Butler Toronadoes

Bethel keeps the dream season alive and wins 3rd straight ! PITTSBURGH - Bethel Park Head Coach Jim McVay must have a lot of fun coaching the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks 78-2-1 record over the last three seasons, including two consecutive Penguin Cups and Pennsylvania State Championships has elevated BP vs the world mentality across the State of Pennsylvania. Sooner or later, they are going to lose, but it is impressive to look at the accomplishments, which incudes this seasons defensive gem of giving up just 13 goals in 23 regular season games. Mere mortals have challenged them...of course Gateway was 11 minutes away from winning, but getting outshot 39-13 gives you less of a chance. Sure Central Catholic, held a 2-1 lead with 8 minutes left in the semis, to watch it evaporate in OT. Mt Lebanon coach Paul Taibi, a Bethel disciple, and his team have come close and he knows what it takes. For Mt Lebanon, 26 years since its last State Title and its first trip to the Penguins Cup finals since 1987. A great year by most standards, but not complete. The Blue Devils would need goaltender Colin Sebastian to be Superman, get a lead (possibly a two goal lead) and play a spotless defensive game. So 'lets give it our best shot' was the motto of the seniors of Mt Lebanon and try and do the unthinkable. Who better than senior captain Mike Colligan to get things started and he did at 11:20 on a powerful backhand at give Mt Lebanon a 1-0 lead. Mt Lebanon was doing it and Sebastian was stoning the Blackhawks at the other end as BP outshot them 10-5 in the first period. All it takes is a lapse and you never know which one of these Blackhwks is gonna strike. At 13:23, just nine seconds in the power play, the almost forgotten one Dan Mackin blasted a slapshot from the point through the five hole and traffic and the game was tied 1-1. Bethel was settling in and Mt Lebanon was matching them, but to put BP on the power play is trouble and with just one second remaining in a late second period power play, C.J. Strauss picked up a Mackin rebound and deposited it past Sebastian to give Bethel the 2-1 lead. Early in the third period, Sebastian made a key save as Nick D'Allesandro had a breakaway opportunity and Steve Preite missed a great opportunity. Sebastian was stopping everything Bethel could throw at him and his team still had a chance, albeit a slim one. Matt Feige stopped all 6 shots Mt Lebanon could muster in the 3rd and the road to Rostraver for the Blue Devils was about to close. Enter Justin Glock, who looked like a bus comin through the Mt Lebo defense and while falling down one handed a shot over Sebastian with 4:42 remaining to seal the deal and give Bethel Park a 3-1 victory over their arch rivals and its third straight Penguins Cup. So now Bethel Park can put closure to a great run next week at Rostraver, but it will not be a picnic. Should Malvern Prep capture the Flyers Cup next Thursday, it will set up a rematch of last years Pennsylvania AAA State Final. Some unfinished business for Malvern Prep, who have lost their most recent opportunities for State Titles to Bethel Park in 1997 and last season. If Germantown advances, Bethel Park has some unfinished business with them, a 1983 defeat in BP's first State Championship appearance, which is coincidentially a year before this group of players was born. Any way it stacks up, Bethel Park can put closure to a lot of history next weekend.