Archbishop Ryan Raiders

NEVILLE ISLAND Island Sports Class A Mighty Hilltoppers storm back & end the reign for Serra Catholic Serra Catholic joined the South Hills Interscholastic Hockey League in 1996 after a nine year stint in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League, which included many trips to Johnstown to play Bishop McCort and Westmont Hilltop. The Eagles also moved to a new home at the Rostraver Ice Garden and have compiled a 103-23-10 record including three consecutive Pennsylvania Class A State Championships. Coach John Mooney’s team in 2002-2003 may be his best yet with balance in scoring, defense and goaltending. Serra looked to join rarified air in Class A as Bishop McCort won the Penguins Cup and Pennsylvania Class A Championship as four time winners as the Crimson Crushers won it in 1994,1995,1996 and 1997. The winner of this 2003 Penguins Cup would move on to face Radnor, who will be the Flyers Cup representative in this years State Final and whom Serra defeated 5-4 in a thriller at Rostraver in last years Championship. Westmont Hilltop has been to the dance many of times with an astonishing 16 consecutive Penguins Cup playoff appearances since 1985 including eight trips to the Penguins Cup Semi Finals with only one trip to the Penguins Cup final in 1998, which turned out to be a heartbreaking loss to Seton LaSalle in the games finals moments. To make things worse for this trip for the Mighty Hilltoppers, their # 1 fan and chief transportation correspondent Bob The Bus Driver could not attend Westmont’s crowning achievement after a thrilling win over Mars last week at Rostraver. Westmont’s coach Art McQuillan has been the stabilizing force in the Hilltopper program with all sixteen years at the helm and this year more than any seems to be interested in not losing their final game of the season, so the long time coach brought his Hiltoppers to Neville Island with the simple thought that maybe ‘its time for something new’, which is like something out of a fortune cookie at a Chinese restaurant. Which lends to the next question is if Westmont found a Chinese restaurant during their stay in Cranberry Friday night ? A packed house at the beautiful Island Sports Center gathered as nearly 1500 fans filled the building with chants of ‘Eagles’ and ‘We are Westmont’ to start the 2003 Class A Penguins Cup between the three time defending Penguins Cup and Pennsylvania Class A champions Serra Catholic and Westmont Hilltop. The first period had all of the elements of a great championship game as Serra came out with considerable pressure on Westy. After Patrick Krumenacher stone the Eagles early, the Hilltoppers went on the power play first with an opportunity for the games first goal. Serra’s Joey Manning had other ideas and the speedy Eagles forward continued his hot hand in the playoffs, chipping the puck past Westmont’s defensemen and racing 120 feet to beat Krumacher down low for a 1-0 Serra lead at 7:40. Westmont came right back as Filip Haukka blistered a wrist shot upstairs far to the glove side of Timmy Johnson to tie the game at one apiece. The Eagles had a huge shot advantage of 14-5 after one period as Krumenacher picked up where he left off in the Mars game. On to the second and the next goal would be huge as the ice began to level a little as Westmont began getting some scoring opportunites. Steven Kolbe, more known for his steady play on the blueline in Serra’s championship run, continued good fundamental hockey as he looked to dump the puck into the Westmont zone. Kolbe’s soft dump was on goal and handcuffed Krumacher and trickled by him for a 2-1 Serra lead at 13:01. Serra extended their lead as Jessie Lubasch and C.J. King set up Steve Leppo after excellent work in the Westmont zone and Leppo buried it for a 3-1 Eagle lead with 9:03 left in the second. Serra pressed for the fourth goal and hit the post several times throughout the second period. Then the Hilltopper’s got a break as Justin McCloskey as Westmont’s leading scorer was in alone and deked Timmy Johnson and the Serra goaltender just got a piece of it and it glanced of the post, but Anthony DeMarco came late on the play and slammed home the rebound to bring Westmont back within one 3-2 with 7:17 remaining. The Hilltoppers came right back with momentum and DeMarco, whose had a hot hand in the playoffs, scored at 5:09 and we had a brand new hockey game 3-3 at the end of two. Westmont seemed to tire near the end of the 2nd, but Serra could not take advantage to take the lead. As championship teams go, Serra Catholic came out storming in the third period, but Krumenacher was outstanding with a little help as Leppo and Lubasch hit the post with excellent chances and the Eagles poured 13 shot and 38 on the day on the lanky Westmont goaltender. As he has done throughout the playoffs, Justin McClosky wanted this game on his stick and the talented sophomore put Westmont one step closer to the Hilltoppers first ever Penguins Cup as he beat Johnson with 9:47 remaining in the third period and Westmont had its first lead 4-3. There was plenty of time left for Serra and they pressured Westmont and when Brian Willett was whistled with 2:38 left, the Eagles would have a golden opportunity to send the game into overtime. But the Sludgin Trudgin Hilltoppers wanted one more bus ride with their favorite fan and this one would be to West Chester to face Radnor as Westmont held on in the games final moments and captured their first ever Penguins Cup 4-3 over Serra.