Seneca Valley Raiders

Game Summary provided by Plum Hockey DELMONT - The Fox Chapel Foxes defeated the Plum Mustangs by a score of 5-3. Plum came out flying early in the first period and capitalized in the first 1:54. Senior Jonathan Smith took a pass from Sophomore Nick Walters and broke into the Fox Chapel end on his off wing. He beat the Foxes' defenseman and roofed the puck over Fox Chapel goalie Eric Thiessen for his 11th goal of the season to give Plum the early lead. Senior Matt Giunta also assisted on the goal. At 10:20, Plum Junior Andy Weston was the recipient of a beautiful pass from fellow Junior Ben Colosmo and ripped the puck past Thiessen for his first of the season to give the Mustangs a two-goal lead. Fox Chapel then took control. At 7:40, Justin Kreps stripped a Mustang defenseman and walked in alone on Plum Sophomore goalie John Bronder. Kreps' shot handcuffed the Plum netminder and just trickled over the line to put the Foxes on the board. Only 1:19 later, Fox Chapel forward Kyle Misour fed linemate Greg Lorenz who fired a shot at the Plum cage. Bronder made the save, but Joe Budz picked up the rebound and buried the puck to tie the game at two. With 3:06 to go in the first period, Misour, who was left all alone in the slot, took a pass from Budz and ripped a one-timer off the post to Bronder's right and into the net to give Fox Chapel the lead. Steve Bartynski earned the second assist on the goal. The Foxes outshot the Mustangs 16-7 in the opening frame. Plum climbed back into the game at 13:27 of the second period when Junior Chad Covol one-timed a pass from Smith past Thiessen for his fourth of the year to tie the game once again. Junior David Humphrey also picked up an assist on Covol's goal. With only 2:49 to go in the second, Misour stole a clearing effort from a Mustang defenseman and slipped the puck to Budz who was wide open in the slot. Budz blistered a slapshot off Bronder's blocker and into the net to make the score 4-3. With time running out in the period, Misour took advantage of a Plum miscue in front of their own net and scored with 18 seconds to go to put the Foxes up by two. Bartynski and Budz were credited with the assists. The Foxes took two penalties in the third period, but Plum was not able to score, hitting the post at the midpoint of the third period and the crossbar a few minutes

West Allegheny 4 Greensburg CC 2 GREESNBURG – West Allegheny is off to one of its best starts in its history at 6-0-0 after a disappointing end to the 04-05 season being upset by Elizabeth Forward in round 1 of the playoffs. Coach Norm Cook’s squad has been impressive in beating Canevin, Canon McMillan, & Thomas Jefferson among the better competition in Class AA, but all of those games were at home, so this evening’s test against Greensburg CC would be a test against a good team on the road. Ryne Savisky and Ryan Kumpfmiller have led the charge offensively and one could only imagine if Mark Polidor, who is not playing for the Indians and only playing for the Penguin and this is after he had a terrific Chicago Showcase, representing West Allegheny. Anyway, West A looks to challenge in AA this season and by the looks of their start could make noise in March. Greensburg CC is off to a 3-2-1 start after a championship in the 2005 GGC Invitational in October. First year coach Bill Buchholz’s team has had its up and downs losing to Thomas Jefferson and Pine Richland in relatively close games. The Centarians should be in the mix of Elite 8 teams but will have to display better discipline, which cost them offensive stud Alfonso Arevalo during a recent contest to suspension. In order to compete with the top teams, they will have to have all of their guns in the lineup and also will rely on the superb play of sophomore goaltender Ryan Homanics. West Allegheny opened the scoring at 5:35 of the opening period as Tony Lutz pounced on a rebound and beat Ryan Homanics. The Centurians went on the power play at 2:46 GCC power play, but West Allegheny went on the power play as GCC committed two separate penalties at 1:43. With :36 seconds left in the opening period, Jeff Rich chipped the puck past the GCC goaltender to make it 2-0 for the Indians. The Indians went on the power play early in the 2nd and Homanics made a terrific sliding stop on Jeff Rich at 11:32. Homanics continued to hold his team in the game as West Allegheny dominated play through the opening 30 minutes with a 25-11 shot advantage and a 2-0 lead heading to the ice cut at Kirk Nevin. On to the third we went and at 12:53 Ryan Kumpfmiller scored a big insurance goal from right on the doorstep to make it 3-0. Central had a 5 on 3 in the middle of the final period of regulation for well over a minute and finally cracked the West A armor as Dan Seijk slipped a shot through the 5-hole of Kyle Mortimer with a little under 6 minutes to go to make it 3-1. With 4:34 left, the Centurians went back on the power play, but could not score. After a timeout by West Allegheny, GCC came back and scored as David Ulishney scored on a Shane Purvis rebound with 1:49 remaining. West Allegheny came right back just 18 seconds later as Ross Midgely scored from right in front of Ryan Homanics to give WA a two-goal lead again at 4-2. The Indians outshot GCC 31-22 on the evening and moved to a perfect 7-0-0 mark.

Bishop McCort 6 Serra Catholic 2 ROSTRAVER – Sitting in Murph’s Pub at the Rostraver Ice Garden gives you an opportunity to catch up with the staunch supporters of Western Pa Hockey and a great vantage point to watch hockey and over the years has been a scene of some great hockey games. Serra Catholic has been a part of a lot of those games in Class A, including the 2002 Pennsylvania State A final, when the Eagles defeated Radnor in a 5-4 thriller to capture their third straight State Crown. Adorned in the new ‘S’ which made their debut last season, the Eagles are relatively a new squad from those championships teams of the early 21st century, but continue to dominate single A competition with a 6-0 record and really have gone unchallenged in the first six and are ranked # 1 in Western Pa and # 2 in today’s Pa Hockey Elite 8 poll behind 2005 State Champions Penncrest. Head Coach Tom Mooney’s squad more than likely been looking forward to this date since March. The reason for the trip to the Ice Garden was a date with Bishop McCort, the defending Penguins Cup champions, who defeated Serra Catholic in last years Penguins Cup at the Mellon Arena after after four years of frustration against the Eagles [three times in the Penguins Cup finals. Head Coach John Bradley’s team has started off with a 4-1 record with their only loss to Quaker Valley, who looks to join the Penguins Cup fray in a relatively week Class A field of just 12 teams. In my opinion and that of many who follow hockey in these parts only four teams can win the Penguins Cup in 2006, including the two teams playing tonight’s game, QV and possibly Sewickley Academy. People watching this game should take lots of pictures and enjoy the moment, because Class A hockey, which began to compete for a State Title in 1989 Could reach extinction, with many programs in serious trouble due to the ‘have and have nots’ climate of the PIHL. The game went back and forth in the opening period with a couple of power play exchanges until 2:43 of the 1st when Aaron Nolte pounced on a Steven Gruhalla rebound and deposited past Crimson Crusher netminder Brent Troyan to give Serra a 1-0 lead. Then at 1:31 after a scramble in front Josh Werner buried the rebound and the Eagles had a 2-0 lead. With 40 seconds left in the period, Marc Domonkos fired a wrist shot past the glove side of South Allegheny transplant Stephen Derewonko to cut the Serra lead in half 2-1. The Crimson Crushers tied the game at 13:23 of the second on a rebound as Jordan Jaco beat Derewonko low to the ice to knot the contest at two apiece. McCort went on the power play at 10:51 with an opportunity to take the lead for the first time and Shawn James made it happen flying past the Serra defense and blowing a shot past the Eagle netminder on the gloveside for a power play goal and a 3-2 lead for the Crimson Crushers. The Eagles got their opportunity on the man advantage at 5:58, which was nullified on a high sticking call against Serra at 4:27, giving the Crushers a man advantage and Jordan Jaco made the most of it at 2:55 scoring on the wraparound to make it 4-2 in favor of BM. Serra looked like a team in need of a break and they got it with a power play late in the 2nd period with just 55 seconds left as McCort took a 4-2 lead to the ice cut. The Eagles should start with skating like they did in the first period and try to force McCort mistakes and that’s what they did. After several near misses at 11:33, a sure goal for Bryan Hickey was turned aside by Troyan. A power play as a result of hard work and skating by Serra at 11:06, but it was McCort’s Zac Seidel just missed on a shorthanded breakaway at 10:13. A 5 on 3 power play came at 9:47 and coach Tom Mooney didn’t like the first part of the power play and he used his timeout at 9:24, but the Crushers survived the 5 on 3 and went to work to kill off the disadvantage and Marc Domonkos picked up a loose puck and took it the length of the ice and beat Stephen Derewonko low to the ice on the forehand at 8:06 for a 5-2 Bishop McCort lead. Serra’s Joe Clark was in alone at 7:55 and Brent Troyan made another key stop. Serra had another power play with 2:22 left and pulled the goalie and Jared Matthew’s had a wide open net and shot it off the crossbar and moments later BM’s Stephen Polonky banked a shot 180 feet into the empty net for the final tally at 6-2 for the Crimson Crushers, despite a 29-17 shot advantage for Serra. And at the end of the day, the folks from McCort and Serra exchanged pleasantries and said ‘we’ll see you again before the end of the season in Johnstown and again in March at the Penguins Cup finals’.

Bishop McCort 6 Serra Catholic 2 ROSTRAVER – Sitting in Murph’s Pub at the Rostraver Ice Garden gives you an opportunity to catch up with the staunch supporters of Western Pa Hockey and a great vantage point to watch hockey and over the years has been a scene of some great hockey games. Serra Catholic has been a part of a lot of those games in Class A, including the 2002 Pennsylvania State A final, when the Eagles defeated Radnor in a 5-4 thriller to capture their third straight State Crown. Adorned in the new ‘S’ which made their debut last season, the Eagles are relatively a new squad from those championships teams of the early 21st century, but continue to dominate single A competition with a 6-0 record and really have gone unchallenged in the first six and are ranked # 1 in Western Pa and # 2 in today’s Pa Hockey Elite 8 poll behind 2005 State Champions Penncrest. Head Coach Tom Mooney’s squad more than likely been looking forward to this date since March. The reason for the trip to the Ice Garden was a date with Bishop McCort, the defending Penguins Cup champions, who defeated Serra Catholic in last years Penguins Cup at the Mellon Arena after after four years of frustration against the Eagles [three times in the Penguins Cup finals. Head Coach John Bradley’s team has started off with a 4-1 record with their only loss to Quaker Valley, who looks to join the Penguins Cup fray in a relatively week Class A field of just 12 teams. In my opinion and that of many who follow hockey in these parts only four teams can win the Penguins Cup in 2006, including the two teams playing tonight’s game, QV and possibly Sewickley Academy. People watching this game should take lots of pictures and enjoy the moment, because Class A hockey, which began to compete for a State Title in 1989 Could reach extinction, with many programs in serious trouble due to the ‘have and have nots’ climate of the PIHL. The game went back and forth in the opening period with a couple of power play exchanges until 2:43 of the 1st when Aaron Nolte pounced on a Steven Gruhalla rebound and deposited past Crimson Crusher netminder Brent Troyan to give Serra a 1-0 lead. Then at 1:31 after a scramble in front Josh Werner buried the rebound and the Eagles had a 2-0 lead. With 40 seconds left in the period, Marc Domonkos fired a wrist shot past the glove side of South Allegheny transplant Stephen Derewonko to cut the Serra lead in half 2-1. The Crimson Crushers tied the game at 13:23 of the second on a rebound as Jordan Jaco beat Derewonko low to the ice to knot the contest at two apiece. McCort went on the power play at 10:51 with an opportunity to take the lead for the first time and Shawn James made it happen flying past the Serra defense and blowing a shot past the Eagle netminder on the gloveside for a power play goal and a 3-2 lead for the Crimson Crushers. The Eagles got their opportunity on the man advantage at 5:58, which was nullified on a high sticking call against Serra at 4:27, giving the Crushers a man advantage and Jordan Jaco made the most of it at 2:55 scoring on the wraparound to make it 4-2 in favor of BM. Serra looked like a team in need of a break and they got it with a power play late in the 2nd period with just 55 seconds left as McCort took a 4-2 lead to the ice cut. The Eagles should start with skating like they did in the first period and try to force McCort mistakes and that’s what they did. After several near misses at 11:33, a sure goal for Bryan Hickey was turned aside by Troyan. A power play as a result of hard work and skating by Serra at 11:06, but it was McCort’s Zac Seidel just missed on a shorthanded breakaway at 10:13. A 5 on 3 power play came at 9:47 and coach Tom Mooney didn’t like the first part of the power play and he used his timeout at 9:24, but the Crushers survived the 5 on 3 and went to work to kill off the disadvantage and Marc Domonkos picked up a loose puck and took it the length of the ice and beat Stephen Derewonko low to the ice on the forehand at 8:06 for a 5-2 Bishop McCort lead. Serra’s Joe Clark was in alone at 7:55 and Brent Troyan made another key stop. Serra had another power play with 2:22 left and pulled the goalie and Jared Matthew’s had a wide open net and shot it off the crossbar and moments later BM’s Stephen Polonky banked a shot 180 feet into the empty net for the final tally at 6-2 for the Crimson Crushers, despite a 29-17 shot advantage for Serra. And at the end of the day, the folks from McCort and Serra exchanged pleasantries and said ‘we’ll see you again before the end of the season in Johnstown and again in March at the Penguins Cup finals’.

Varsity Championship AA - Beaver Creek Ohio 5 Shaler 3 Varsity Championship AAA - Orchard Park 4 McDowell 0