Archbishop Carroll Patriots - 1981 AAA 2004 AA

Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

2014 Penguins Cup A Semi-Finals – Canevin 7 Hampton 1 

Championship History – Canevin won the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 1983. 1984, 1989 and again in 2011 as the winningest Class AA program in Pennsylvania History. Hampton has endure a 40 + year history of winning competitive teams with a spotty playoff history.

RMU Island Sports Center -

Sometimes Schools are great on Paper and then fall short in the Playoffs. Canevin coach Kevin Zielmanski could write a book on that subject prior to 2011 as the Crusaders won their 4th Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship. The School fell short the past two seasons and righted the ship midway through the 2013-2014 season and worked on getting healthy and ready for a Championship run.

While Hampton was a worry early in the season, the Talbots did not have the depth nor the competitive greatness to match the Crusaders. Championship Hockey Games are decided by one play or a series of moments and this one was never in doubt as the Talbots were victimized by Adams Family values with a shorthanded tally by Blaine ‘Little Dog’ Adams and a hypnotizing blast from the ‘Big Dog’ Brennan Adams on the power play that put the Talbots to sleep for good at 4:05 of the first period.

Ryan Unger put the Talbots under the ether with 2 goals and three assists the rest of the way for a 7-1 victory for Canevin as Zack Kosick finally broke through the stingy solid defense of Canevin with just 1:48 left and Kevin, Billy, Chris and Kevin already with thoughts of Cathedral Prep in their heads.

Garrett Godlewski and Ross Langford found the scoresheet with statement goals but let’s face it …with 6 Schools left including four from Eastern Pa, there is one favorite to claim in a only two opportunities left and the odds are pretty good for Blue and Blue at Penn State’s Pegula Ice Arena.

Pennsylvania Firsts – Pacesetters, Legendary Programs w/Family Ties

Cathedral Prep Ramblers – Shane Cross – # 17

Senior Shane is the son of Jeff Cross who played on a couple of State Champions at Erie Fairview back in the day in 1977, 1981 and 1982 and was a significant contributor of the Development of the current Cathedral Prep program over the past ten years

Armstrong Riverhawks – Coby Toy # 13

Senior Coby Toy is listed as Grade 13 and maybe that was a typo but what I will tell you the extended family of Toys has been a name affiliated with Armstrong and Kittanning Hockey going back to development in the program for years at the Belmont is the same breath with the Montebells and other great families who have contributed to that program for 40 years

Hampton Talbots – Zack Kosick # 11

Senior Zack Kosick is a leader for the Hampton Talbots both in numbers and character that has led every team he has ever played on. Zack’s uncle Dave and father Eric have developed many players for the North Hill Vipers Organization for over 35 years and have been consistant supporters of the development at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels of Amateur Hockey and understand the contributions to the support at the School level while continuing development for School hopefuls to the Junior and Collegiate levels Educationally and promoting the Sport of Hockey

Canevin Crusaders – Liam Walsh - # 23 Freshman

Liam’s brother Matt scored many huge goals in the 2011 Canevin Pennsylvania AA High School Championship run and it was the leadership and character that helped Pennsylvania’s winningest AA program end a 22 year drought and bring the program respect honor and prominence at the State Level over the past 10 years. Liam will carry the torch for Canevin until he moves on to play hockey at the next level with many more triumphs.

Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

2014 Penguins Cup A Semi-Finals – Cathedral Prep 9 Armstrong 5

Pennsylvania Championship History – Armstrong won the Penguins Cup in 1991 at AAA which is the schools only Penguin Cup Championship in School History. Cathedral Prep won the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 1984 at AAA and 1997 at AA. Both Schools have had a long history of winning competitive programs on the cusp of Competitive Greatness

RMU Island Sports Center - This Game was all about offense with several top end players stepping to the forefront throughout the contest. River Hawks Hunter Grafton sustained a game ending injury early on but the Team overcame several deficits, but this game came down to goaltending and the Ramblers advanced to the Penguins Cup for the 2nd time in 3 years with a 9-5 victory over Armstrong. Prep broke out to a 3-0 lead after one period on goals by Trevor Faulkner, Hunter Emerson & Brandon Gotkin found the net.

Armstrong came storming back in the 2nd period as Nick Long, David Contrael and Christian Miller scored to tie the game at 3 apiece. Joe Kelly and Richard Vicary scored late in the period to help the Ramblers regain the lead 5-3 at the ice cut. Armstrong cut the lead again at 5-4 as John Phelps scored on a long shot and Nick Long tied the score at 5-5.

Prep seized the defensive zone and had stready goaltending the rest of the way and unheralded hard working forward Jacob Ordos pounced on a loose puck and buried it to give Prep the lead for good 6-5 with 9:42 to play. Trevor Faulkner added three goals to give the Orange and Black a convincing 9-5 win and a spot in the Penguins Cup. Congratulations and good luck to Armstrong for an outstanding first season in existence and a long time coming for that program and Cathedral Prep Craig Barnett for molding and developing a group of young athletes with leadership into a Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship contender.

Erie Times Article

 http://www.goerie.com/article/20140312/VARSITY03/303129907/Cathedral-Prep-advances-to-PIHL-title-game

Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

2014 Penguins Cup A Semi-Finals – Quaker Valley 4 Freeport 3

Pennsylvania Championship History - Freeport and Quaker Valley met in 2007 resulting in Freeport’s only Penguin Cup Championship in School History. Quaker Valley has won Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 2006 and 2012 to go with Penguins Cups in 2008 and 2013.

RMU Island Sports Center -  

This would turn out to be easily one of the most gripping and exciting games in Class A Pennsylvania High School Hockey History. QV defeated the Yellow Jackets 5-4 in the final week of the regular season. Freeport would hold a 3-2 lead on the strength of goals by Cole Hepler, Hunter Kepple and Michael Frazetta, who scored to give Freeport the lead with 4:02.

After the Yellow Jackets killed a QV Power Play with 1:40 to play in the 3rd period, Freeport called a timeout with :59 seconds left. The Quakers Jimmy Perkins scored with 32 ticks left to complete the hat trick on a beautiful snap shot past Matt Houston on the short side upstairs and then after a huge scramble in front of the Freeport net Cameron Peterkin sent Quaker Valley to the Penguins Cup finals for the 3rd straight year chipping a Perkins rebound up over the fallen Yellow Jackets goaltender with just .2 seconds left on the clock in one of the great High School Hockey finishes in Pennsylvania High School Hockey History.

Congratulations and good luck to Kevin Quinn and Quaker Valley for a great finish and to Dave Hepler of Freeport in a land of coaches who play 6-8 players to try to win for playing all 20 players on his bench in an attempt to earn Freeport’s 1st State Championship only to fall a split second short.

Pennsylvania Firsts – Pacesetters, Legendary Programs w/Family Ties

Freeport Yellow Jackets – Cole Hepler # 91 Senior

? Son of Freeport Head Coach David Hepler who was the Punter on the University of Pittsburgh’s 1981 Gator Bowl Champions that featured All-Pros and Professional Collegiate and NFL Hall of Fame Legends led by Central Catholic Miami Dolphins Dan Marino. Cole’s brother Zack played on the 2007 Penguins Cup Champions and Pennsylvania State Finalists Freeport Team and the 2007 National Championship Team Pittsburgh of the Chicago Showcase

Freeport Yellow Jackets – Brendon Zack # 18 Senior

? Son of Donald Zack of Freeport and Grandson of Don Zack of Freeport, who played for Freeport’s 1st team and Legendary Builder of the Freeport Hockey Program and WPHOA Quaker Valley Quakers – QV

Coaches Furman South V & Furman South IV - Quaker Valley 

? Furman South V and Colin South were players on the 2006 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Champions of Class A. Their father Furman South IV has been a coach in the Quaker Valley Program Development for many years. Furman V and Colin play Division 1 Hockey for Robert Morris University.

Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

2014 Penguins Cup A Semi-Finals – Thomas Jefferson 4 Mars 2

Pennsylvania Championship History – Mars has celebrated two Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 2010 over Bayard Rustin and 2011 over Springfield after three consecutive Penguins Cups dating back to 2009. Thomas Jefferson won three consecutive Pennsylvania High School Hockey AA Championships in 1998 over Unionville, 1999 over LaSalle and 2000 over Archbishop Carroll

Thomas Jefferson raced to a 4-1 lead on two goals from Tommy Kimmick and singles from Nick Tamburi and Zach Uhlyar. After the Mars closed the gap to 4-2 on goals by Beau Heakins and Craig Mazzotta in the 3rd period as the Planets pelted Nick Ripepi with 26 shots and the senior goaltender was the difference in this hockey game as TJ moved on to the Penguins Cup finals 4-2 for the first time since 2007, when the Jaguars fell short to Pine Richland.

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars – Tommy Kimmick # 16 Junior

Tommy Kimmick is the son of the late David Kimmick and Nephew of Brad Kimmick, who played in the first high school game in April 1970 with as the Captain of Churchill High School and his uncles Scott Kimmick and Mike Kimmick of Churchill High School played in the very First Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship in 1975

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars - Philip Nick Ripepi # 33 Senior

? Nick Ripepi is the son of Thomas Jefferson coach Phil Ripepi and his grandfather Phil Ripepi was a renowned surgeon from Mercy Hospital for many years and a group of Hockey Fathers whoe were Physicians from Mercy Hospital who supported and facilitated High School Hockey Programs across Western Pennsylvania during its inception and through the beginnings of the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

Mars Planets – Trevor Tisdale # 65 Junior

? Trevor Tisdale is the son of Eric Tisdale who played for the Richland Rams in the 1970’s and coached North Catholic in the 1980’s

Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

2014 Penguins Cup A Semi-Finals – Quaker Valley 4 Freeport 3

Pennsylvania Championship History - Freeport and Quaker Valley met in 2007 resulting in Freeport’s only Penguin Cup Championship in School History. Quaker Valley has won Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 2006 and 2012 to go with Penguins Cups in 2008 and 2013.

RMU Island Sports Center -  

This would turn out to be easily one of the most gripping and exciting games in Class A Pennsylvania High School Hockey History. QV defeated the Yellow Jackets 5-4 in the final week of the regular season. Freeport would hold a 3-2 lead on the strength of goals by Cole Hepler, Hunter Kepple and Michael Frazetta, who scored to give Freeport the lead with 4:02.

After the Yellow Jackets killed a QV Power Play with 1:40 to play in the 3rd period, Freeport called a timeout with :59 seconds left. The Quakers Jimmy Perkins scored with 32 ticks left to complete the hat trick on a beautiful snap shot past Matt Houston on the short side upstairs and then after a huge scramble in front of the Freeport net Cameron Peterkin sent Quaker Valley to the Penguins Cup finals for the 3rd straight year chipping a Perkins rebound up over the fallen Yellow Jackets goaltender with just .2 seconds left on the clock in one of the great High School Hockey finishes in Pennsylvania High School Hockey History.

Congratulations and good luck to Kevin Quinn and Quaker Valley for a great finish and to Dave Hepler of Freeport in a land of coaches who play 6-8 players to try to win for playing all 20 players on his bench in an attempt to earn Freeport’s 1st State Championship only to fall a split second short.

Pennsylvania Firsts – Pacesetters, Legendary Programs w/Family Ties

Freeport Yellow Jackets – Cole Hepler # 91 Senior

? Son of Freeport Head Coach David Hepler who was the Punter on the University of Pittsburgh’s 1981 Gator Bowl Champions that featured All-Pros and Professional Collegiate and NFL Hall of Fame Legends led by Central Catholic Miami Dolphins Dan Marino. Cole’s brother Zack played on the 2007 Penguins Cup Champions and Pennsylvania State Finalists Freeport Team and the 2007 National Championship Team Pittsburgh of the Chicago Showcase

Freeport Yellow Jackets – Brendon Zack # 18 Senior

? Son of Donald Zack of Freeport and Grandson of Don Zack of Freeport, who played for Freeport’s 1st team and Legendary Builder of the Freeport Hockey Program and WPHOA Quaker Valley Quakers – QV

Coaches Furman South V & Furman South IV - Quaker Valley 

? Furman South V and Colin South were players on the 2006 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Champions of Class A. Their father Furman South IV has been a coach in the Quaker Valley Program Development for many years. Furman V and Colin play Division 1 Hockey for Robert Morris University.