Archbishop Carroll Patriots - 1981 AAA 2004 AA

As many of you are aware, there was an unfortunate occurrance in Kittanning early Sunday morning as fire caused the Belmont Arena and the new Kittanning Locker Room a great deal of damage. Many people have asked how they can show support for the Kittanning Hockey Program and we at Pa Hockey would like encourage that all support be sent to the Kittanning Hockey Boosters by contacting Joe Avi or Jeff Smouse.....lets lend a hand to our good friends up north .....Thank You !

KITTANNING – Freeport coach Jim Hill is anxious for the playoffs to begin because he knows his Yellow Jackets are nearing playoff form as they have played the toughest teams in Class A and are almost ready for a playoff run. What will put Freeport over the top was on display against Bishop McCort on Thursday night at the Belmont and maybe when they show a little more patience the discipline they need to put this team on their way to playoff glory. Bishop McCort can write a book on discipline, as coach John Bradley’s teams are always in the playoffs and striving for their 10th Penguins Cup in 11 years. The Crimson Crushers are a young team, which is nearing playoff form and would face a big test aginst Freeport. Like two heavyweight boxers, Freeport and Bishop McCort played flawless defensive hockey for the first period, each limiting their opponents to outside chances on Yellow Jacket’s Derek Gaworski and Crusher’s Anthony Feyock. At 8:27, Joe Delic found his way in between the circles and had a loose puck on his stick and Delic fired a wrist shot through the five hole past Gaworski to make it 1-0. Freeport came back and carried the play and with 3:23 remaining in the opening period it was Dustin Gaworski, who fought off a McCort defenseman and fired a snapshot in between the legs of Feyock. The second period was a defensive battle with both teams having chances and Gaworski and Feyock kept the game tied at one apiece. With 8:00 to go, Freeport went on the power play and had a golden opportunity to take the lead. Dustin Gaworski was loose and had Feyock down and with his shot heading upstairs Feyock just got a glove on it to prevent the Yellow Jackets from taking the lead. McCort then exuded tremendous patience and limited Freeport chances, maybe hoping to for an opportunity of its own and then it happened….two Freeport players collided at center ice creating an odd man break and the Crusher’s Nick Pappas found Russ Profaser alone in front who backhand a shot down on the ice past Derek Gaworski and gave McCort a 2-1 lead with 4:15 remaining. Delic added a power play goal with 1:34 left to give McCort a 3-1 victory as the Crimson Crushers appear headed for a # 3 seed showdown with arch rival Westmont Hilltop on the final game of the regular season.

KITTANNING – Back in week 8, coach Craig Clontz’s Hampton club 3-6-0 and looked ready to mail the season in and miss the playoffs for the first time in a few years. The Talbots have turned their season around with six wins in seven outings including big one goal victories over Indiana and West Allegheny. Hampton was looking to add division kig pin Kittanning to the trophy closet. Kittanning on the other hand is in a real battle with Thomas Jefferson, Peters Twp and Greensburg CC for the top spot in Class AA and the chain of events 24 hours earlier put head coach Jeff Smouse’s club in a must win situation. The Wildcats, who’s lineup looks more like a hospital than a hockey team, dropped a heartbreaker to division rival Pine Richland while Thomas Jefferson’s last second win at Indiana put the Jaguar’s a game ahead of the Wildcats. So the coach was not in his usual cheerful mood prior to the late game at the Belmont. Hampton came out smoking in the opening minutes with some aggressive play and Ben Daniels goal with 8:02 put the Talbots on top 1-0. Michael Mecurio tied the game at 5:21 as the big Kittanning forward continued his hot hand. John Bongiovanni put Hampton back on top with a backhander with just 1:33 left in the opening frame. With his team a little down after Hampton took a 2-1 lead, Mecurio scored a huge goal on a big slapshot with just :53 seconds left to tie the game at two apiece. On to the second and Hampton took the play to Kittanning as Matt Celin scored at 14:52 and again at 10:57 and all the sudden the Talbots had a 4-2 lead. Kittanning now had to dig down and got a big time play as Luke Heller made a terrific feed to budding superstar Eddie Germy who whipped shot past Brian Troiano and the Wildcats were back within one at 4-3 with 8:54 left in the middle period. The Kittanning dug down and started to outwork Hampton and their lunch pail specialist Wade Bowser, while falling down, slipped a shot past Troiano and the game was tied again at 4-4. The long trek to Kittanning’s marvelous locker room facility built by the boosters and players was a little easier as the sick and wounded followed behind to hear the rally cry in the ‘House of Smouse’ between periods and what ever was said really had an impact as the Wildcats hit the ice in the third and Eddie Germy provided the spark as he beat Troiano on a rebound 47 seconds into the final period on a rebound. Back and forth they went and Adam Toy made several key saves along the way as Kittanning clung to a slim one-goal advantage. With the Wildcats winding the clock down, Hampton was awarded a power play with :49 left and the Talbots pulled the goalie for an extra attacker and had several chances with scrambles around the Kittanning net but Toy and the Wildcat four of Justin Avi, Brandon Beatty, Joel Shriver and Michael Mecurio would not let the Hampton score and Kittanning held on for a HUGE victory setting up a big game next week with Indiana.

KITTANNING – Freeport coach Jim Hill is anxious for the playoffs to begin because he knows his Yellow Jackets are nearing playoff form as they have played the toughest teams in Class A and are almost ready for a playoff run. What will put Freeport over the top was on display against Bishop McCort on Thursday night at the Belmont and maybe when they show a little more patience the discipline they need to put this team on their way to playoff glory. Bishop McCort can write a book on discipline, as coach John Bradley’s teams are always in the playoffs and striving for their 10th Penguins Cup in 11 years. The Crimson Crushers are a young team, which is nearing playoff form and would face a big test aginst Freeport. Like two heavyweight boxers, Freeport and Bishop McCort played flawless defensive hockey for the first period, each limiting their opponents to outside chances on Yellow Jacket’s Derek Gaworski and Crusher’s Anthony Feyock. At 8:27, Joe Delic found his way in between the circles and had a loose puck on his stick and Delic fired a wrist shot through the five hole past Gaworski to make it 1-0. Freeport came back and carried the play and with 3:23 remaining in the opening period it was Dustin Gaworski, who fought off a McCort defenseman and fired a snapshot in between the legs of Feyock. The second period was a defensive battle with both teams having chances and Gaworski and Feyock kept the game tied at one apiece. With 8:00 to go, Freeport went on the power play and had a golden opportunity to take the lead. Dustin Gaworski was loose and had Feyock down and with his shot heading upstairs Feyock just got a glove on it to prevent the Yellow Jackets from taking the lead. McCort then exuded tremendous patience and limited Freeport chances, maybe hoping to for an opportunity of its own and then it happened….two Freeport players collided at center ice creating an odd man break and the Crusher’s Nick Pappas found Russ Profaser alone in front who backhand a shot down on the ice past Derek Gaworski and gave McCort a 2-1 lead with 4:15 remaining. Delic added a power play goal with 1:34 left to give McCort a 3-1 victory as the Crimson Crushers appear headed for a # 3 seed showdown with arch rival Westmont Hilltop on the final game of the regular season.

KITTANNING – Back in week 8, coach Craig Clontz’s Hampton club 3-6-0 and looked ready to mail the season in and miss the playoffs for the first time in a few years. The Talbots have turned their season around with six wins in seven outings including big one goal victories over Indiana and West Allegheny. Hampton was looking to add division kig pin Kittanning to the trophy closet. Kittanning on the other hand is in a real battle with Thomas Jefferson, Peters Twp and Greensburg CC for the top spot in Class AA and the chain of events 24 hours earlier put head coach Jeff Smouse’s club in a must win situation. The Wildcats, who’s lineup looks more like a hospital than a hockey team, dropped a heartbreaker to division rival Pine Richland while Thomas Jefferson’s last second win at Indiana put the Jaguar’s a game ahead of the Wildcats. So the coach was not in his usual cheerful mood prior to the late game at the Belmont. Hampton came out smoking in the opening minutes with some aggressive play and Ben Daniels goal with 8:02 put the Talbots on top 1-0. Michael Mecurio tied the game at 5:21 as the big Kittanning forward continued his hot hand. John Bongiovanni put Hampton back on top with a backhander with just 1:33 left in the opening frame. With his team a little down after Hampton took a 2-1 lead, Mecurio scored a huge goal on a big slapshot with just :53 seconds left to tie the game at two apiece. On to the second and Hampton took the play to Kittanning as Matt Celin scored at 14:52 and again at 10:57 and all the sudden the Talbots had a 4-2 lead. Kittanning now had to dig down and got a big time play as Luke Heller made a terrific feed to budding superstar Eddie Germy who whipped shot past Brian Troiano and the Wildcats were back within one at 4-3 with 8:54 left in the middle period. The Kittanning dug down and started to outwork Hampton and their lunch pail specialist Wade Bowser, while falling down, slipped a shot past Troiano and the game was tied again at 4-4. The long trek to Kittanning’s marvelous locker room facility built by the boosters and players was a little easier as the sick and wounded followed behind to hear the rally cry in the ‘House of Smouse’ between periods and what ever was said really had an impact as the Wildcats hit the ice in the third and Eddie Germy provided the spark as he beat Troiano on a rebound 47 seconds into the final period on a rebound. Back and forth they went and Adam Toy made several key saves along the way as Kittanning clung to a slim one-goal advantage. With the Wildcats winding the clock down, Hampton was awarded a power play with :49 left and the Talbots pulled the goalie for an extra attacker and had several chances with scrambles around the Kittanning net but Toy and the Wildcat four of Justin Avi, Brandon Beatty, Joel Shriver and Michael Mecurio would not let the Hampton score and Kittanning held on for a HUGE victory setting up a big game next week with Indiana.