St Joseph's Prep Hawks

2004 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships PITTSBURGH – Malvern Prep 4 Mt Lebanon 3 Mt Lebanon came into the 2004 Pennsylvania Cup Class AAA game on a roll in defeating defending Pennsylvania Class AAA champions Meadville 3-0 at the Mellon Arena on March 28th. The Blue Devils have had their greatest season since they opened the Mt Lebanon Recreation Center way back in 1977 and were looking to capture their first State Championship since 1976 and just for a little good luck the head coach of that team Mickey McDermott and his star goaltender Rich Cunningham, paid a little visit to the Robert Morris Neville Island Sports Center and sat way up in the top row of the end zone to root on the Blue Devils along with the entire borough of Mt Lebanon including Alumni, students in a jam packed arena. Mt Lebanon’s team has been built by head coach Paul Taibi with one goal in mind and believe me, Taibi is a coach who understands the process of what it takes to win a State Championship after serving many years with Bethel Park. Every amount of energy in scouting and working with an excellent group of kids and parents has been expended to this point and Mt Lebanon now faced a monumental challenge against a hungry team, who has lost three consecutive State Championships by just one goal and was looking to make it four, Malvern Prep has been to the State Finals each of the past four years and has been the dominant teams in the Eastern half of the State for a half dozen or so. The Friars have only one State Championship to show for their efforts in 1990, which may frustrate some teams but not Malvern Prep. Head coach John Graves had a little prediction he wanted to share with me and a great gathering of conversation with myself, the Radnor coaching staff and parents, a super group of Archbishop Carroll folks, Philly Inquirer writer Joe Santoloquito and of course Father Ed Casey [who is a staple of the Friar program], who on Friday night and I made a promise to myself that I would tell no one about that prediction. Since 1990, the Eastern Pennsylvania teams have not swept the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships and that was the year Malvern Prep won it and When coach Graves visited me prior to this years Championship game not more than a half hour before the game, I told him that it was his turn to hold up what he said Friday night which was ‘we are going to win ALL three tomorrow’. So after Radnor and Archbishop Carroll won the Class A and Class AA Pennsylvania Cups, Malvern Prep seemed destined and especially after they were almost extinguished by Holy Ghost Prep in the Flyers Cup semis and down 4-1 in the middle of the second. Chris Campanale became the official spokesperson for the Friars with a hat trick followed and a big 6-4 comeback victory with five teammates including star forward Warren Byrne, goaltender Mark Cetola and Campanale’s four year teammate defenseman Will Averona in the stands. Complete faith is what I call it of a coach in his players to reach a goal set and Graves calmly decided to name Mark Cetola starting goaltender in favor of Flyers Cup MVP freshman Bryan Mountain. The first period was a clean hard hitting period as Malvern Prep showed why they are the most talented offensive team in the State outshooting Mt Lebanon 12-6, but Matt Vaughn continued his outstanding goaltending that has only yielded one goal in his first four playoff games. An interesting contrast in defensive hockey by Mt Lebanon and pressing offense by Malvern Prep of attacking and countering took place as the score remained 0-0 at the end of one period. On to the second and the Malvern pressure yielded a rare turnover by the Mt Lebanon defense and Justin Martin buried a wrist shot high over the glove side of Matt Vaughn at 13:41 for a 1-0 Friar advantage. Mt Lebanon went on the power play at 13:08 and Dan Wilen made a great play to strip the puck of a Malvern forward and then finished off some nice work by Eric Sloan and Tony Valerino, to pounce on a rebound and tie the game at one apiece at 11:25. The teams exchanged power plays in the middle of the period as Mt Lebanon carried the play with an 11-8 shot advantage for the 2nd period and the Blue Devils would take the lead on a turnover by the Malvern Prep defense as Bryan Colligan deposited a wrist shot through the 5-hole of Mark Cetola at 1:17 after a nice effort by James Cichra and Mt Lebanon was fifteen minutes away from erasing 28 years since its last state title. Malvern’s goaltender Mark Cetola kept his team within one goal early in the third period robbing Cichra from in close at 14:33. Warren Byrne, who had been very quiet in the 2004 playoffs, delivered a huge goal less than a minute later as his shot took a weird deflection which fooled Matt Vaughn and sailed high over the glove hand of the Mt Lebanon goaltender to tie the game with 13:48 left in regulation at 2-2. Mt Lebanon looked to regain the lead as Malvern took two undisciplined penalties in a row at 13:20 and 10:41, but Malvern had the best scoring chance as Byrne was in on the breakaway, but Matt Vaughn stopped him at 10:30. The Blue Devils would counter as Eric Sloan took a pass just inside the blue line and split the Malvern Prep defense and like lightning chipped the puck on the backhand high over the glove side of Mark Cetola for a 3-2 lead with 8:51 left in regulation. Malvern Prep did not panick and Byrne took the puck from his own end and skated it into the Mt Lebanon zone and cut across the ice and fired a low wrist shot to the far stick side beating Matt Vaughn to tie the score with 5:34 to play in the third period. Less than a minute later, Mt Lebo’s Billy Leckenby had a great opportunity to give the Blue Devils the lead again but Mark Cetola came up with a big pad save at 4:29 to keep the score 3-3. Less than a minute later Nick Averona beat the Mt Lebanon defense to the puck and pushed it to the corner where Keith Ennis found it who fed Tim Horn who buried a wrist shot to give Malvern Prep a 4-3 lead with 3:59 remaining in regulation. Mt Lebanon pressed for the equalizer but could not beat Cetola, who stopped 26 of 29 shots and Malvern Prep claimed its first Pennsylvania Cup Class AAA State Championship in 14 years with a thrilling 4-3 victory over an excellent Mt Lebanon team. For Malvern Prep a little redemption for three empty prior trips to the State Finals for John Graves and the last player off the ice for Malvern Prep was Will Averona, who now can put behind him the infamous ‘stick measurement’ at Rostraver in 2002 and finally after four years can lay claim along with his teammates to the best team in the State of Pennsylvania as 2004 Pennsylvania High School Hockey champions and the prediction of his coach who predicted a sweep and his team delivered the final piece to the puzzle.

From: Matt Sacks - Breakaway Monthly Magazine ! From the Breakaway Message Board - 4/11/04 Apr 11, 04 - 11:31 PM Pittsburgh Hospitality I would like to personally thank a few people from Pittsburgh for their hospitality this weekend at the State Championships. First I would like to thank Serra Catholic coach, Tom Mooney, who after being out-smarted by Radnor coach Ed Ritti about the eligibility of an assistant coach, decided to make sure that no photographers were allowed on the Radnor bench. Good call coach Mooney, you sure showed Radnor who’s boss, photographers often influence the outcome of hockey games! I would also like to thank PIHL Commisioner Ed Sam, who generously allowed me to observe three consecutive hockey games while standing on a 12 foot ladder so that I could get my camera lens over the glass. I appreciate the professional courtesy that you extended to me after my five hour drive and our specific conversation about where I would be taking pictures from. I don’t want to speak for coach Hammond, but I think he would also like to thank you for allowing the photographer that HE PAID FOR, to view the game next to me and on that same ladder after I was through with it. I have sent team pictures to all of the Pittsburgh coaches that have requested them in each of the past four seasons AT NO CHARGE! That will most certainly change! On behalf of Radnor, Carroll and Malvern I would like to thank the PIHL for allowing them to take home their trophies to share with their family, friends and student bodies. I am glad that you EACH decided that a $1,000.00 check apiece would be a sufficient deposit, because anything more might have been thought of as excessive. On behalf of Radnor, I would like to thank you for not having last seasons State Championships team engraved into the trophy with all of the previous winners. I understand that a year may not be enough time to have the engraving done, but what’s the hurry, if you had no intentions of letting them take the trophy home, it wouldn’t really matter if their names were on it. It was also nice of you to insist that Mr. Mills (Malvern’s trainer) return the two “extra” Championship medals that were left over. I am sure the medals that say “2004 State Champions” will be of valuable use to you in the future. Without being sarcastic……I would like to extend my true thanks to Jeff Mauro, Tom Pandolfo and Stu Rulnick I enjoyed talking hockey, breaking bread and having a few glasses of barley and hopps with you guys. I hope you and your teams make it Philly next year, I guarantee that you will be treated differently than we were! And to Greg Dugan who did all he could to clear up “Photo-gate”, unfortunately to no avail. But thanks for the try and the Ladder!

'State of Pa Hockey address' After arriving home Saturday night after the post-Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship feast at Damon’s with Breakaway’s Matt Sacks, NA’s Tom Pandolfo, Plum’s Stu Relnick, Central’s Kevin Zielmanski and Billy Zuri and former Central player and current Junior A player Tim Recio, and a great Friday night and Saturday Morning visit with the Eastern Pa coaches John Graves, Mike Graves and Father Ed Casey of Malvern Prep, Bill Hammonds and his staff at Archbishop Carroll, and finally Ed Ritti III and Dave ‘Cook’ Wood from Radnor, along with some very knowledgable parents from all the teams and the Philly Inquirer’s Joe Santoliquito at the Station Square Sheraton prior to the 2004 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships. At the RMU Neville Island Sports Center an opportunity to visit with coaches, players, media and parents who attended three pretty good hockey games. Always great to see Mickey McDermott and his sidekick for the day, Rich Cunningham to rout on Mt Lebanon and the EHSHL’s Vinnie Sammartino and Inter-County’s Greg Dugan representing the Flyers Cup. I was very disappointed that my good friend Brian Tibbels and Jeff Nolan could not join us due to other obligations, but look forward to re-kindling with those guys real soon! It is now time to reflect on the season. The word redemption comes to mind right away as Malvern Prep redeemed three previous trips to the Class AAA State Finals, winning their first Pennsylvania Cup since 1990 and how about Bill Hammonds Archbishop Carroll Patriots, who seized the moment to win their first State Championship since 1981 after 3 unsuccessful trips in 2000,2001 and 2002and finally, for Radnor, who captured their second straight Class A title and avenged a loss to Serra Catholic in the 2002 title. An Eastern Pennsylvania sweep for the first time since 1990 sends a loud message to Western Pennsylvania that the dominance in the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships enjoyed by Western Pennsylvania should not be taken for granted. Here in Western Pa, applause for a great season for Mt Lebanon, who rose to the top winning their 1st Penguins Cup since 1985 in Class AAA. And for Peters Twp for winning their 3rd straight Penguins Cup in Class AA after losing many key players and reloading with youth during the season and into the playoffs. And for Serra Catholic, who lost their head coach John Mooney, but rallied with a very small roster and captured their 4th Penguins Cup in five seasons. Many breakthrough seasons were evident in Western Pennsylvania as Upper St Clair made it to Western Pa’s final 4, Indiana came within six seconds of de-throning Peters Twp in the Penguins Cup final and Somerset won their first ever playoff game on their way to the Class A finals. In Eastern Pa. we say Bravo ! to the Flyers Cup committee, who took bold steps of creditability to formalize the format of the seedings of the 2004 Flyers Cup. And a commitment from the Leagues to establishing classifications criteria prior to the season for each of the Flyers Cup participants. The growth of the Eastern Pennsylvania Leagues has produced over 100 varsity teams and with the elimination of second varsity teams from the Flyers Cup tournament is a legitimate step in producing a true Pennsylvania High School Hockey championship. Pa Hockey will take on a bold new look in 2004-2005 as a service to each and every Interscholastic Hockey program in the State of Pennsylvania. We will continue to provide Statewide coverage from wire to wire all the way through the State Finals next spring. With over 225,000 visitors over the first 3 ½ seasons and almost 100,000 this season, we are becoming a popular stop across the United States for all fans of Interscholastic Hockey. Special Thanks to Doug Heck, Dave Scott, Al Palowski, Kevin Zielmanski, Jim McVay, Ron Steedle, Earl Bugaile and Maria Jack for their help throughout the season and during the regular season and playoff broadcasts! Finally, we would like to thank all of the players, coaches, parents, media and league officials who support Pa Hockey as a service to the community! Make sure to keep your eyes on the Pa Hockey History site as well at www.eteamz.com/pahockeyhistory as we chronicle the beginnings all the way up to today!

2004 Pennsylvania Cup ~ Class A Radnor 5 Serra Catholic 2 Serra Catholic entered the 2004 Class A State Championship game on a roll defeating Somerset in the Penguins Cup final 3-1 at the Mellon Arena on March 28th. The play of goaltender Timmy Johnson has been just superb in the playoffs yielding just five goals in three post-season goals as the Eagles have been outshot in every game thus far in the playoffs. Serra and head coach Tom Mooney were looking to capture their 4th Pennsylvania Class A title in 5 years to move closer to Bishop McCort, who has captured five State Championships for the most of any school since the Class A championships were initiated in 1989. Serra Catholic felt and stated publicly that they received no respect for the 2002 championship and were looking forward to proving that they are a worthy champion and regardless of the outcome of this years championship, Serra has given its fans and ALL fans an exciting view of some great hockey over the past five years. Radnor is making their third consecutive trip to the finals and head coach Ed Ritti III was looking forward to his return trip to Pittsburgh after bowing to Serra in the 2002 Pennsylvania Cup 5-4 at the Rostraver Ice Garden. The Raiders have been Pennsylvania’s most dominant team over the past two seasons winning the Pennsylvania Cup Class A championship a year a go with a 2-1 win over a very good Westmont Hilltop team at Ice Line in West Chester. Coach Ritti also had a score to settle with Penguins Cup officials who harassed the coach and his team at Rostraver prior to the game [which is par for the course for people who attend about a half dozen games a year and that’s if you include the playoffs and deal with people about as well as a first grader would deal with a college Calculus class]. So coach Ritti III asked to check the paperwork of Serra Catholic and maybe send a little message to the Eagles. As the teams lined up for the opening faceoff and were announced individually, interestingly the Radnor players turned and would not even look at the Serra players. The focus of the Radnor team was very evident in the opening minutes of this championship game as the Raiders looked very sharp early pinning Serra Catholic in its own end and outgunning the Eagles 11-4 in shots. Timmy Johnson was perfect as he easily brushed aside the Radnor dominance in shots, but it was the Serra defensive trio of Josh Jones, Steven Kolbe and Ryan Noone, who kept the Raiders on the perimeter much like they did against Somerset’s high scoring trio in the Penguins Cup final. Radnor just kept on coming in the second period pounding the Eagles with 21 more shots to Serra’s 8. The Raiders Ed Devine got things started showing great patience and threaded a perfect pass to Chris Brennan, who drilled a one-timer between the legs of Timmy Johnson at 13:03 of the 2nd for a 1-0 Radnor lead. With 7:35 left in the middle frame, it was Brennan again on a great individual effort to chip the puck around the Serra defenseman and then poke it past a gambling Timmy Johnson into the empty net for a 2-0 Radnor lead. Serra tried to get back in the game by sending their forwards out of the zone a little earlier than their normal defensive posture and Bart Bitterman made them pay as the Radnor defenseman made a terrific play to intercept a lead pass then feed Chris Brennan, who hit a streaking Eddie Devine who buried a shot in behind Timmy Johnson for a 3-0 lead at 2:45. Now Radnor was in complete control of this hockey game and most fans would have just started the trophy presentations. Being around this Serra hockey team for the past five years, I can tell you that they are never out of a game. In 2001, the monumental comeback against Springfield after being down 3-0 and then coming back to win 5-4 or in 2002 when Radnor, who was outshooting them badly but watched Serra come back and magically defeat them 5-4 at Rostraver. Well it took Serra just 6 seconds to start the minds rolling again as Justin Lubasch took a wrist shot from just over the blue line which handcuffed Erik Johnson at 2:39 to get Serra on the board 3-1. Radnor took a bad penalty on the next faceoff and Lubasch set up linemate Ray Gillis with a perfect pass which Gillis tipped up under the crossbar at 2:13 and in under a minute those pesky Eagles pulled within one at 3-2. Radnor had to wonder what had become of the huge shot advantage of 33 –12 after two period as Eddie Devine was stoned by Timmy Johnson on a breakaway with 14 seconds remaining in the 2nd period to give the Raiders a little something to think about going to the locker room. Serra had again, much like the Blackhawk game and Somerset game, made their opponent expend a ton of energy producing shots but only have a one goal lead. Knowing Johnson could be the difference the Serra team must have figured they could pull another one out similar to 2002. Johnson would be the difference but in this years championship it would be Radnor’s Erik Johnson, who stopped all 13 Serra shots in the third period including a great save on Joey Manning with 9:31 left in regulation. Austin Cohen would deliver the big blow to Serra’s chances on a great pass from Brad Dowlin, Cohen beat Timmy Johnson on the breakaway on the backhand to give Radnor a huge insurance goal and a 4-2 lead with 8:00 to play in the 3rd. Austin’s brother Colby Cohen would score at 2:10 on another assist from Dowlin, who had four on the afternoon to make it 5-2 and Erik Johnson put an exclamation point on an impressive Radnor victory by stoning Ryan Noone, Steve Gruhalla and Justin Lubasch in the games final minute to give the Radnor Raiders their 2nd consecutive Pennsylvania Cup Class A crown.

Denver University will play Maine Saturday night in Boston for the Finals of the NCAA Frozen 4 for the National Championship. Western Pennsylvania has been represented well in the NCAA's the opast few years as Cliff Loya of Mt Lebanon and Jim Abbott of North Catholic participated in the NCAA Division 1 Championship over the past few years. Denver's Mike Handza from Shaler plays for Denver University and whould the Pioneers win will join Alderdice's Dee Rizzo as the 2nd Western Pennsylvania player to win a National Championship at the Division 1 level. UPDATE: Denver defeats Maine 1-0 in a thriller .....congratulations to Shaler's Mike Handza and the Denver Pioneers !