Freeport Yellow Jackets

BETHEL PARK – Cathedral Prep is on day two of a very taxing trip all over Western Pa which takes them from Erie – Game 1 a 4-4 come from behind tie with Mt Lebanon to Bethel Park, back to Erie and off to Greensburg tomorrow for a game with Latrobe..in three days and at stake is the # 1 seed in Class AAA in the upcoming playoffs ! Coach Nels White could not make the trip Wednesday due to work responsibilities, but the Ramblers were hopped up to face Bethel. Hawk coach Jim McVay can understand the plight of ECP, because his team has a killer marathon schedule the last week of their season. After losing to # 5 ranked Franklin Regional last Friday, BP traveled to # 1 ranked Meadville Monday night, was back home for # 2 ranked Prep Wednesday and has to face a desperate Penn Trafford team on Thursday. So there is really no sympathy on either end as both of these teams have logged almost as much mileage this week as the Blue Jeep, which is getting used to the travel as we have gone Wheeling to Monroeville to Meadville to Monroeville to Bethel to Harmar and off to Johnstown Friday night in a weeks time….it must be playoff time in Pa Hockeyland. Wednesday night was a who’s who of Western Pa Hockey personalities as Pa Hockey Top 5 fans Earl Bugaile and Dave Scott were in the house along with Pitt coaches Jimmy Black and Tom Reick, Shadyside’s Bob Kennedy [who led BP to State Championship # 1 in 1997 and was the winner of the 50/50, which was under $ 50], long-time Shaler skipper Ron ‘Flame’ Steedle, the venerable W & J’s Chuck Kelly, former Prep stars Greg Rogers and Pete McCormick, a way long time ago McDowell star and current referee evaluator Butch Halko, Mt Lebanon coach Paul Taibi, Chris Longnecker on the camera and last but not least the infamous Bob Montana [who at last count still has five penalties ?]. Wow this is almost like the ‘Seen’ column...either that or Romper Room with Miss Jane…….anyway there was fun for the entire family including a Bethel Park ‘smokeout’ in the parking lot before and after the game….so shame on you for six weeks if you missed Prep vs Bethel. So much fun was to be had that referees ‘Chet’ Steen and Tim ‘No Regrets’ Morgeret contemplated having the whole section removed by Ben Clinkston ‘Mall Guard’ Security service. And oh yeah ‘Mort’ was there too ! Bethel Park wasted no time jumping on Prep in the first period as Conner McLean scored at 13:12 to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. BP went on the power play at 10:13 and Danny Zabkar drilled home a slapshot from the right point at 10:13 and all the sudden it was 2-0. The Blackhawks dominated play in the opening period with an 11-5 shot advantage as our ‘expert’ panel decided the Ramblers may have the dreaded bus legs! On to the second and Bethel Park had an opportunity to open up the game with another power play opportunity at 12:39, but Prep was able to kill it off and gain some momentum. Kyle Rogers rammed home a rebound at 7:14 and the Ramblers were on the board with a big goal. ECP was not done yet as Andrew Lamberton walked down the slot and buried a shot past Brian Bakowski to tie the game at two apiece. Prep was was on a roll now outshooting BP 18-5, but Bakowski came up big as he stopped Mike Boling with a great glove save at 4:10 and foiled Jeff Dionosio with a diving stick save with just 47 ticks remaining in the middle frame. This was anyone’s hockey game with the # 1 seed and the Class AAA West division at stake and Bethel went on the power play at 12:11 on a less than obvious penalty at 12:11. Kyle Rogers put Bethel Park on their heels as he scored to put the Ramblers on top with a shorthanded goal and gave the Ramblers a 3-2 lead with 10:49 remaining. Prep was now trying to put the dagger to BP and was looking for that big insurance goal. Bakowski made an unreal diving shoulder save on Pat Figurski with 5:29 left in regulation and stoned Rogers and Jeff Dionosio on a two on one with 3:53 left. Bethel’s Brandon Hanley made a huge play with a little over three minutes to go as he tipped the puck on an icing attempt into the Prep zone and BP now started to pressure the less than confident Prep defensive unit. A clearing attempt around the Bethel Park BladeRunner boards took a ‘Golden Mile’ bounce right into the center of the ice and onto the stick of a wide open Brandon Hanley with 1:26 remaining and Hanley buried a big shot past Rob Allison and sent the Bethel faithful into a frenzy. Both teams reverted to a defensive battle and the game ended in a well played hard fought 3-3 tie. The tie for Bethel Park puts them a win over Penn Trafford away from clinching the all important # 1 seed in Class AAA. The loss was costly for Prep, who was eliminated from a chance to win the West Division due to their 0-1-1 head to head record against Meadville this season even if it should defeat Latrobe and tie the Bulldogs in points. Both Bethel and Cathedral Prep have established themselves as frontrunners in what should be a tremendous Class AAA playoffs starting next Monday.