Archbishop Carroll Patriots - 1981 AAA 2004 AA

MT LEBANON – They were parking on Cedar Boulevard and on the sidewalks and all over the hillside for what was billed as ‘the game’. You see the Mt Lebanon Recreation Center is a mecca of sorts and when Bethel Park and Mt Lebanon lock horns, everything else gets thrown out the window because this is a great rivalry, which has stood the test of time for over 25 years. We all remember the 1997 game at Rostraver, when the Blue Devils held a 4-0 lead entering the third period and Bethel Park stormed back to win it with five unanswered tallies en route to their first ever Pennsylvania Class AAA crown. And in 2002, when Mt Lebanon rode a wave all the way to the Penguins Cup only to be dispatched by the Hawks, who were on their way to their third consecutive Pa State crown. The common denominator has been Jim McVay, who always has his Bethel Park teams prepared and especially for rival Mt Lebanon. Mt Lebanon Paul ‘Pat’ Taibi has not had a lot of sleep lately, because of this game to be honest. The # 1 seed, a great season for the Blue Devils and a possible dream of that elusive State Championship could all go away if Mt Lebanon could not beat Bethel. The last meeting of the two teams saw Bethel Park hold a 1-0 lead until late in the third period, but the Blue Devils rallied to win 3-1. This one would have a lot more meaning and significance if Mt Lebanon could beat Bethel Park before a fantastic standing room only crowd 2-3 deep around the glass and along the railing settled in at the Mt Lebanon Recreation Center. Oh how important the opening goal would be in this one and both teams knew it as the first period was fiercely contested and displayed tight checking and some clean but physical play. BP goalie Bryce Merriam made a nice stop on Tony Valerino at 11:15 and another on Chad Uddstrom after a nice feed from Eric Sloan at 8:20. Bethel went on the power play at 4:27, but the Blue Devils killed it with a nice penalty killing effort. The shots were 6-5 in favor of Mt Lebanon, but Bethel Park looked as if they were the aggressor at times in the opening period. Merriam continued to shine as he made an acrobatic save on Michael Jordan from just in front at 10:51. The Blue Devils went on the power play and this time they would capitalize as Billy Leckenby unleashed a wicked slapshot from the center point which Merriam juggled and dropped for a rebound, which Chad Uddstrom found and swept past the big Hawk keeper for a 1-0 Lebo lead at 9:25. The Blue Devils pressed for the second goal but Bethel Park staved off the Mt Lebanon surge and 10-4 second period shot advantage. Bethel Park was still very much in this hockey game entering the third period and Mt Lebanon was struggling with a few turnovers early on. Michael Diethorn intercepted a neutral ice pass and transitioned the play into the Blue Devil zone. On a tremendous individual effort, Diethorn somehow got a shot off on a 1 on 2 and the shot eluded Matt Vaughn and apparently hit the post to the right of Vaughn at 9:52. The Bethel Park fans thought it went in, but the referees ruled no goal, which was a huge turning point in this hockey game and an even bigger break for Mt Lebanon. The Blue Devils seized the opportunity as Eric Sloan took the puck from his own end and raced into the Bethel zone and around the net. Sloan showed great quickness and hands as he swooped around the Bethel net on a wraparound and beat Merriam to the post at 8:28 for a big insurance goal and a 2-0 Mt Lebanon lead. Bethel Park tried to rally but Matt Vaughn and the Blue Devils shut the door and when Chad Uddstrom found the empty net with just :49 seconds left, the Blue Devils would march one more step in the process with a 3-0 victory over BP.

MT LEBANON – They were parking on Cedar Boulevard and on the sidewalks and all over the hillside for what was billed as ‘the game’. You see the Mt Lebanon Recreation Center is a mecca of sorts and when Bethel Park and Mt Lebanon lock horns, everything else gets thrown out the window because this is a great rivalry, which has stood the test of time for over 25 years. We all remember the 1997 game at Rostraver, when the Blue Devils held a 4-0 lead entering the third period and Bethel Park stormed back to win it with five unanswered tallies en route to their first ever Pennsylvania Class AAA crown. And in 2002, when Mt Lebanon rode a wave all the way to the Penguins Cup only to be dispatched by the Hawks, who were on their way to their third consecutive Pa State crown. The common denominator has been Jim McVay, who always has his Bethel Park teams prepared and especially for rival Mt Lebanon. Mt Lebanon Paul ‘Pat’ Taibi has not had a lot of sleep lately, because of this game to be honest. The # 1 seed, a great season for the Blue Devils and a possible dream of that elusive State Championship could all go away if Mt Lebanon could not beat Bethel. The last meeting of the two teams saw Bethel Park hold a 1-0 lead until late in the third period, but the Blue Devils rallied to win 3-1. This one would have a lot more meaning and significance if Mt Lebanon could beat Bethel Park before a fantastic standing room only crowd 2-3 deep around the glass and along the railing settled in at the Mt Lebanon Recreation Center. Oh how important the opening goal would be in this one and both teams knew it as the first period was fiercely contested and displayed tight checking and some clean but physical play. BP goalie Bryce Merriam made a nice stop on Tony Valerino at 11:15 and another on Chad Uddstrom after a nice feed from Eric Sloan at 8:20. Bethel went on the power play at 4:27, but the Blue Devils killed it with a nice penalty killing effort. The shots were 6-5 in favor of Mt Lebanon, but Bethel Park looked as if they were the aggressor at times in the opening period. Merriam continued to shine as he made an acrobatic save on Michael Jordan from just in front at 10:51. The Blue Devils went on the power play and this time they would capitalize as Billy Leckenby unleashed a wicked slapshot from the center point which Merriam juggled and dropped for a rebound, which Chad Uddstrom found and swept past the big Hawk keeper for a 1-0 Lebo lead at 9:25. The Blue Devils pressed for the second goal but Bethel Park staved off the Mt Lebanon surge and 10-4 second period shot advantage. Bethel Park was still very much in this hockey game entering the third period and Mt Lebanon was struggling with a few turnovers early on. Michael Diethorn intercepted a neutral ice pass and transitioned the play into the Blue Devil zone. On a tremendous individual effort, Diethorn somehow got a shot off on a 1 on 2 and the shot eluded Matt Vaughn and apparently hit the post to the right of Vaughn at 9:52. The Bethel Park fans thought it went in, but the referees ruled no goal, which was a huge turning point in this hockey game and an even bigger break for Mt Lebanon. The Blue Devils seized the opportunity as Eric Sloan took the puck from his own end and raced into the Bethel zone and around the net. Sloan showed great quickness and hands as he swooped around the Bethel net on a wraparound and beat Merriam to the post at 8:28 for a big insurance goal and a 2-0 Mt Lebanon lead. Bethel Park tried to rally but Matt Vaughn and the Blue Devils shut the door and when Chad Uddstrom found the empty net with just :49 seconds left, the Blue Devils would march one more step in the process with a 3-0 victory over BP.

Please fill out the Flyers Cup Online poll to predict the winners of the 2004 Flyers Cup at Class AAA - AA - A Entrants close Monday 3/15/04 at 6PM.....so fill out the poll IMMEDIATELY to participate !

First Round Results Class A Blackhawk 4 Deer Lakes 0 Highlights: Travis Stoll scores the hat trick for the Cougars & Jake Polas adds insurance as Blackhawk outshoots Deer Lakes 43- 14 & avenges last years playoff loss. John Fitzgerald with the shutout. BANG ! BANG ! Forest Hills 4 Westmont Hilltop 2 Highlights: Freshman Ben Webb scores two goals in the first 1:19 of the 3rd period to tie the game & put Forest Hills ahead as Rangers overcome a 2-0 deficit. Bryan Parkinson with a goal & 2 assists while Kyle Single stops 35 of 37 Westmont shots Sewickley Academy 3 Quigley 2 Highlights: Panthers hold on for victory as Quigley's late rally falls short at the buzzer. Conner Blood with a pair & Scott Limbach with a single as Sewickley Academy wins its first ever playoff game. Richland Cambria 5 Elizabeth Forward 4 [2 OT] Highlights: Rams overcome a 4-3 deficit in the third to tie the game & Mike Werder scores the game winner in second overtime period. Werder scored a pair along with Dean Carpenter, while Jason Layman added the other goal for Richland Cambria. Class AA Pine Richland 6 Canevin 0 Highlights: Josh Fodor & Ryan Tessmer each with a pair as Michael Kearney & Pat Nicholas score shorthanded goals to lead Rams to a shutout win over the Crusaders. Dan Gazzo faces just 12 shots. Montour 4 Moon 2 Highlights: Montour overcomes a 2-1 deficit to begin the 3rd period as Chad Tallotta & Dan Shiwarski put the Spartans ahead & Mario Pannuci adds an empty netter. Andrew Slifkin stops 39 of 42 Montour shots for Moon. ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** South Park 5 Trinity 3 Highlights: Eagles erase a 2-0 deficit late in the 2nd and add three in the third to defeat Trinity. Larry Locante scores the go ahead goal with a little over ten minutes remaining in regulation. ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** Greensburg CC 1 Canon McMillan 0 Highlights: Jake Genes stops 29 Canon Mac shots & Josh Kennedy scores the games only goal with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation time Class AAA Mt Lebanon 7 Gateway 0 Highlights: Eric Sloan & Michael Jordan with a pair & Tony Valerino, Dan Wilen and Chad Uddstrom add singles as Blue Devils outshoot Gators 26-14 as Matt Vaughn records another shutout for Mt Lebanon Meadville 8 Cathedral Prep 0 Highlights: Phil Siverd win a pair & CHristian Nickerson with 5 pts as Bulldogs open defense with a pounding of rival Prep. D.J. Durkee, David Moyer, Chris Leone, Rick Thomas and Justin Wilkinson add goals as Meadville outshoots Ramblers 37-17 for a Dan O'Sharuk shutout ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** Fox Chapel 3 Shaler 1 Highlights: Matt Quigley is the difference as he records a hat trick to fight off upset minded Shaler squad before a packed house at Harmar ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** Central Catholic 6 McDowell 2 Highlights: Matt Capalongo with a pair as Central defeats McDowell & Russ Hefner stops 26 of 28 shots for the Vikings North Allegheny 3 Baldwin 0 Highlights: Ian Fitzpatrick, Joe Williams & Matt Pekins score as NA outshoots Baldwin 32-17 & Jeff Kristan earns the shutout. Upper St Clair 6 Plum 5 [OT] Highlights: Mike Penkrot scores with 8:27 remaining in first OT period as USC wins a wild one at Ice Castle ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** Butler 2 Franklin Regional 1 Highlights: Jon Pakutz scores with :08 left in OT as Jared 'Bucky' Holt stops 36 of 37 Franklin shots. Franklin Regional holds a 1-0 lead on a goal by Jimmie Daugherty in the 1st until B.J Tipton ties the game with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation time Bethel Park 4 Penn Trafford 2 Highlights: Conner McLean breaks 2-2 tie with 1:42 left in the 2nd as Hawks outshoot PT 42-17. ****GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILBLE***

Please fill out the Flyers Cup Online poll to predict the winners of the 2004 Flyers Cup at Class AAA - AA - A Entrants close Monday 3/15/04 at 6PM.....so fill out the poll IMMEDIATELY to participate !