St Joseph's Prep Hawks

Mars 5 Quaker Valley 2

CRANBERRY –

        Mars (6-0-0) is off to a quick start under first year Varsity coach Tim Coleman, who has been with the program for a few years. The Planets dispatched Serra Catholic 3-0 last week and are holding down a # 1 ranking in the Post Gazette / Pa Hockey Poll for week 5 and as we know that really doesn’t mean much at this point of the season, but for Mars who hasn’t been ranked # 1 a whole lot in the history of their program, I am sure the eyebrows are raised when anyone mentions it. The Class A schedule is filled with lot’s of yawners, but when you say Quaker Valley, it gets even more attention. 

        Quaker Valley (6-1-0) is off to another nice start and after being ranked # 1 for the entire 2006-07 campaign, they are testimony that rankings don’t mean a whole lot. After the Quakers were dispatched in last year’s Penguins Cup Class A final by Freeport after being everyone’s consensus choice to repeat as State Champions, I am sure Kevin Quinn will tell you that they still have a little sting. Back to work for a program, that year in and year out for the last nine years has been a part of the Class A chase, QV now is taking a little different role in 2007-08 and I am sure they are not telling anyone. You see sometimes just being a part of the process of contending is something that the Quakers are used to and Mars is just beginning to be a part of with last years Semi-Final appearance and don’t be surprise if these two teams meet again in March, when the playoff bell rings.

          After some nice crisp play in the opening period and no score at 4:44 of the opening period Colin South found an opening and took a nice centering feed from George Jackson and buried a shot shot past Greg Lewis to give QV a 1-0 lead. Mars went on the power play at 4:10, Zack Taylor made some solid stops and his defense contributed some very nice blocks in front of him as the Quakers held a 1-0 lead after one period.

          Mars rebounded early in the 2^nd and Mike Mazzota forced a turnover and Ian Finney made it count beating Zach Taylor over the glove side to tie the game at one apiece at 13:28.  Quaker Valley turned up the heat and had a very good chance to go ahead as Rob Balotsky’s shot from the slot fluttered and Greg Lewis made the save with 8:06 to go. Great hustle by John Chilcots drew a penalty and put the Quakers on the power play at 5:31. Mars played opportunist at 4:59 as Mike Heltman won the puck out of the corner and beat Taylor on the backhand for a shorthanded goal and a 2-1 Mars lead. Then after the Planets killed the penalty, they scored again at 3:14 as Tyler Whiteford scored on a wrist shot that handcuffed Zach Taylor to make it a 3-1 count.

         On to the third period and Quaker Valley got a break with 12:06 to go as Lee Drake’s long shot on the ice found it’s way through traffic and past the stoick side inside the post to cut the Mars advantage to 3-2. Lewis made a real nice stop on QV’s George Jackson from on the doorstep at 11:19. Mars answered as Ryan Magdenic’s shot from the left point down on the ice at 9:58 beat Zach Taylor through the 5-hole and crushed all of the momentum built by the Quakers in the first five minutes of the period to give the Planets a 4-2 lead. Colin South beat the Mars defense on the power play, but could not beat Greg Lewis on the backhand at 7:47. The Quakers would get a golden opportunity at 7:33 with a 5 on 3 for a minute and five seconds. Mars dug in and killed off the penalties led by some great work by Mike Heltman to limit the high-powered Quaker chances. Mars put another dagger in the Quaker chances as MattWingert re-directed a Brady Sipe  shot from the left  point with 3:58 to go to make it 5-2 in give Mars a firm grip on this hockey game. Mars went on to hold off QV over the final minutes of the contest and took a stranglehold on the # 1 spot in Class A by defeating its two main foes who will challenge the Planets for the 2008 Penguins Cup.