Cecere (10 G, 7 A); Austin Avampato (7 G, 6 A); Riley Fagan (4 G, 2 A)

And with that, we are halfway through our 2013-14 PIHL season preview. Check back next Monday for a look at the landscape in Class A. Your home for the 2014 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!