Freeport Yellow Jackets

HARMARVILLE - The Post Gazette rankings are THE topic of discussion around the rinks this time of year and since yours trully is responsible for them when Plum's name appeared in the number 4 slot and Central Catholic, 7-0-1 in their last eight, disappeared from last weeks rankings.....that is just more than Coach Kevin Zielmanski could take. So the coach of sound mind and wanting to motivate his team pasted those PG Rankings up in the locker room. Wanting to explain that the PIHL BS C Power Rankings, a conglomerate of computer rankings which gives credence to running up the score on the likes of Connellsville and Woodland Hills, I entered the Central locker room to explain the the Post Gazette didn't get the rankings until after the deadline and used the wrong ones. I was accousted by Billy Zuri, who can engulf a Primantis Egg and Cheese with a turn of the head, for wearing the ill fated Viking rival Meadville hat on my mellon......you're welcome Coach Z ! Geared for more holiday cheer, I wandered down the hallway to the Plum locker room.....only to be greeted by coach Relnick and 'Dr Evil' Jerry Bass, who thanked me for motivating Central and told me to 'hit the bricks' as they prepared their team for battle. The Mustangs have played well this season and look to be a team to be reckoned with come playoff time and dare we say 'championship contenders' and those are words not heard since the 1998 classic WPIHL Championship between Plum and Central Catholic. And to add to the excitement former Mustang Dave Tunon and former Viking Bill Downey were in town on break from Penn State [# 1 team in the nation ACHA Division 1, who will play W & J January 3rd at the Mellon Arena] to take in the action. The first period saw plenty of good action with good physical play and great backchecking by both teams. CC's Brian Adamczak and Plum's JP Balson kept the crease clear until 1:08 when Matt Urso and Matt Capalongo double teamed the Plum defense and stole the puck, which Urso skated out of the corner and buried a wrist shot upstairs to make it 1-0. Special teams are usually a very important part of the success of any team and while Plum continued to get power play opportunties, Cnetral Catholic with excellent team defense and active sticks poked away and intercepted plenty of Mustang opportunties which would prove to be the difference in this game. At 12:34, after Michael McGurk won the faceoff, Zach Crisafio blasted a slapshot which Balson never saw on the short side and the Vikings were now on top 2-0. Another Plum power play at 9:27 and a golden opportunity as Chris Niznik was in the sin bin. Hard work by John Kalichuk and Travis Senchur paid off at 7:42 as they worked the puck to the front of the net and Robbie Tunon pounced on the rebound and all the sudden Plum was within one at 2-1. At 4:58 a Central Catholic power play and a key point in the game.....the Viking power play with patience, great puck movement and great skating without the puck capitalized, as Andrew Wroblewski tipped a Chris Niznik shot past Balson at 3:38 to extend the CC lead to 3-1. Adamczak continued to sparkle, as Plum was outshooting Central 21-11 after two periods, with big saves on Kalichuk and another on Senchur with 2 1/2 left in the middle frame. Central's JR Hess scored on a big slapshot from the point at 1:41 to make it 4-1. Plum came right back as Aaron Arnold poked home a rebound after Adamczak made a great save on Tunon to close he gap to 4-2. In the third period, Plum could not score although they had plenty of opportunities. With 3:47 left on a five on three, the Mustangs came close and Adamczak made an unreal save on Senchur, who along with his Plum teammates thought the puck went in but to no avail and that was the story on the night as Plum outshoot the Vikings 27-18 and came away empty handed. For Central Catholic, another big win over a ranked opponent and maybe a little respect from the would be rankings is due.