Butler Toronadoes

MEADVILLE - The 'House of Chills' in November was packed to the rafters for the big showdown between the # 1 ranked Ramblers of Cathedral Prep and the Dawgs of Meadville. Coaches Nels White and Jamie Plunkett were looking for signs of progress from their respective teams. The atmosphere was electric as the teams engaged in a fast paced opening minutes. With no score and Meadville killing a penalty, Brian Bahurinsky got an opportunity in front but was stopped by Rob Allison at 8:39. Cathedral Prep struck first as Jon Merriott walked off the near boards and beat Danny O'Sharuk on the glove side upstairs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. In the second period, Prep stud Jeff Dionosio nearly made it 2-0 after a big center ice hit by Kyle Rogers at 12:35. Meadville's Jeffrey Holabaugh banked the puck off Allison from behind the goal line to tie the score at 1-1 at 10:13 of the middle frame. Prep had an opportunity to regain the lead but O'Sharuk stopped Mike Boling on the breakaway at 6:30 and the the Dawgs still had the lead. Then Dionosio scored an unbelievable goal as whle being upended in front of the net he scored in one motion on the short side and all the sudden the game was Prep 2 Meadville 1. Just a minute later it was Bahurinsky beating the Rambler defense and creating a 2 on 1 and then slipped a pass to Phil Siverd who deflected the puck past Allison at 3:29 to tie the score at 2-2. Then the Dawgs got that big goal with just one second remaining in the second period as Justin Wehrle intercepted a clearing attempt and walked down the slot and beat Allison on the stick side to make it 3-2. On to the third and the next goal would be huge and the Bulldogs got it as Bahurinsky scored on the breakaway at 13:24 to make it 4-2. Then Rick Thomas blasted a shot from the point at 6:39 to add a big insurance goal and pace the Bulldogs to a 5-2 lead. Prep kept fighting back and scored at 8:04 as Dionosio got behind the Meadville defense and scored on the rebound. O'Sharuk had to come up with a big save on Kyle Rogers at 4:10. Rogers came right back and beat O'Sharuk at 3:25 through the five hole to cut the lead to 5-4. Prep pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and Holabaugh scored on a 150 foot clearing attempt to finalize a 6-4 victory for the Bulldogs.