PIHL High School Hockey News and Notes – 12/06/2010

By: Bruce Markey
Monday, December 6, 2010 | 12:00 AM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL News and Notes,” your continuing source for all the scholastic hockey happenings you may not hear about on “The PIHL Power Play.” Just call this year’s edition of McDowell “The Cardiac Kids” with all the one-goal games – and this group is winning them all.

Meanwhile, Chartiers Valley has its eye on a first-round bye in the 2011 Penguins Cup Playoffs, and Quigley seems to be getting its groove back. Plus, we have some classic rivalries to preview and a battle for first place in Section 3 of the Open Class. So join us once again for a look at what else is happening in each classification…

PIHL CLASS AAA:

Trojans Keeping Fans on Edge of Their Seats

Five wins, including two in overtime – this is the line on McDowell (5-1-1) in games decided by a single goal, and it’s why the Trojans currently sit atop Section 2. A quick look at the team stats is all you need to know there have been plenty of close ones – 24 goals for and 22 allowed. One might question strength of schedule since all those victories came over sub-500 teams, but hold the phone. McDowell hung tough with the defending Penguins Cup champions in a 5-2 loss on November 12 at Canon-McMillan and skated to a 3-3 tie with section rival North Allegheny in the season opener on October 19. The OT wins on the Trojans’ resume include a 3-2 decision at Mount Lebanon on October 25 and a 5-4 triumph at State College on November 18. For proof this group can win in all situations, compare a 6-5 shootout against Hempfield on November 1 to a 2-1 stifling of 2010 silver medalist Seneca Valley a week later. Offensively, it’s been a team effort, with only one double-digit scorer through the first six games in junior Ryan Guzek (9 G, 6 A). At the other end, senior backstop Andrew Greaves has starred with a 3-0-0 mark, 2.28 GAA and 0.900 save percentage out of the gate. The Trojans will host Baldwin tonight before getting a week to prepare for a visit to red-hot Fox Chapel. McDowell will then close out the first half with a trip to section opponent Butler on December 20.

GAME OF THE WEEK – SECTION 1
Bethel Park Black Hawks (2-3-1) @ Mount Lebanon Blue Devils (2-4-0)
Monday, December 6, 9:10 PM @ Mount Lebanon Ice Arena
The skinny: Neither team has sprinted out of the gate, with Bethel coming off a loss which dips them below .500 while Lebo has dropped three straight after a 2-1-0 start. That being said, when these two get together, throw everything out the window and expect a close hockey game. Senior Mike Seifert (3 G, 7 A) has paced the Black Hawks while Evan Hanberry (4 G, 3 A) leads the Blue Devils. The game-breaker here could be Bethel junior Daniel Kucerovy (7 G, 2 A), though, with all of his goals coming in the last three contests. Last year brought a 1-1 tie at Mount Lebanon and a 4-3 win at home for Bethel Park.

PIHL CLASS AA:

Colts Riding Toward High Seed

Only two teams in Class AA have scored more goals than Chartiers Valley (5-2-0) so far, a big reason why the Colts are riding a four-game winning streak and find themselves in the hunt for one of two opening round byes in the 2011 postseason. In fact, only one team has held this group under four goals in a game, Section 3 leader Bishop Canevin in a 6-1 victory on November 1. The Colts have outscored the opposition 28-8 since then, coming off an 8-0 thumping of Franklin Regional on Friday night in which Justin Sabilla (19 G, 6 A) and Bob Tracy (10 G, 10 A) each put up three goals and added three assists. Sabilla’s performance has him one goal away from possibly being the first in the class to hit 20 while Tracy cracked the 20-point barrier. Chartiers Valley has yet to show much scoring depth beyond those two, with Bryan Waldon (4 G, 6 A) the only other player to reach the 10-point mark so far, something which will have to improve down the stretch if the Colts want to be a serious contender. Goaltender Noah Stevenson has also been heating up, posting save percentages over 0.900 in three of the four wins, including the shutout. The road ahead will not be an easy one, though. Greensburg Central Catholic pays a visit tonight, and Chartiers Valley better use this to work out any kinks, because a trip to Latrobe on Thursday and a home rematch with the Crusaders to close out the first half next Monday are yet to come.

GAME OF THE WEEK – NON-SECTION
Pine-Richland Rams (3-3-0) @ West Allegheny Indians (3-1-2)
Monday, December 6, 7:00 PM @ Airport Ice Arena
The skinny: The Rams have lost three in a row after bursting back onto the Class AA scene with a hat trick of wins. Meanwhile, last year’s Penguins Cup bridesmaid is unbeaten in five straight, including back-to-back ties, after losing 4-0 to Latrobe in a season opening rematch of the 2010 gold medal game. Seniors Julian Rizza (7 G, 6 A) and Ryan Hanahan (5 G, 5 A) have paced Pine-Richland, who have been idle since November 15. For West Allegheny, it’s all been about the goaltending of junior Jason Kumpfmiller, who has played every minute to post a 1.93 GAA and 0.943 save percentage.

PIHL CLASS A:

Schafer Leads Hilltoppers and Scoring Race

Although Corey Schafer (13 G, 12 A) came up empty in a 4-1 loss at Serra Catholic on Thursday night, Westmont Hilltop (6-1-0) still finds itself in the top half of the Class A playoff bracket, and much of it is owed to the aforementioned junior forward. After all, Schafer finds himself tied for first in the class scoring race with the Eagles’ sophomore Tyler Speis, and it should prove to be an interesting competition with five other players over the 20-point mark. For his part, Schafer recorded all 25 points to date in his first five games, including two seven-point performances on November 11 at Beaver (3 G, 4 A) and at South Fayette on November 30 (4 G, 3 A), factoring into all of the Hilltoppers’ goals in the latter contest. He scored at least two goals in all five tilts, with multiple assists and the last four. Schafer has gotten plenty of support, though, from juniors Zak Kindya (8 G, 6 A) and Noah McQuillan (8 G, 7 A) along with senior Andy Herbert (2 G, 9 A) while the team has been under four goals only twice. Between the pipes, newcomer Sebastian Rango (2-0-0, 1.29 GAA, 0.917 SV %, 1 SO) has made a big impression while junior Adam Ayre (4-1-0, 3.86 GAA, 0.809 SV %) may need to pick it up a little. Westmont will visit Deer Lakes tonight and host Quaker Valley on Thursday before closing out the first half with a home game against Section 4 leader Kittanning next Monday night.

GAME OF THE WEEK – SECTION 1
Hampton Talbots (6-1-0) @ Knoch Knights (2-6-0)
Monday, December 6, 9:00 PM @ Valley Sports Complex
The skinny: At first glance, this one may not look like much, but these two have battled hard for the section crown in recent years, and the Knights may be righting the ship with two straight wins. Still, halting Hampton’s six-game streak will be a huge challenge, especially considering only Mars has allowed fewer goals on the young season. Sophomore Luke Leya (10 G, 7 A) leads the Talbots, coming off a five-point (2 G, 3 A) performance at South Fayette on Thursday. Meanwhile, fellow sophomore Mike Rykaczewski (12 G, 6 A), was simultaneously putting up seven points (4 G, 3 A) for Knoch at Beaver.

PIHL OPEN CLASS:

Spartans Getting Their Groove Back

The 2009-10 campaign was a rough one for Quigley (6-1-0) as the Spartans learned how to play without former superstar Grant Faulkner. The growing pains were evident as they managed only half of the ’08-’09 goal total which propelled them to a Nailers Cup title. This season is a whole different story, though, and Quigley has won six in a row by a 47-13 margin to prove it. It’s not just the offense, though, tied for second in the class with 48 goals. The defense deserves just as much credit. Consider even the aforementioned gold medal team allowed over 100 goals, but Quigley would allow just 63 this year at the current pace. Senior William Martin (15 G, 11 A), junior Doug Simon (9 G, 10 A) and sophomore Nicholas Santiago (11 G, 6 A) have set the tone for an offense which has already cracked 10 goals on three separate occasions. Santiago is coming off a five-goal performance in a 7-2 win at Section 2 rival Keystone Oaks on Friday while Martin has a point in every game with multiple points throughout the current winning streak and a pair of four-goal nights. At the other end, senior backstop Matt Vicinie (3-0-0, 2.37 GAA, 0.921 SV %) has set the tone. The Spartans have an action-packed December with a trio of section games, one tonight against Blackhawk and two against Carrick. Sandwiched in between the latter two, though, is one of those nights you circle on the schedule – a trip to Wheeling Central Catholic on December 13 in a game which could help decide the top seed in the 2011 Nailers Cup Playoffs.

GAME OF THE WEEK – SECTION 3
Ford City Sabers (6-1-0) @ Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers (5-2-0)
Monday, December 6, 7:00 PM @ Galactic Ice
The skinny: First place is on the line when these two lock horns tonight. The Sabers are on a six-game tear and tied with John Marshall as the top offense in the class with 49 goals. Senior David Lowry (8 G, 12 A) has led the way along with junior Kevin (9 G, 10 A) and sophomore Jesse Valasek (6 G, 10 A). Meanwhile, the Golden Tigers have won two straight, guided by sophomore playmaker Sam Lafferty (7 G, 15 A). The X-factor here could be whether Macky Power (10 G, 6 A) makes an appearance for Hollidaysburg, having registered 16 points in just three games.

Don’t miss the next episode of “The PIHL Power Play” with Adam Hoerner and Josh Rowntree coming up Wednesday on the MSA Sports Network. We’ll check in with Elizabeth Forward senior Justin Delmaster to discuss the Warriors’ quest for the playoffs, chat with Hampton coach Brad Lloyd about the view from atop the Class A heap, and hear from Harbor Creek bench boss Rob Spitzer about why the new kids on the block have a real shot at gold in March. It’s all happening on Wednesday night from 8:00 to 9:00 on your exclusive home for the 2011 Penguins Cup Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network!