Churchill Chargers - 1977 & 1979 AAA

VALENCIA - Pine Richland has been to the Penguin Cup semi-final round each of the past five years and was looking for a return trip again to atone for a loss in the Penguin Cup last season. The Rams would have to do it without Randy Bauer, who was attending a meaningless practice for his amateur team (he has already committed to the Forge for next season). Latrobe, on the other hand, was still basking over their OT victory over arch rival Greensburg CC last week in the first round. The Wildcats were looking to go where no Latrobe team has ever gone. Pine Richland pressured in the first period and outshoot Latrobe 14-8, but could not beat Matt Bloom. Then with 3:43 remaining in the first, Nick Loughner gathered a loose puck and beat Danny Mills on the wraparound to make it 1-0. On to the second period and Pine Richland continued its onslaught on Bloom but were held off the board. The Rams may have been pressing tooo much as Josh Fajt caught their defense sleeping as he took a Matt Makoski pass and scored on the breakaway to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. The Rams were not done yet as Ryan Tessmer deflected a J.R. Swan shot past the Latorbe keeper with just :10 seconds left to cut the lead to 2-1 at the break. Pine Richland came out flying in the third as Bloom made a great save on Adam Fodor at 14:01. The Rams continued to try to get the equalizer as Jon Schwerer hit the post with a little over 6 1/2 to play. A couple of near misses ensued as PR could not buy a goal. Then with the goalie pulled, Josh Fajt found the empty net to help Latrobe close out the scoring and send the Wildcats to the Penguin Cup Semi-Finals for the first time in their history since 1981 !

Congratulations to Penn State University and Coach Joe Battista for their 3rd Straight ACHA Division 1 National Championship [Battista named 2002 ACHA Division 1 Coach of the Year !] Congratulations to Robert Morris University and Coach Mike Josephs for their 1st ever ACHA Division 3 National Championship ! Click on Title to see all the ACHA Schools !

See the results of the 2002 Chicago Showcase for Team Philadelphia and Team Pittsburgh

CASTLE SHANNON - West Allegheny started the 2001-2002 season with a 1-4-1 start after a tough loss to Bishop McCort. The Indians knew they had a decent team and figured this may be their year if they could put the pieces together. Steel Valley had suprised many after two victories over Serra Catholic and a tie with McCort and this young Ironmen squad was looking to test its newfound confidence in the playoffs. The Ironmen came out pressing in the first period outshooting WA 13-6, but Phil Sweet kept them off the board. Meanwhile, Derek Keller found a Matt Knapp rebound and chipped it over Dave Kwolek to give the Indians a 1-0 lead at 11:27. Finally, at 2:03 of the 1st, Jim Barka trickled an Allen Zivic rebound past Sweet to tie the game at 1-1. On to the second and on the power play it was Josh Fuoco, taking a great pass from Knapp through traffic and burying a wrist shot to give the Indians a 2-1 lead, which they took to the intermission. In the third period, Steel Valley continued its onslaught on Sweet, who was equal to the task. Then Keller caught the SV defense pinching too much and stripped the puck and was in alone and beat Kwolek to give the Indians a huge goal and a 3-1 lead at 8:30. Steel Valley came right back as Gary Gerson scored at 3:20 to make it 3-2. With the Ironmen continuing to press for the tying goal, Tom Quinn stole the puck and scored on another breakaway at 2:40 for a big insurance goal and Matt Knapp sealed the victory with an empty netter with 21 seconds left as West Allegheny scored a big upset victory and a trip to Johnstown to face Bishop McCort next week.

CORAOPOLIS - Quigley had the momemtum coming into the playoffs and they had the experience of the past few playoff years. Besides, Elizabeth Forward is fielding its first varsity team in 4 years and they should be happy with their season, shouldn't they ? Somebody forgot to tell them ! The Warriors came out flying in the first period as Joe Persang and Mike Mitchko tallied and gave EF a 2-0 lead with goals 14 seconds apart and a shot advantage of 8-1. Back came the Spartans late in the opening frame as Jason DiVito took a great pass from Allen Randolph and cut the lead to 2-1. EF's freshman stud Jeremy Delmaster scored just 19 seconds into the second to stretch the lead back to 3-1. DiVito came back for Quigley and scored on his own rebound to make it 3-2 at 12:34. Then the goaltending picked up as Luke Belsky and Adam Reichl made several key saves in the middle of the period. Then Delmaster got open ice and had a 2 on 1, which he used as a decoy and beat Belsky on the short side to exend the margin to 4-2 at 6:59 and the Warriors took the lead to the locker room. In the third period,Belsky kept the Spartans in the game with several key saves. Then Mike Haney blasted a slapshot past Reichl and the EF lead was now only 4-3 with 7:48 left in regulation. Quigley kept pressing and Reichl shined as he made several key saves to match Belsky including an improbable stop on Haney with just 2:10 to go. EF could taste it now and the Warriors were throwing their bodies in front of Quigley shots and players to keep the slim one goal lead. Then the prayer was answered as Joe Persang flung a long shot into an empty net with 11 seconds remaining and the upstart EF Warriors moved on with an impreesive 5-3 win.