Butler Toronadoes

HARMARVILLE - Everybody knows about the 'Christmas Story' reruns where Ralphie dreams of getting the Red Rider BB Gun from Santa Claus. Deer Lakes coach Al Pawloski has to feel like he's the kid who got his tongue stuck to the flagpole at Deer Lakes High School as he has preached defense to his high scoring group and the Lancers have given up some big numbers on defense this season. The Westmont Hilltoppers on the otherhand is like a family gathering every night as they boarded the bus from J-Town with the usual suspects lead by Bob 'the Bus Driver', 'Super' Fan Dan Lenzi, 'the Boy Wonder' Assistant coach Brace Moran, the lovely Hilltopperette Team Managers and of course 'King Arthur' McQuillan amongst the Westy faithful. The Hilltoppers are on a roll since a couple of early season setbacks to undefeated Mars and Quaker Valley and they ignored the warnings of Ralphie's Mother and School Teacher of the Red Rider BB gun lore of 'you'll shoot your eye out' or maybe they just misinterpeted it 'like an eligibility case of the PIHL'. Anyway........ a well played first period saw Deer Lakes and Westmont in a scoreless defensive battle, which was ok for coach Pawloski, who was taking in the game from the stands. While that was going on coach McQuillan sounded like a Penguin crowd during a power play ......shoot .....shoot....shoot that Westy Red Rider BB Gun and one of the 8 shots in the first period found its way at exactly five minutes when Kevin Gleason rammed home a rebound to give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead. Westmont's Justin McCloskey got into the spirit in the second period while killing off a penalty, he beat the Deer Lakes defense and scored to extend the lead to 2-0. At 5:15 of the second, it was McCloskey to make it 3-0. Then it was the backbreaker as Anthony DeMarco scored with just :24 seconds remaining in the middle period to make it 4-0 Hilltoppers. On to the third and at 11:50 McCloskey completed the hat trick on a pretty backhand to the short side. Just 39 seconds later, the Lancers got on the board as Sean McIntyre beat Pat Krumenacker on a quick shot to close the lead to 5-1. Westmont added two more tallies in the final period and went on to an impressive 7-1 victory over Deer Lakes.