Peters Twp Indians - 2014 AAA 2002-2003-2005 AA

BETHEL PARK ~ If there is one thing McDowell coach Marlin Coon would like to happen before the 2003-2004 season ends, it would be to play a couple of games with an entire lineup similar to the one that is used for a league roster. The Trojans were on the road to face Bethel Park without leading scorers injured Gary Peterson and suspended Brian Hammel. McDowell was also looking to get back on the scoreboard after being shut out by North Allegheny 7-0 and Franklin Regional 3-0. Bethel Park coach Jim ‘Mort’ McVay has had his own problems, with the off-ice circus, which has been a distraction for the Bethel Park team just to play hockey at times. Fortunately, the Blackhawks have overcome and have put together a pretty nice season, with their only 2nd half losses to division rival USC and a heartbreaking 2-1 setback to Erie Cathedral Prep, in a game where the Hawks outshot the Ramblers badly, but could not solve Prep’s Ryan Zapolski, who is one of the best goaltenders in Class AAA. Now BP would have one more issue as star defenseman All-Star Danny Zabkar will be out of the lineup indefinitely, so BP would have to come up with a big effort, but could be comforted that the game is at Bethel Park BladeRunners, where ‘there’s no place like home’. Bethel Park dominated the opening period outshooting the Trojans 17-2 with the play in McDowell’s end for most of the period. A Bethel Park power play at 5:33 resulted in the Trojans John Cleary robbing Michael Diethorn at 5:05 to keep the game scoreless. Diethorn would have another great chance at 4:01 and make it count as he buried a rebound from high in the slot to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. On to the second and Bethel extended their lead as Jason Hedglen finished off a nice give and go with Scott Scheeser at 12:22 to make it 2-0. McDowell picked up their game and started to get some chances on untested sophomore BP keeper Brian Meriam and posted 10 shots in the middle period to Bethel’s 7. Mark Skirzynski found the net with some hard work from linemates Ed Maras and Anthony Mihalik at 3:02 and all the sudden we had a hockey game at 2-1. McDowell dominated the third period with a 12-5 advantage in shots and several golden opportunities to tie the game. Brian Meriam made a nice save on Skirzynski at 7:05 and another one on Anthony Miahalik at 6:29, but those were just routine compared what would happen in the final 3 ½ minutes. The Trojans really started to break through the BP defense at this point and Ed Maras was parked right in front for what seemed to be a sure goal, but Meriam snatched the puck out of the air at 3:37 to keep the Hawks in the lead. Another great save on Mihalik with exactly two minutes left, as the Trojans could not buy a goal. McDowell kept coming and Skirzysnski walked in alone with ten seconds left but Meriam would deny him and Bethel Park would hold on with a 2-1 victory and a little turnabout from their trip to Erie last week.

SOUTHPOINTE ~ Peters Twp has won the past two Pennsylvania Class AA State Championships and last seasons team may have been one of the best teams in state history. The Indians lost their first game of the season and have reeled off 11 straight including an impressive 3-0 win over a very good Indiana team last week. So here’s Mark Cooper and his team is 11-1-0 and ranked # 2 on Class AA tied with Kittanning and all everyone is talking about is Kittanning and Thomas Jefferson….no respect I say and coach Coop wanted a little word with Mr Pa Hockey before the game…..and is was to say thanks because this is just what Peters wants is everyone to forget them, but believe me this team is coming of age with some new faces and some old ones and should be in a position to take a run at anyone as they look forward to a big grudge type match against Thomas Jefferson on February 23 in the season’s final week. Finally, it happened last night and as promised to my good friend and co-hockey nut Center Ice’s Earl Bugaile, I made a Trinity hockey game after a season and a half have seen ALL 65 Varsities play. Not knowing what to expect, I have scoreboard watched the Hillers over the past year and although they are a playoff contender this year, I was not sure of who they have and who there superstars were…..shame on me. I have known Larry Marks for several years and the coach has done an outstanding job with a program, who frankly struggles with numbers and is not real deep in the talent pool. Trinity exemplifies a team effort and excellent positional play which has brought the Hillers a respectable 5-7-2 in their 10th season and looking to build upon their first ever playoff appearance from a year ago. Trinity and Peters Twp squared off in the first period before an intimate gathering for the 9:50 game at Iceoplex on a night no one should even be on the roads in a game that promised to end before midnight [no game should start after 9:00]. Trinity matched Peters shift for shift early and both teams had a couple of good chances but the Hillers Mick Alexander and Indians Shane Frey kept the game scoreless through the first thirteen minutes. Trinity would strike first as Chris Graf slammed home a rebound at 1:28 to give the Hillers a 1-0 lead. Great start for Trinity which looked to take the lead into the intermission, but Matt Lazaro’s seemingly harmless dump into the zone from just outside the blue line was misplayed by Alexander and Peters got a big break and a 1-1 tie with just 12 seconds left in the opening period. Peters turned up the heat in the 2nd period but Alexander rebounded and made several nice save as the Indians pressured Trinity. Gerry Raymond found the net for PT as he scored on a rebound from the slot to give Peters it first lead at 8:43 of the second. The Indians would score three more times in the final period as Brandon Tingle added an insurance goal and Chris Clackson closed out the scoring late to give the Indians a 5-1 win over a tough Trinity squad. Thank you to Earl Bugaile for contributing to this game summary !

SOUTHPOINTE ~ West Allegheny coach Sean Hart has watched has his team has compiled a 5-9-2 record over the seasons first 16 games and the Indians have lost to all of the teams ahead of them in the standings including Kittanning, Montour, Indiana, Pine Richland, Thomas Jefferson [twice], Peters Twp, Canevin and Trinity. If the Penguins Cup playoffs began today, West Allegheny is sitting in 12th place and would travel to Indiana, but as it stands right now the Indians are holding on to that 12th spot by a mere half game over Moon. I think what coach Hart is looking at in the standings is what or who is in front with Trinity, Canevin and Greensburg CC all within reach, so tonight’s game had a little desperation to it. Canon McMillan has all but secured a playoff spot and should clinch home ice advantage for the playoffs, which are a month away. Coach Bob Fryer’s Big Macs or Lightning [not sure what their nickname is?] have been a pleasant surprise and held a top 5 ranking, until they got a little dose of reality as they were shelled by Kittanning last week by the score of 8-2. The Big Macs have played well against the better teams, which made this performance a little out of character. A nice turnout on just an awful night on the roads for Senior Night at Iceoplex, which is one of the best places in Western Pennsylvania to watch a hockey game, whether in the stands, which were pretty full or in Jay’s Restaurant. Canon Mac’s Shannon Anesetti was the story early as she stopped Mark Polidor at 13:54 and made an even better save on a tip from in front by Ryne Savitsky at 12:49. West Allegheny struck first as Polidor made a great move at the top of the circle faking to the right and firing a bullet to the left corner low on the stick side at 9:48 to give the Indians a 1-0 lead. At the other end, WA’s Dan Kuzio made nice save on Nick Godfrey at 8:45, but the Big Macs would tie it as Jeff Warnock muscled his way past two WA defenseman and lofted a wrist shot high over the glove side of Kuzio at 6:22. West Allegheny went on the 5 on 3 power play at 2:49 and Mark Polidor gave his team the lead on a rebound at 2:12. The West Allegheny super sophomore’s hooked up again to extend the lead as Ryne Savitsky took a great pass from Polidor and broke in all alone and beat Anesetti with a wicked backhander upstairs at 12:23 for a surmising 3-1 West Allegheny lead. Jesse Patnesky brought CM back within one on a nice play by Doug Stanton, who made West Allegheny pay for not clearing the zone and fed a wide open Patnesky for the tap in at 6:20. After Shannon Anesetti stopped Steve Sarachine in front, Polidor banged home the rebound to complete the hat trick at 4:21 and give the Indians a 4-2 lead. Sarachine would provide a big insurance tally at 10:44 of the third period on a nice pass from Polidor to make it 5-2 and Nick Godfrey would score on a rebound late in the final period at 1:27 to make the final 5-3 in favor of West Allegheny, who moved a little closer to securing a playoff spot.

SOUTHPOINTE ~ Peters Twp has won the past two Pennsylvania Class AA State Championships and last seasons team may have been one of the best teams in state history. The Indians lost their first game of the season and have reeled off 11 straight including an impressive 3-0 win over a very good Indiana team last week. So here’s Mark Cooper and his team is 11-1-0 and ranked # 2 on Class AA tied with Kittanning and all everyone is talking about is Kittanning and Thomas Jefferson….no respect I say and coach Coop wanted a little word with Mr Pa Hockey before the game…..and is was to say thanks because this is just what Peters wants is everyone to forget them, but believe me this team is coming of age with some new faces and some old ones and should be in a position to take a run at anyone as they look forward to a big grudge type match against Thomas Jefferson on February 23 in the season’s final week. Finally, it happened last night and as promised to my good friend and co-hockey nut Center Ice’s Earl Bugaile, I made a Trinity hockey game after a season and a half have seen ALL 65 Varsities play. Not knowing what to expect, I have scoreboard watched the Hillers over the past year and although they are a playoff contender this year, I was not sure of who they have and who there superstars were…..shame on me. I have known Larry Marks for several years and the coach has done an outstanding job with a program, who frankly struggles with numbers and is not real deep in the talent pool. Trinity exemplifies a team effort and excellent positional play which has brought the Hillers a respectable 5-7-2 in their 10th season and looking to build upon their first ever playoff appearance from a year ago. Trinity and Peters Twp squared off in the first period before an intimate gathering for the 9:50 game at Iceoplex on a night no one should even be on the roads in a game that promised to end before midnight [no game should start after 9:00]. Trinity matched Peters shift for shift early and both teams had a couple of good chances but the Hillers Mick Alexander and Indians Shane Frey kept the game scoreless through the first thirteen minutes. Trinity would strike first as Chris Graf slammed home a rebound at 1:28 to give the Hillers a 1-0 lead. Great start for Trinity which looked to take the lead into the intermission, but Matt Lazaro’s seemingly harmless dump into the zone from just outside the blue line was misplayed by Alexander and Peters got a big break and a 1-1 tie with just 12 seconds left in the opening period. Peters turned up the heat in the 2nd period but Alexander rebounded and made several nice save as the Indians pressured Trinity. Gerry Raymond found the net for PT as he scored on a rebound from the slot to give Peters it first lead at 8:43 of the second. The Indians would score three more times in the final period as Brandon Tingle added an insurance goal and Chris Clackson closed out the scoring late to give the Indians a 5-1 win over a tough Trinity squad. Thank you to Earl Bugaile for contributing to this game summary !

SOUTHPOINTE ~ West Allegheny coach Sean Hart has watched has his team has compiled a 5-9-2 record over the seasons first 16 games and the Indians have lost to all of the teams ahead of them in the standings including Kittanning, Montour, Indiana, Pine Richland, Thomas Jefferson [twice], Peters Twp, Canevin and Trinity. If the Penguins Cup playoffs began today, West Allegheny is sitting in 12th place and would travel to Indiana, but as it stands right now the Indians are holding on to that 12th spot by a mere half game over Moon. I think what coach Hart is looking at in the standings is what or who is in front with Trinity, Canevin and Greensburg CC all within reach, so tonight’s game had a little desperation to it. Canon McMillan has all but secured a playoff spot and should clinch home ice advantage for the playoffs, which are a month away. Coach Bob Fryer’s Big Macs or Lightning [not sure what their nickname is?] have been a pleasant surprise and held a top 5 ranking, until they got a little dose of reality as they were shelled by Kittanning last week by the score of 8-2. The Big Macs have played well against the better teams, which made this performance a little out of character. A nice turnout on just an awful night on the roads for Senior Night at Iceoplex, which is one of the best places in Western Pennsylvania to watch a hockey game, whether in the stands, which were pretty full or in Jay’s Restaurant. Canon Mac’s Shannon Anesetti was the story early as she stopped Mark Polidor at 13:54 and made an even better save on a tip from in front by Ryne Savitsky at 12:49. West Allegheny struck first as Polidor made a great move at the top of the circle faking to the right and firing a bullet to the left corner low on the stick side at 9:48 to give the Indians a 1-0 lead. At the other end, WA’s Dan Kuzio made nice save on Nick Godfrey at 8:45, but the Big Macs would tie it as Jeff Warnock muscled his way past two WA defenseman and lofted a wrist shot high over the glove side of Kuzio at 6:22. West Allegheny went on the 5 on 3 power play at 2:49 and Mark Polidor gave his team the lead on a rebound at 2:12. The West Allegheny super sophomore’s hooked up again to extend the lead as Ryne Savitsky took a great pass from Polidor and broke in all alone and beat Anesetti with a wicked backhander upstairs at 12:23 for a surmising 3-1 West Allegheny lead. Jesse Patnesky brought CM back within one on a nice play by Doug Stanton, who made West Allegheny pay for not clearing the zone and fed a wide open Patnesky for the tap in at 6:20. After Shannon Anesetti stopped Steve Sarachine in front, Polidor banged home the rebound to complete the hat trick at 4:21 and give the Indians a 4-2 lead. Sarachine would provide a big insurance tally at 10:44 of the third period on a nice pass from Polidor to make it 5-2 and Nick Godfrey would score on a rebound late in the final period at 1:27 to make the final 5-3 in favor of West Allegheny, who moved a little closer to securing a playoff spot.