Pennsbury Falcons - 1985 - AA

JOHNSTOWN - In the quest to see all 65 varsity teams [48 down and 17 to go], we turned our attention to Ferndale and Richland Cambria, who have combined for a 1-17-0 start to the 2002-2003 season. Before an intimate gathering for the late game at the War Memorial, both RC's George Gvozdich and Ferndale's were looking at this game as an opportunity for a victory for their respective squads. The teams traded goals in the first period as the Rams Mike Werder and Chris Gvozdich and Ferndale's Alan Waters and Sean Riffle scored to knot the game at 2-2. The second period was all Richland Cambria as Jeff Kamzik [10:28]Mike Werder added a 2nd goal at 3:30 and Derek Shawley stretched the lead to 5-2 at 1:50 to give the Rams a comfortable 5-2 lead. Yellow Jackets coach Brian Riffle must have given a stirring locker room speech as the ice was resurfaced because Ferndale looked like a team on a mission in the third as they outshot Richland Cambria 20-3. Richland Cambria freshman goaltender John Kamzik was outstanding trying to preserve the lead, but Sean Riffle got his number scoring a natural hat trick with goals at 9:04 on the rebound. 3:03 with a wicked wrist shot upstairs and a great tip of Jonas Boberg's shot from the point with just 44 seconds remaining to give Ferndale an unbelievable 5-5 tie.

MONROEVILLE - For all of us scoreboard watchers, we know that Penn Hills defeated McDowell a week or so ago 3-2 and this was the same McDowell team which blasted Connellsville early in the season 20-0. So on paper Penn Hills should have had an easy time with the Falcons. A couple of factors would play a part in this matchup as the Indians were playing the second game in 24 hours and Connellsville is coming off a week in which they broke a 30 game winless streak and playing with a new found confidence. Coach Mark Romesburg was hoping to catch Penn Hills by surprise and capture their first ever victory over the Indians. The Falcons came out flying in the first period and took a 2-0 lead on goals by Keith Cordaro at 10:53 and Mike Brooks at 9:05. Connellsville tried to build on that lead early in the second but Zach Cullen stopped Jacob Shelkey on the shorthanded breakaway at 14:32. On the ensuing face-off, Cordaro scored his second goal on a wrist shot low on the stick side and all the sudden it was 3-0 Falcons. Connellsville had several good opportunities to take a 4-0 lead but couldn't do it. Penn Hills got on the board at 10:10 as Jay Gilardo scored to make it 3-1. Then at 6:47, Willie Banks scored on his own rebound past Craig Cordaro and Penn Hills was within one at 3-2. The Falcons came right back at 4:17 as, as captain Zach Ebbert beat Cullen through the 5 hole and the score stood at 4-2 going to the third. The Indians Ryan Jones pulled his team within one at 12:29 on a shorthanded tally as he outraced the Falcon defense to the puck and slipped it past Cordaro. The Falcons would not be denied as Keith Cordaro scored at 11:08 to regain the two goal cushion. Jacob Shelkey added two insurance goals as the Connellsville Falcons went on to win for the 2nd time in 3 games 7-3.

ROSTRAVER - Greensburg CC is going through its toughest stretch of their 2002-2003 schedule and with victories over defending Pa State champ Peters Twp 4-3 and Pine Richland 4-3 last week, head coach Joe Dykta had to be pretty confident going on the road to face Thomas Jefferson. The Jaguars are in the midst of an excellent season with only a bump in losing to arch rival Peters Twp two weeks ago. TJ rebounded to score an impressive 6-2 victory over South Park last Friday. Don Powell was looking at GCC as an opportunity to make a statement in Class AA. The first period can be summed up in missed opportunities for Greensburg CC, but more so that Danny Hartman made some big saves on Josh Chiado at 10:28 and Alan Pershing at 4:10 to keep the Centarians off the board. TJ scored the lone goal of the first period as Eric Holzer cut to the slot and too a pass from Barnadon School and beat Jake Genes at 4:49 to give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead. In the second period, Hartman was up to his old tricks as he stoned Matt Ward on the breakaway at 10:36 and Casey Shoub at 6:39. Shoub finally broke the TJ netminder at 6:16 as he beat the Jaguar defense and lofted a shot upstairs to knot the game at 1-1. Thomas Jefferson responded by picking up their game and it paid off as Andrew Olmstead found a loose puck in the slot and buried a wrist shot past Genes to help the Jaguars regain the lead. On to the third and the next goal would be the big one as Olmstead took a pass from Derek Kelly and wheeled on the backhand to give TJ a two goal advantage at 13:48. The Jaguars then played solid defense in front of Hartman and Kelly added an empty net goal to give Thomas Jefferson a big 4-1 victory ovr Class AA's # 1 ranked team.

ROSTRAVER - Elizabeth Forward is off to a very good start at 6-2-1 and right in the thick of the playoff picture. Chuck Beckinger's Warriors were looking to rebound from a sluggish effort in a 7-2 loss to Wheeling Park and were looking for a little motivation with their game against arch-rival Serra. Serra has one bump in a 7-1-0 start in an earlier loss to Quaker Valley, in which they were minus the services of Steve Leppo and CJ King. Coach John Mooney isn't worried about the start as much as he is about the finish and the Eagles have finished the past three seasons with a win in their final game, which has resulted in three straight Pennsylvania Class A crowns. If last nights first period was any indication, Serra is well on their way to a 4th, as those Eagles Jesse Lubasch, Steve Leppo, CJ King, Justin Lubasch and Cody Moy swarmed Elizabeth Forward for a 5-0 first period advantage. The Eagles added three more in the second and four in the third to pace Serra to a 12-1 pasting. At the other end, Timmy Johnson continued his excellent play between the pipes stopping everthing except Mike Mitchko's goal at 14:04 of the 2nd. Serra's win sets up a big game Thursday against undefeated Wheeling Park at the Wheeling Civic Center.

ROSTRAVER - Greensburg CC is going through its toughest stretch of their 2002-2003 schedule and with victories over defending Pa State champ Peters Twp 4-3 and Pine Richland 4-3 last week, head coach Joe Dykta had to be pretty confident going on the road to face Thomas Jefferson. The Jaguars are in the midst of an excellent season with only a bump in losing to arch rival Peters Twp two weeks ago. TJ rebounded to score an impressive 6-2 victory over South Park last Friday. Don Powell was looking at GCC as an opportunity to make a statement in Class AA. The first period can be summed up in missed opportunities for Greensburg CC, but more so that Danny Hartman made some big saves on Josh Chiado at 10:28 and Alan Pershing at 4:10 to keep the Centarians off the board. TJ scored the lone goal of the first period as Eric Holzer cut to the slot and too a pass from Barnadon School and beat Jake Genes at 4:49 to give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead. In the second period, Hartman was up to his old tricks as he stoned Matt Ward on the breakaway at 10:36 and Casey Shoub at 6:39. Shoub finally broke the TJ netminder at 6:16 as he beat the Jaguar defense and lofted a shot upstairs to knot the game at 1-1. Thomas Jefferson responded by picking up their game and it paid off as Andrew Olmstead found a loose puck in the slot and buried a wrist shot past Genes to help the Jaguars regain the lead. On to the third and the next goal would be the big one as Olmstead took a pass from Derek Kelly and wheeled on the backhand to give TJ a two goal advantage at 13:48. The Jaguars then played solid defense in front of Hartman and Kelly added an empty net goal to give Thomas Jefferson a big 4-1 victory ovr Class AA's # 1 ranked team.