Announcement
AA
Canevin (21 2 0) AA
o The Mighty Crusaders, says one Emeritus Long Time Hockey supporter of Coach Z, should be a full force entering the 2014 Penguins Cup Playoffs. Championship Programs have all sorts of attributes and Kevin Zielmanski is very calculated when he talks about his program, but the facts are facts and the numbers are the number and Canevin has been start to finish the best team in Class AA. All knitted jerseys aside the Crusaders who fill the uniforms are as solid of a Class AA team in many years, even rivaling the 2011, 1989, 1984 and 1983 squads of Blue and Blue. Randy Unger, Alec Bosnic and freshman Liam Walsh are the go to guys on this team, but what follows them is what make Canevin in front of Nikita Meskin. Will we see a Caped Crusader at Pegula ……Tune In Same Bat Time Same Bat Channel cause this team is on its way! ?
Cathedral Prep (16 4 2) AA
o If there is one lesson this group of Ramblers has learned this season, maybe they appreciate the Penguins Cup run a couple of years ago that ended in disappointment when many in this group were freshman and in development. Coach Craig Barnett is a teacher and the lesson he would like to teach them is that great teams play with composure, discipline and patience as a recipe for success. Whether this team has the competitive greatness and work ethic necessary to exercise those qualities is in question and when they go on the power play it will be Trevor Faulkner, John Colvin, Ben Eliason and the brothers Kelly to get it done and the numbers that showed up for tryouts and in development o take care of the rest….Could this be their year ? ?
Armstrong (16 5 1) AA
o River Hawks …….I like the colors more than the name and it was about time that this program stepped out of Class A and the Open Division and it has taken a better part of this year just for some of the players and coaches just to get used to it. Doug Anthony has a very interesting program in the making and in development and could use some sweetener for his hot chocolate if you will to warm up for the playoffs. Christian Miller, Hunter Grafton and Luke Gross can score like no other team in Class AA, but it takes 20 players to get to the top and Armstrong has a long history of great players but a spotted history of great teams.
Hampton (13 8 1) AA
o Hampton has a very solid goaltender in Cam Raidna and some pretty good scorers in Zack Kosick, Ethan Homitz and Eric Leya….but winning in the playoffs takes discipline and sometimes patience from players who seem to take inopportune penalties that swing the tide of a close game. The Talbots are like a bad storm front coming through that could leave anything in its path and while their faithful hope its opposing teams the opposing teams hope it’s the Talbots exit from the playoffs, which has been their history over 40 years.
Plum (12 7 3) AA
o The Mustangs have knocked off some giants in front of them this season and coach Dave Stonebreaker will learn that to compete with the big Dawgs in the playoffs is a different story. Joe Randazzo and David Stonebreaker have carried the squad offensively, which is great but 17 minute periods against teams with three lines like Canevin, Prep and Armstrong will expose Plum and those go to players will not be fresh in the final minutes when needed to make a playoff run. A final four appearance would be a great accomplishment but that’s where it will end unless 20 bodies are in the lineup and serviceable.
Latrobe (11-8-3) AA
o When your squad loses a keystone like Dalton Hunter. It is tough to repeat as Pennsylvania High School Hockey Champions and John Winebrenner has some nice players in Chris Johnson, Adam Ferguson and Brendan Johns and the key to the Wildcats four Championship run has been a mix of great numbers in Development, excellent front end talent and great goaltending and something is missing from this year’s Latrobe contingent
Chartiers Valley (11-11-0) AA
o CV coach Sean Biancanello has terrific tandum with Anthony Franks and Cullen McMahon and the supporting cast and goaltending has let down the Colts this season and their playoff hopes go with it
North Hills (10-12-0) AA
o North Hills won its first division title over 40 years of hockey and thanks to Brandon Dudt-Mulzet’s efforts the Indians Program is on its ways to building toward a strong future. Brett Berner is an awesome player, but unfortunately everyone knows it and he is a marked player when NH takes the ice.
