2008 - 2009 Pa Hockey Coaches Pre-Season Poll

     Each year prior to the Season Pa Hockey tabulates the Coaches Pre-Season Poll and provides previews of the Elite 8 of Class AAA, AA and A and in the coming weeks we will be asking the coaches to send in their votes. Stay tuned for the Pa Hockey Coaches Pre-Season Poll and Previews .......Only on Pa Hockey !

     Thanks to all of the fans who participated and picking the winners in  Class AAA, AA and A by in our Pre-Season Poll...............Only on Pa Hockey ! 

		PA HOCKEY WPHCA  - PRE-SEASON
		PENGUIN CUP ELITE "8" COACHES POLL
		2008-2009  "AAA AA & A" DIVISION
CLASS	DIVISION	TEAM	PA Hockey FAN VOTE
AAA	1	BETHEL PARK	3
AAA	2	PINE RICHLAND	1
AAA	3	SENECA VALLEY	2
AAA	4	MT LEBANON	5
AAA	5	NORTH ALLEGHENY	4
AAA	6	UPPER ST. CLAIR	-
AAA	7	SHALER	6
AAA	8	CENTRAL CATHOLIC	-
OTHER SCHOOLS RECEIVING CONSIDERATION:
	MCDOWELL, PLUM, NORWIN, CANON MCMILLAN
AA	1	LATROBE	1
AA	2	CANEVIN	4
AA	3	FRANKLIN REGIONAL	3
AA	4	MEADVILLE	1
AA	5	KITTANNING	8
AA	6	PETERS TOWNSHIP	5
AA	7	WEST ALLEGHENY	7
AA	8	THOMAS JEFFERSON	6
OTHER SCHOOLS RECEIVING CONSIDERATION:
	GREENSBURG CC, BALDWIN, MOON, MONTOUR
A	1	MARS	1
A	2	SERRA CATHOLIC	4
A	3	QUAKER VALLEY	2
A	4	BISHOP MCCORT	3
A	5	HAMPTON	-
A	6	SEWICKLEY ACADEMY	6
A	7	FREEPORT	5
A	8	WESTMONT-HILLTOP	-
OTHER SCHOOLS RECEIVING CONSIDERATION:
	KNOCH, CENTER, SOMERSET

Western Pa Hockey 2008 – 09 Interscholastic Preview

 CLASS AAA  

   The Class AAA Hockey scene will be a little different story in 2009 than it was in 2008. Pine Richland is the defending Penguins Cup champions and went undefeated a year ago and is not favored to reclaim the Penguins Cup, not sure what Kool-Aid is the drink of choice, many of the Rams underclassmen decided not to return, but Dylan Trombetta, Bryan Watt and Eric Febert, along with goaltender Dan Szymnaski will lead Richland. Bethel Park is ranked by the Coaches as the pre-season favorite and with Tommy Whetsel leading a solid group of returnees that always plays excellent defense should be in the mix again. Seneca Valley appears to be making a push to make noise in Class AAA with Logan Pfeffer, Tyler Messica, Michael Rohm to lead the offense and sophomore goaltender Ryan Schutte ready to build upon an excellent rookie campaign. Mt Lebanon has year in and year out been a contender in AAA and 08-09 will be no different as Brandon Bianco & Brooks Behling lead a solid lineup for the Blue Devils. North Allegheny will lost some key players from last year’s squad but has a solid group of returnees with goaltender Lindsay Holdcroft taking over the reigns between the pipes. Upper St Clair was able to lure Matt Wregget to play goalie for the Panthers and returns a very deep group of players with plenty of Varsity experience and pedigree and will need to score in key situations. If there is a sleeper in Class AAA, it may be Shaler which is a team that will score some goals and if it plays disciplined may surprise some people in March led by Drew Martz, Zac Lynch and Patrick Schaefer. This classification with plenty of teams capable of bullying their way into the top 8 including Central Catholic, McDowell, Plum, Canon McMillan and Norwin.

 

CLASS AA

  Latrobe came out of the clouds to seize the Pennsylvania Class AA crown and returns a majority of the team that won it. JeffJoeRegula, Michael McCurdy, Andrew Ong, Brody Aukerman, Ryan LaDuke, and goaltender Nick Loyacona were the core of a very good team that may be even better than last season. The Wildcats are the clear favorite to repeat and history is on their side as they follow Peters Twp and Thomas Jefferson in the recent decade of teams who followed their first title with a second. Canevin is another team that will mature by the year end to be a player in the Penguin Cup chase. Vince Nicollella and Cam Zappi should lead the mighty Crusaders to prominence and goaltending will key any championship aspirations. Franklin Regional missed a golden opportunity to win its first State title falling to Latrobe in the Western Finals and may have a chance if goaltender James Orr steals the playoffs and will need help from high scoring Eugene Mack and Steven Shirk. Meadville moves back to where it all began 21 years ago for Jamie Plunkett and trust me the Bulldogs will challenge any and all competition in AA and the question is can they score with the big boys. Kittanning is a very interesting darkhorse in AA and Troy Schall and the talented Koster Klan will be the key to any Wildcat run. Peters Twp, West Allegheny and Thomas Jefferson will round out the Elite 8 in 2009.

   CLASS A

   I guess we are back to the same non-sense with Class A as we have had the past five years with only 13 teams in the classification. The same cast of characters will be in the mix in the end. Mars is the favorite after its first Penguins Cup appearance a year ago. Goaltender Greg Lewis makes the Planets the favorites and Michael Mazzota and Brady Sipe will lead the Planet attack this season. Serra Catholic finished the season with a dogfight and near miracle comeback against Quaker Valley and the Eagles return Erik Manetta, Corey Beam and Jake Allen to lead Serra. Defending champs Quaker Valley will need a miracle to repeat and undoubtedly Colin South and goaltender Zack Taylor will have to be the leaders for the Quakers. Bishop McCort may be a team to watch in 2009 as Todd Thomas, Dane Domonkos and Bryan Scott can fill the net for the Crushers and they may be a final 4 candidate. Sewickley Academy may have a pretty good shot at a very good season led by Trey Carbeau.  

2008 Greensburg CC Invitational

Semi-Finals ~ Franklin Regional 6 Greensburg CC 2

 

GREENSBURG –

 

      The Greensburg CC Invitational is the longest running Invitational Tournament remaining [1993] in Western Pennsylvania and maintains its place in the Western Pa hockey community as a pre-season warm-up tournament, which is all that any tournament is this time of year, since most teams are still trying to figure out their rosters. For Greensburg CC and coach Tom Ward, it has been 12 years since the Centurian’s captured the Class AA Pennsylvania State Title [1996], which was one of three including 1994 in Class A and in 1993 in Class A. Since there was only one State Champion from Western Pennsylvania in 2008, the interest in the Centurians return to glory has reinvigorated. The start for GCC will be to knock off rivals 2008 Penguins Cup finalist Franklin Regional and 2008 Pennsylvania State Champions Latrobe.

 

       Franklin Regional is a program that has knocked on the Penguins Cup door six times [2008,2003, 1996,1995,1994 & 1993] in its 27 year history and has not been able advance to the Pennsylvania State final. Last years run ended in overtime in a loss to Latrobe, who went on to capture its first Penguins Cup and then held on to top Conestoga in the final in Johnstown. Jim Daugherty knows that time is limited and numbers in the Panther program, at least at the Varsity level permit that 2009 may be the last opportunity for a very long time not only to win a Penguins Cup, but to compete at the Varsity level, which is something for a program with winning campaigns in 17 of its last 18 years.  Franklin Regional is one of five teams I believe who are favorites to compete for the 2009 Penguins Cup, but will face stiff competition with Latrobe, Canevin, Kittanning and Meadville in March.

 

     Franklin got off to a quick start against GCC with a decided advantage in territorial

Play in the opening period and after a delayed penal, Peter Ellis rammed home a rebound

at 10:41 for a 1-0 lead. The Centurians opportunity on the power play at 6:51 was

shortlived as Shane Crossey stole the puck and buried a slapshot on the stick side to make

it 2-0. 

 

       The second period was all FR as they held a 22-12 shot advantage through two

periods and the scoring continued as well as Steve Shirk took a beautiful feed from

Eugene Mack and fired it home to make it 3-0 at 7:34. At 5:56, Ryan Crossey hit the post

but made the best of a 2^nd opportunity as Anthony Talamo threaded a perfect pass and

Crossey made no mistake and it was 4-0 with 5:44 to go. Shane Crossey gohis second

goal with 2:16 left and GCC finally broke the shutout with just 26 ticks remaining to

make it 5-1 thru two. The teams traded goals in the final frame as Franklin Regional will

get an opportunity to defend its title from a year ago in the GCC Invitational.

    

2008 Greensburg CC Invitational

Semi-Finals ~ Latrobe 6 State College 2

 

GREENSBURG –

 

      State College moved to Class AAA a year ago and accorded themselves very well

capturing a division title in 2008 under Tim Holdcroft and part of that season was a finals

appearance in the GCC Invitational before bowing to Franklin Regional. The Icers

have faired well in this years event and advanced for a rematch with Latrobe who

downed State College convincingly 9-2 in preliminary round action.

 

      There was only one State Champion in 2008 from Western Pennsylvania and ending

a 29 year drought Latrobe under Ron Makoski captured the Class AA Penguins Cup and

Pennsylvania title over Conestoga in March. The Wildcats earned that title as they

defeated Franklin Regional and some stiff competition to capture their first ever crown

and the good news is that this team is primed and talented to do it again in 2009. History

in Class AA tells us that this feat is common as Thomas Jefferson, Peters Township and

Pine Richland have all repeated after capturing their first state titles within the past ten

years and Latrobe is the early favorite to do it under new Head Coach Dan Ridder. The

Wildcats have marched through the GCC field impressively defeating State College and

Franklin Regional 5-0.

 

        State College battled Latrobe well in the opening period as the shots were 6-2 in

favor of the Wildcats. Andrew Onge scored at 4:15 to give the defending champs a  1-0

lead. State College tied the game at 6:36 of the second period as Ryan Pate scored with

6:36 to go in the period. That lead didn’t last long as Dillon Hunter scored with 5 minutes

remaining in the middle frame and then Tyler Berger scored on a strong move to the net

with 1:36 left to make it 3-1. Jayson Angus added insuance with 20 seconds left on a nice

drop pass by Michael McCurdy to give Latrobe a 4-1 advantage at the end of two.

 

        The Wildcats kept coming and Michael McCurdy scored on a rebound on the power

play to slat the Wildcats spot in the GCC Finals with 7:06 to go. Brandon Graham scored

for the Icers on a high slap shot over the glove of newcomer goaltender Scott Ault to

make it 6-2, but Matt Batis backhanded home a rebound to make the final count Latrobe

6 State College 2 setting up a rematch of the 2008 Penguins Cup final in the 2008 GCC

Invitational finale.

 

   The Pa Hockey Foundation in coordination with the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey Programs from across Western Pa are coordinating play between High School Developmental Programs. Over 20 Programs have submitted contact information and many of these programs have Kindergarten through 3rd Grade and 3rd Grade through 5th Grade teams for the 2013 - 2014 Season.

      The Pittsburgh Little Panthers will be hosting games at the Schenley Park Ice Rink in Pittsburgh and hope to field an end of season event featuring Developmental Programs. Please contact Jeff Mauro at 412-848-3750 or at jeffmauro@aol.com .

       Here are the Developmental programs in Western Pennsylvania. Please contact Pa Hockey to have your information distributed to other programs.

 

Bethel Park Mini-Hawks

Canevin Little Crusaders Developmental

Canon McMillan Developmental

Fox Chapel Developmental

Franklin Regional Little Panthers Developmental

Freeport Little Jackets Developmental

Gateway Developmental

Greensburg Salem Developmental

Hempfield Developmental

Latrobe Developmental

Montour Developmental

Mt Lebanon Developmental

North Hills Developmental

Penn Trafford Developmental

Peters Twp Developmental

Plum Developmental Ice Hockey

Quaker Valley Developmental

South Fayette Developmental

South Park Developmental

Thomas Jefferson Little Jaguars Developmental

Upper St Clair Junior Panthers

West Allegheny

September - October 2008

     Greensburg CC Invitational - Kirk Nevin Arena

   Championship ~ Latrobe 1 Franklin Regional 0

     Tournament Website ~ http://www.eteamz.com/pahockey/index.cfm?league=604905&subsite=4200815

December 5-7, 2008

    3rd Annual National Invitational Scholastic Showcase - Jamestown Savings Bank Arena

   Championship ~ New Trier Green Illinois 6 Fenwick Illinois 1

     Tournament Website ~  http://www.eteamz.com/pahockey/index.cfm?league=604905&subsite=4457536

December 26 - 30, 2008 

    13th Annual Pa Hockey Scholastic Showcase - Center Ice Arena - Delmont, Pa.

       Director's Cup Champions - Latrobe 5 Seneca Valley 3

     Tournament Website ~ http://www.eteamz.com/pahockey/news/index.cfm?cat=140822

    IceLine Extravaganza - IceLine - West Chester, Pa.  

       AAA - St Mary's NY 6 DeMatha Catholic MD 2

         AA - John Jay NY 5 Neshaminy 3

            A -  North Penn 8 Coatesville 7  

 January 16-19, 2009

   Meadville Bulldog Invitational - MARC Meadville, Pa.

      Tournament Website ~ http://www.eteamz.com/pahockey/index.cfm?league=604905&subsite=4200819

   Bethel Park MLK Tournament - BladeRunners - Bethel Park, Pa.   

       Tournament Website ~  http://www.eteamz.com/pahockey/index.cfm?league=604905&subsite=4200821

 

Learn fancy footwork, stickwork and dancing lessons with Western Pa's # 1 Goaltending advocate Jamie Cummings !