Freeport Yellow Jackets

NEVILLE ISLAND ~ Sewickley Academy coach Erik Hoolihan is looking forward to the programs first winning season in their program’s history and subsequent playoff berth. The Panthers have had a great start to their season, but have been sidetracked by losses to Blackhawk, Westmont Hilltop, Quaker Valley and most recently a tough 3-2 decision to Wheeling Park. SA is looking to put itself in position for a home berth in the playoffs and needs to knock off some teams ahead of them to accomplish that. Somerset on the other hand has had a breakthrough season with a group of players, who know each other and their coach Cliff Ziegler well. The Eagles are undefeated and a Serra loss to Quaker Valley earlier in the week has Somerset knocking at the # 1 ranking in Western Pennsylvania. The line Bret Ziegler, freshman Cullen Eddy and Matt Rouch has shredded opposing defensive units for astronomical numbers leaving some to question who Somerset has played, but lets not kid anyone these kids are talented and can score, which could be trouble for the rest of Class A. The Eagles are anxiously awaiting their big game with rival Bishop McCort, which was changed from next week to the 29th of January and according to the Somerset folks, they just found out about it, which is par for the course for the PIHL, who notifies no one about game changes, until the last minute of course. The first period was an offensive display by Somerset as they pelted Sewickley Academy goalkeeper Peter Dimmick with very good scoring opportunites. At 12:20, Dimmick stopped Cullen Eddy after a nice feed by Ziegler. Just 17 seconds later, it was Bret Ziegler who Dimmick stopped. Not to be outdone, the rangy Panther goaltender stopped both Ziegler and Eddy again at 10:52. Wes Cramer, the Somerset goalie, saw little action in the first, the best chance coming as Alec Shannon rang one off the post at 6:29 in a scoreless opening period. On to the 2nd and it didn’t take long for the Eagles to strike as Matt Hay found the loose puck and beat Dimmick to give Somerset a 1-0 lead at 14:05. Dimmick kept the advantage just a goal as he stopped Cullen Eddy again with 7:17 remaining in the period. The momentum looked to be switching as Sewickley Academy found itself on a 5 on 3 power play at 7:17, but the Eagles stiffened and only allowed a couple of shots during the advantage and only 7 shots through the first two periods. Then a backbreaking goal as Cullen Eddy finally solved Dimmick on a great individual effort walking the Panther defense and slamming home a shot past the SA goalie with just 1:05 remaining for a huge goal and a 2-0 lead at the end of two periods. Somerset extinguished any thoughts of a comeback just 17 ticks into the third as Matt Rouch took a great pass from Ziegler and buried it past Dimmick for a 3-0 lead. Sewickley mounted a challenge in the middle of the third and tallied 12 shots in the final period, but Wes Cramer stopped them all, the best save coming on a Trevor Heck wrist shot at 7:49. The Eagles closed out the game scoring goals in the waning moments as Eddy scored on a beautiful backhand to the upper corner at 2:44 and Bret Zeigler wheeled through the slot and scored with 45 seconds left to put the cap on an impressive 5-0 win over Sewickley Academy and capture the # 1 ranking in Class A.