St Joseph's Prep Hawks

Quaker Valley 4 Bishop McCort 2 Coraopolis – The last time a Bishop McCort started the season with no wins after three games many of the current Crusher were not even born yet and in fact the last losing season for McCort was in 1991. So head coach John Bradley isn’t used to such dilemmas for his club and its safe to say that even after an 0-2-1 start, the Crimson Crushers should rebound and make the Penguins Cup playoffs in 2007, which admits anyone who wants to play hockey in March as 8 out of 13 schools in the depleted Class A Division will move on. More important at hand is the seeding that McCort could face if they dig themselves a hole at the beginning of the season, which will be a little more important this season as Mars, Freeport and Beaver look to join the Penguins Cup chase. So a 4th or 5th seed for the Crushers and an all important home game in the 2nd round of the playoffs could mean the Bishop McCort may have to pick up a big win along the way against a team like Quaker Valley and there would be no better time to start than this evenings match-up. Ah ………..State Champions………….sounds nice and has been a long time coming for Kevin Quinn and Quaker Valley, who after they eliminated Sewickley Academy in the semi-finals never looked back in pounding Serra Catholic in the Penguins Cup and then Penncrest in the Class A State Finals to capture their first ever State Championship. Through all of that, the Quakers have developed quite a following with a nice crowd on hand at the Airport for tonight’s matchup. The Quakers are off to a decent start at 2-0-1 and looking to repeat their feat from a year ago. Bishop McCort had the first opportunity on the power play and converted as Jordan Jaco took a Todd Thomas pass and beat Zac Zinger over the glove hand side to give McCort a 1-0 lead. At 6:39 of the opening period, the Crimson Crushers were whistled for too many men on the ice, but QV couldn’t score. Mikail Lemieux had an opportunity on a breakaway with 1:57 left but Danny Mock made the save on the backhand attempt. With less than a minute to go the Crushers went back on the power play and force another penalty in the waning moments of the 1st resulting a minute of 5 on 3 to start the 2nd period. It took only 19 seconds for the Crushers to convert as Shawn James scored to the far post on a give and go with Todd Thomas beating Zinger on the ice to give McCort a 2-0 lead at 14:41. The hole got deeper for the Quakers with another penalty at the 14:00 mark and another 5 on 3 for the Crushers. QV killed off the first minute and the lamp lit on the other side as Mikail Lemieux took a picture perfect pass from Colin South and buried a wrist shot in the upper corner at 12:06 for a shorthanded tally and huge momentum swing with the score 2-1. With 8:47 left in the 2nd period, the Quakers got their chance to tie the game on the power play, but was nullified by a even up call. With 50 seconds in the 2nd period, Colin South threaded a tremendous head man pass to Mikail Lemieux who was behind the Crusher defense and beat Danny Mock on the backhand to tie the hockey game at two apiece. Thrd period. QV goaltender Zac Zinger made two real nice stops in the opening minute of third period. On a four on four at 12:07, Jason Moisey scored on a slap shot from the right point, which snuck behind Cory Mock to give QV their first lead 3-2. With 4:27 remaining in regulation McCort went on the power play and QV would be without Lemieux and South on their way to the important Hornet’s practice, but the Quakers stiffened and killed it off. Greg Dyer closed it out with an empty netter with 14.8 ticks left and the Quakers captured a 4-2 victory over McCort, leaving the Crushers winless on the season at 0-3-1, while QV moved to 3-0-1.