Freeport Yellow Jackets

Semi-Finals 11/23/03 - Meadville overcomes TJ in classic 4-3 in 2 OT ! Thomas Jefferson coach Don Powell love putting his Jaguars to the test and has taken the philosophy of trying to get his team ready for the stretch run by playing the best competition available. TJ made it to the 2002 CC Invitational finals and was looking to do it again with victories over Lancaster, Fox Chapel and Bethel Park…..which is a nice resume heading into the semi-finals. Coach Powell would love to add another big notch in the form of defending Class AAA State Champions Meadville to go with their # 1 ranking in the Pa Hockey Elite 8 State Poll. Meadville coach Jamie Plunkett returned behind the bench for the semi-finals benefiting from some nice work by long-time assistant Dick Holabaugh, who guided the Dawgs to a hard fought tie against Lancaster and victories over South Park and Holy Ghost. Those victories came with a price as starting goaltender Danny O’Sharuk, Phil Siverd and Anthony Scarpino were forced to the sidelines with injuries. What we may have seen is trouble, but this is Meadville and a preview of the future was taking hold as freshman Michael Licinski stepped between the pipes, looking like a veteran of 3 seasons. The Bulldogs also had a new look in the red, black and white of the Chicago Black Hawks and Ricky Thomas gave TJ a little same old Dawgs routine as he deposited a David Moyer rebound past Danny Hartman one the power play at 9:17 for a 1-0 lead. Christian Nickerson intercepted and errant clearing attempt by the Jaguars and fed a streaking Thomas, who redirected a shot past Hartman and all the sudden it was 2-0 Meadville with 7:00 remaining in the first. Thomas Jefferson showed a ton of character by digging down and taking the play to Meadville as almost scored as Brandon School’s shot bounced over Licinski into the crease, but big brother Nate Licinski cleared it from danger at 6:28. Eric Holzer went to the net hard and the Meadville faithful held their collective breath after Saturday’s injury to O’Sharuk at 5:30. TJ finally got on the board as Holzer’s shot beat Licinski inside the post after a great second effort by Derek Kelly to poke the puck past [soon to be PIHL All-Star defenseman and should have been for three years] David Moyer. The Jaguars almost tied the game as Licinski just got a skate on a Billy Barrett shot with 3:44 left in the opening period. On to the second and hard working forward Shawn Harbaugh scored on the power play at 11:37 to extend the Meadville lead to 3-1. Danny Hartman kept his team in the game stopping 10 Bulldog shots with excellent saves on D.J. Durkee and Harbaugh in the waning moments of the middle frame. Thomas Jefferson took advantage of a 5 on 3 power play Luke Wawrzeniak scored on assist from Brandon School at 14:40 and those same two combined to tie the game a short time later as School scored less than a minute later to tie the game at 3-3. The Jaguars had the better of the play and sent the game to overtime. In overtime, Ricky Thomas appeared to have a shorthanded breakaway which was whistled down on the offside play five minutes in. David Moyer hit a streaking Christian Nickerson who fought his way behind the TJ defense and slipped a shot underneath Hartman at 11:58 to send the Bulldogs to the CC Invitational final.