Young Chartiers Valley hockey players adjust to varsity level

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 7, 2017 | 3:15 AM

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In his first season as Chartiers Valley's hockey coach, Paul Bonetti took a veteran team that wasn't accustomed to winning and led it to the playoffs. The Colts went 11-5-2 and lost in overtime to Westmont Hilltop in the first round of the PIHL Class A Penguins Cup tournament.

For his next trick, Bonetti will try to take a team short on varsity experience and make it into a winner.

“It's just a different challenge,” he said. “These guys were JV guys who won. Now it's getting them to varsity and showing them they can win at this level.”

The Colts lost their opener to Thomas Jefferson, a Penguins Cup semifinalist last season, 6-2. The score was tied 2-2 midway through the third period, but, Bonetti said, CV took some penalties that enabled the Jaguars to pull away down the stretch.

That was inexperience creeping in. There also is a depth factor as the Colts are barely above the PIHL minimum roster size.

The program is, however, growing in small increments. Bonetti said all three levels have a couple more players than last season, although some folks around the district still are learning CV even has a hockey team.

Winning is the best PR agent. Last season was a good start, and Bonetti is determined to nurture this young group back to the playoffs.

“With our numbers the way they are, there's probably some guys who are playing up,” he said. “You have to rush them a level too soon.

“It will come. We're going to be better in December than we are now, and we're going to be better in March than we are in December.”

The Colts return only four skaters from last season, plus goalie Brandon Edwards. Edwards was an all-star, posting a 3.24 goals-against average and a save percentage of .893.

Michael Sedlak is back after recording 20 points (13 goals, 7 assists) in the 2016-17 season, and Mathew Storar brings back his 21 points (10, 11).

Storar also is the team's vocal leader and acts as an extra set of eyes and ears for Bonetti on the ice. He often will approach Bonetti during practices and games with suggestions or point out where the team might have missed an assignment.

Trevor Stevenson and Nathan Kraemer anchor the defense in front of Edwards. Bonetti calls Stevenson the best defenseman in Class A.

“If he's not the best, I don't know who is,” Bonetti said.

The rest is up to a large batch of young players.

Sophomore Luke Vaughn is expected to contribute after getting playing time last season and scoring in the Colts' playoff game. Caleb Stevenson, Trevor's cousin, also has shown promise in the early going.

Bonetti said he is not a fan of so-called moral victories but took some positives from the game against Thomas Jefferson. The Colts showed flashes of what they could become, he said. It just will take some time to get there.

“Things move a lot faster (in varsity). The plays they could make last year, they cannot make right now,” Bonetti said. “You have to move the puck up, pass it and get your shot off. A lot of these guys were very good JV players, but varsity is a whole other level.”

Chuck Curti is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at ccurti@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CCurti_Trib.

Tags: Chartiers Valley