St Joseph's Prep Hawks

Mars 2 Freeport 2 KITTANNING – Freeport’s hockey program has been an enigma in Class A since coming back into existence in 1995. The Yellow Jackets had only two winning season in their first 12 years of play, but in 05-06 Freeport posted a 14-7-1 mark only to be edged out by Sewickley Academy 3-2 denying the Yellow Jackets their 2nd opportunity to advance to the Penguins Cup semi-finals and their first appearance since the 2002 Serra-Freeport game which left a real sour taste in many people’s mouths. Coach Dave Hepler has a very good nucleus of returning players including the leadership of his son Zack Hepler, who established himself in the Chicago Showcase for Team Pittsburgh as one of the premier defensemen in all of Interscholastic Hockey. Throw in Patrick Spangler, Beau Zack and goaltender Tim Zahumensky and the Yellow Jackets appear to be on course to improve on their performance from a year ago. Mars is off to a 3-0 start and appears to be breathing down the necks of defending Pennsylvania Class A champions Quaker Valley’s neck ranked # 2 in the latest Pa Hockey Elite 8 poll. With wins over Bishop McCort and a convincing win over Serra Catholic, it has many in the Class A uttering that Eric Glover’s Planets will be one of those teams to consider for Penguins Cup contention. After the season’s first month, it would only be guessing at this point and their may be a few more surprise schools in the hunt come March as 8 schools will qualify and try to claim Class A’s top prize. The opening period before a very nice turnout at the Belmont was end to end action with close checking and was scoreless through the first 13 ½ minutes. Freeport would get an opportunity on the power play in the and scored with just :01 left on the clock as John Reichenbach’s shot from the left face off circle beat the Planet’s goaltender Greg Lewis to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead at the end of the opening period. Freeport came out flying in the second period and Patrick Spangler had a great chance on a breakaway with 12:06 to go but lost the handle and never got a decent shot off. Mars would have a power play with 9:10 left, but the Yellow Jackets killed it off. Shane Gallagher had an opening with 5 ½ left in the period, but his backhand would go off the side of the net, but the Jackets would get another chance with the man advantage, prompting a timeout from Mars coach Eric Glover, who sensed a key moment in this game. Glover’s strategy must have paid off at 3:19 as Mike Heltman stole the puck and sped away on the breakaway, which was stopped by Tim Zahumensky, but the Planets Jake Robash pounced on the rebound and chipped it over the Freeport goaltender to tie the game at 1-1. The Yellow Jackets took a penalty with a little over two minutes left prior to the ice cut and Mars would have a chance to take the lead. With :27 seconds to go in the second period, Mars defenseman Stephen Tracy’s slap shot found its way past the Yellow Jacket goaltender to give the Planets a 2-1 lead on a power play goal. In the third period, the pace picked up a bit as did the physical play. Mars had a good chance to widen their lead but Zahumensky stopped Robash on the backhand with 6:21 to go. A Planet’s power play with 5:33 to go went by the wayside and Freeport got another power play with :55 left and the Yellow Jackets tied the game with :07 as Shane Gallagher scored after a scramble in front of the net on a rebound. The teams battled through overtime with chances at both ends but Tim Zahumensky and Greg Lewis were equal to the task and the game ended in a 2-2 tie in a very entertaining hockey game.