Montour Spartans

Penn Trafford 5 Latrobe 3 GREENSBURG – Penn Trafford has won three consecutive Class AAA East Division titles under Todd Purvis and is looking like a pretty good bet for a 4th in a row in the weakest division in that classification in many years. The Warriors are more interested in the roadblock of Bethel Park, who has been responsible for eliminating PT all three years in their last game in the Penguins Cup AAA playoffs. While Chris Cerutti, Joel Sterniak and several PT mainstays have graduated, this year’s version of Warriors looks to be a hard working club that must find scoring touch and goaltending to compete with the top 4-5 teams in Class AAA and move toward their first ever final 4 appearance in March. The Penn Trafford blueprint has built through the proper developmental channels of amateur hockey and excellent Junior Varsity and Freshman programs, which will have to continue to keep moving closer to the ultimate goal. Distractions of travel hockey will at some point have to result in more commitment to the Warrior cause to make this happen sooner rather than later. The Latrobe hockey program is blessed with an excellent developmental program and booster club, which has worked to build numbers in their hockey program. Head coach Ron Makoski has a solid lineup returning from last years squad and has added some nice pieces from a solid Junior Varsity program. The Wildcats look to challenge the likes of Indiana, Franklin Regional, Greensburg CC and Greensburg Salem in what appears to be a very entertaining and wide-open East Division of Class AA. Penn Trafford struck first at 7:29 of the first as B.J. Zagorac tipped an Erik Likar shot past Curt Colianne from the right point to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. At 5:47 of the opening period Michael McCurdy tied the game burying a cross-ice pass from Jeff Joe Reluga to tie the game at one apiece. Penn Trafford held an advantage in shots in the opening period. At 9:09 of the second period, Michael White broke behind the Latrobe defense and slipped a backhand behind Colianne to give PT a 2-1 lead. The Warriors went to work on the power play and B.J. Zagorac buried a wrist shot up under the crossbar at 5:36 to give the Warriors a 3-1 cushion. Less than a minute later at 4:28, Jeff Smail took advantage of some sloppy play by the Warrior defense to cut the lead to 3-2. The Wildcats tied the game with 2:33 as Andrew Ong blistered a snapshot past Laurito on the short side to knot the game at 3-3. Latrobe had a chance to take the lead with 1:01 remaining in the second on the power play and was whistled again 16 seconds later creating a 5 on 3 situation and a golden opportunity for the Wildcats going to start the final period of regulation. The Warriors were able to kill off the penalties and the score remained 3-3 through the middle of the third period. With 6:09 remaining in the 3rd period Michael White swooped behind the Latrobe defense and beat Curt Colianne to give the Warriors a 4-3 advantage. The Wildcats went on the power play with 5:44 left with a chance to tie the game despite mustering 18 shots toward PT goaltender Tony Laurito in 3 periods. PT’s Erik Likar had the best chance to score on a shorthanded breakaway with 3:42 left but Colianne stopped him. Latrobe called a timeout with 1:48 to try to strategize a plan to tie the game and pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker. The final nail in the coffin came with 1:04 remaining as Michael White completed the hat trick to make the count 5-3 in favor of the Warriors as they advanced to the GCC Invitational finals for the 2nd time in 3 years with an opportunity to repeat the 2004 championship.

2006 Tournament Results October 27-29, 2006 Belmont Complex - Kittanning, Pa. BUTLER 5 - BALDWIN 2 KITTANNING 4 - GREENSBURG CC 2 BALDWIN 7 - ARMSTRONG MIDGET 1 BUTLER 5 - McDOWELL 4 CONESTOGA 5 - KITTANNING 4 BALDWIN 7 - McDOWELL 3 LATROBE 4 - GREENSBURG CC 0 BUTLER 3 - ARMSTRONG MIDGET 0 CONESTOGA 1 - GREENSBURG CC 1 KITTANNING 3 - LATROBE 2 CONESTOGA 5 - LATROBE 1 ARMSTRONG MIDGET 6 - McDOWELL 2 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME CONESTOGA 3 - BUTLER 2 TOURNAMENT MVP #44 VINCE MASCIANTONIO (CONESTOGA)

The wall to wall coverage throughout the 2006-2007 Season begins as the # 1 Website in all of Pennsylvania brings you the most in depth game by game action of anyone. With over 35 years of Interscholastic Hockey on Pa Hockey History, Nationwide coverage on the Interscholastic Hockey Today USA site, Pa Hockey is just the beginning of where you will find anything you need to know about your favorite team, league or player. The Pa Hockey Master Schedule for Western Pa is here .....The 'Concerned Citizens have spoken as the 2006-2007 PA Hockey Master Schedule is COMPLETED and now available by clicking on the Pa Hockey Logo !

Many of the 'Concerned Citizens' of Gotham City have been out and about early this season and the bat phone is starting to ring for those of us interested in the happenins of Pa Hockey. While the Villans continues to bleed Western Pennsylvania dry of the very possible dollar through fees, fines and fr----, PA Hockey continues to provide service to the hockey community. Their was really some serious consideration given to changing our theme to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but Sleepy retired from the scene and we couldn't narrow down who would play the part of Dopey ? So Batman and his crew of Crime Fighters, the Bat Computer and now the Gotham City News [Dick Grayson a/k/a Robin is now editor] will continue to make their prescence felt on the Western Pa Hockey front. Absent from Gotham last season were the editorials we all enjoy to keep the people given the Mushroom treatment by the Villans [which is a majority] abreast of what really happens behind the scenes, which can be characterized best as a whole lot of nothing. Save the Pens chants have died, the Open Division is more of a bigger disaster, teams and programs falling by the wayside continues, hockey development is at an all-time low in Western Pa [rivaling the early 1980's] and oh yes by the way, the head Villan is getting another raise to take the package closer to $ 100,000 a year ? And in April, the Villans will be poised to rig another election, so expect them all to be out gladhanding you and have big smiles on their faces, because keeping control of the million dollar a year paper tiger is what they are all about ! There is hope on the horizon.........the Penguins have a new re-birth under a very solid General Manager in Ray Shero, who looks to be building a contender around Crosby, Malkin and company, but it will only work if the team has ownership committed to staying in Pittsburgh and building a new arena, which is in the hands of the politicians, which is a crapshoot at best for the future of our professional hockey franchise nearing its 40th year in operation. If the Penguins stay.........hockey has a chance to right itself in Western Pa and there needs to be some new blood at the Amateur and High School level, who are willing to serve the hockey community and not trying to be politicians. Having said that, it will be important to see volunteerism begin a new spirit to overcome the demise set forth by a very self serving group, which now is doing its best to ruin the sport in this area and pay themselves a lot of money, with what could be done through 100 %Volunteers !! The Pa Hockey Foundation has started some excellent programs in the East Suburbs and they will continue to attract young people to the sport at the early ages in an attempt to try to rebuild long established hockey programs at Franklin Regional, Gateway, Plum, Penn Trafford, Penn Hills [who will fail to field a Varsity or ANY teams for the first time in 36 years !!!!] and other Eastern schools before it is too late ! Street Hockey, Dek Hockey, Learn to Skate, Learn to Play Hockey and two of Western Pa's two top Amateur Organizations and Ice Arenas have jumped in and joined hands in an effort to move forward. The ONLY way this will work is through the single most important factor, that has driven this sport for over 40 years in this area........people with the ability to Volunteer their time to make it happen. This will put a hault to the virtual nosedive that hockey is heading for in this geographic area. So as we start the 2006-2007 season, let me put one thought is front of the Concerned Citizens of Gotham, is it time for a new beginning or are we going to have the continued attitude of 'well my son is a senior and I would love to help, just let me know' or are their people out their who really care about this sport and its plight. If you're interested, we meet the first Wednesday of every month..........and if not thanks for your help !

Schedule for the 2006 Greensburg CC Invitational Upcoming Games Plum 4 State College 2 ***GAME SUMMARIES*** Penn Trafford 5 Latrobe 3 ***GAME SUMMARIES*** Thurs. 26-Oct 7:30 PM CHAMPIONSHIP @ Kirk Nevin Plum 6 Penn Trafford 2 ***GAME SUMMARIES*** Preliminary Round Results State College 2 Penn Trafford 0 Greensburg Salem 3 Greensburg CC 1 Kiski 3 Woodland Hills 0 Plum 3 Fox Chapel 0 Franklin Regional 3 Greensburg Salem 1 Plum 2 Latrobe 2 State College 3 Franklin Regional 0 Plum 8 Woodland Hills 0 Latrobe 5 Fox Chapel 2 State College 4 GCC 2 Penn Trafford 3 Greensburg Salem 3 Latrobe 6 Woodland Hills 1 Fox Chapel 3 Kiski Area 2 Latrobe 2 Kiski 1 Penn Trafford 3 GCC 2 Woodland Hills 1 Fox Chapel 0 Greensburg Salem 4 State College 2 GCC 1 Franklin Regional 1 Plum 6 Kiski Area 0 Penn Trafford 5 Franklin Regional 4 Maroon Division Gray Division Final Standings as of 10-19-06 State College 3-1-0 Latrobe 3-0-1 Penn Trafford 2-1-1 Plum 3-0-1 Greensbug Salem 2-1-1 Kiski 1-3-0 Franklin Regional 1-2-1 Woodland Hills 1-3-0 Greensburg CC 0-3-1 Fox Chapel 1-3-0