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2002 Pennsylvania State and Penguins Cup Class AAA Champions - Bethel Park Blackhawks Delbert Joo Daniel Zabkar Dale Arnold Tony Sands Tim Hramika Justin Glock Conner McLean Steve Preite Jacobus Bliek Tom Starkey Brandon Hanley Jason McLean Dan Mackin C.J. Strauss Lee Volensky Aaron Adrian Steve Sheeser Michael Diethorn Nick D'Alessandro Matt Fiege Mike Malarkey John Slater Mike Martek Jim "Mort" McVay - Head Coach Kip Guenther - Assistant Coach

2002 Pennsylvania State and Penguins Cup Class AA Champions - Peters Township Indians Si Bishop Corey Bovalina Chris Clackson Matt Clackson Dan Crogan Rob Feltovich Bill Fitzgerald Christian Hanson Tim Hirsh Brian Hise Kyle Kittelberger Kevin Kuston Sam Mack Harry McGovern Christiaan Minella Mike Papciak Brandon Rubeo Matt Schwartz Mike Sherer Jeremy Simmons Jordan Torok Eric Trax Ryan Trent Mark Cooper - Head Coach Dean Cefalo - Assistant Coach

2002 Pennsylvania Cup and Penguins Cup Champions - Serra Catholic Eagles C.J. King Tony Duco Adam Coccia Dustin Songer Steve Leppo Jesse Lubash Justin Lubash Devon Kane Tim Venzin Steve Kolbe Eddie LaBarbara Nick Campagna Michael Schaut Josh Jones Timmy Johnson Matthew Ahlin Joey Manning Larry Byerly John Mooney Head Coach Tom Mooney Assistant Coach Edward Figas Assistant Coach

Serra captures 3rd Penguins Cup Class A Title in a row ! PITTSBURGH - Class A Penguins Cup Final Serra coach John Mooney began the 2002 season with an undaunting task. It let he and his brother Tom and assistant coach Eddie Figas, revisit the days back at the Golden Mile in the mid-1990's when Serra Catholic used to practice with 8 or 9 or if they were very fortunate 12-13 players on the ice. I know because my practice slot was right behind theirs. The Eagles began the season with stars Steve Leppo and Jesse Lubasch and two other players with suspensions from the 2001 State Finals. The 'Moon Man' probably uttered at the first game after seeing the new influx of freshman "King, Lubasch (Justin), Songer you guys are startin". And start they did ! The young lions responded and carried the Eagles for the early part of the season and when Leppo and the others returned the Eagles never looked back. Bishop McCort, on the other hand, lost their core senior group from a year ago and was not supposed to be near the team it was a year ago. Coach John Bradley's Crimson Crushers, who have been to the Penguins Cup final 10 out of the last 11 years, kept tradition and went through the season with a young team and captured the # 1 seed in the playoffs. And they sliced through the Penguins Cup playoffs with dominating performances against West Allegheny and Elizabeth Forward. And they headed toward the Penguins Cup final with Serra on their minds and to answer the question.....would this be the year they would finally solve Serra, who had defeated them two consecutive years. A majority of Western Pennsylvania did not have the pleasure of seeing the 2001 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship, in which Serra Catholic, down 3-0 came back to defeat a very good Springfield team to win its second State Title. When the cards were on the table and Serra was desperate, it was Timmy Johnson who rescued them. With save after save after terrific save against Springfield to keep his team in the game, while Leppo and Lubasch led the big comeback offensively. Now was a chance for the rest of the hockey community and the archrivals Bishop McCort to discover what coach Mooney had in his back pocket for them this year. Besides, McCort beat Serra (minus Leppo and Mooney) 3-1 late in the season and probably had visions of Penguins Cup dancing in their heads. The first period of the championship at the Mellon Arena was a feeling out process with McCort having a better of the play and an early shot advantage at 9-1. With the Crimson Crushers on the power play, Serra was able to ice the puck and Jessie Lubasch caught McCort's defense and goaltender Anthony Feyock sleeping, as he gathered a playable puck behind the net and patiently waited as Steve Leppo, coming late on the play walked alone down the middle of the ice. Lubasch found Leppo, who buried a wrist shot upstairs on the glove side and Serra took the lead 1-0 on a shorthanded goal with 5:04 reamaining in the opening period. In the second period, McCort was looking to tie the game on the power play, but some great defensive work by C.J. King resulted in him gaining the puck and spotting Lubasch up ice. With probably the best touch pass of the day at the Mellon Arena (including 60 minutes of the Penguins-Flyers game), King feathered a lead pass to Jessie, who moved in on Feyock and deked him to give the Eagles another shorthanded goal and a 2-0 lead at the 13:00 mark. The Crimson Crushers continued their barrage on Timmy Johnson, who was stellar in preserving the 2-0 lead. Johnson's teammates got into the act with some terrific penalty killing. Then a break, as one of McCorts defensemen fell down, King broke up the right side and went upstairs to make it 3-0. McCort continued to try to crack Johnson and Joe Delic watched a wide open opportunity sail wide at 2:29 and Serra went to the locker room up 3-0 being outshot 22-8. In the final period, McCort continued to press, but it was Johnson, who stole the show stopping 14 more shots for the shutout and a third consectuive Penguins Cup victory for the Eagles. Serra Catholic moves on to play in the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Class A Championship against the Flyers Cup Champion.

Peters Township holds off furious Indiana rally ! PITTSBURGH - Peters Township was the prohibitive favorite to win the Class AA Penguin Cup this season and coach Mark Cooper faced the job of making sure his team wasn't too overconfident in the Penguins Cup final. Especially after his team defeated Indiana earlier this season 6-0. If the distraction of two of his (14 year old) 10 Grade players not playing in the Penguin Cup to pursue some supposed Junior A opportunity seven hours away wasn't enough, it probably was a blessing in disguise. Lets give credit to Matt and Chris Clackson, who stayed and played with their schoolmates in an opportunity of a lifetime for Peters Township hockey, who had been to only one Penguins Cup in their history in 1998 (only to lose to Thomas Jefferson, marking the beginnings of the TJ dynasty). Indiana, knows all about opportunities of a lifetime in the Penguins Cup. In 1996, a team which dominated Class AA similar to Peters Twp this season from Indiana seemed headed for a sure State Championship. Leading 3-0 against Greensburg CC, Steve Putt's penalty shot was stopped late in the second by Jon Vesely and the GCC came back to defeat Indiana 4-3 and put a cloud over Indiana's terrific 145-70-18 record in 11 seasons entering the 2002 Penguins Cup final. This group of Indiana were just beginning their hockey careers in 1996, but have heard the stories. So it was a day to root or the Indians as a huge crowd at the Mellon Arena took in Peters Township's Indians vs Indiana's Indians. In the first period, Indiana looked a little nervous and could not get on track. Peters Twp started to gain territorial advantage and at 8:09 Mike Papciak was in a two on one situation and tried to move the puck to a breaking Peters Twp player and the puck glanced off Indiana defenseman Brad McCoy's skate and behind Mike Lady to give PT a 1-0 lead. Indiana picked up its offense after the goal and on a similar 2 on 1 that led to Peters goal, but defenseman Rob Feltovitch made a spectacular break up of the Indiana chance. Then Peters struck again as extra effort of Matt Clackson jammed a Chris Clackson rebound past Lady to give the PT Indians a 2-0 lead. Peters looked to extend the lead on yet another 2 on 1 with 1:40 remaining, but Joe Lenz made a diving breakup of the the Peters chance and the score remained 2-0. Peters goaltender Kittleberger made a great save on Zach Diamond with 42 seconds left in the 1st and the score remained 2-0. On to the second and Indiana went on the power play to try to get on the board at 10:39. Mike Papciak stripped the Indiana defense of the puck and was in on the breakaway and on a great move with great control undressed Lady to put Peters on top 3-0 at 10:18. Now you couldn't help but have compassion for Indiana, now down 3-0 and looking for some answers. Could their be a truning point to rid the Indiana program of the GCC Ryan Davis floater that beat them in 1996. Well, this group of Indians was determined to right the ship, as Indiana found themselves midway through the second as Mike Lady stopped Matt Clackson on the breakaway with 8:24 remaining. Casey Haines was dancing now and walked around the Peters defense and hit the post at 7:30, no goal, not this time. Then frustration as Clint Pizarchik took a very undisciplined penalty at 3:55 putting Peters on the power play. Indiana killed it and Pizarchik, looking to redeem himself and give his team a lift, took the puck from his own zone down the right side and blasted a slapshot, looking like Guy Lafluer of the late 1970's, past Kittleberger which awoke the 'Hockey Hooligans'(Indiana's famed fan club) with a shorthanded goal with 1:43 remaining to put the IHS Indians on the board and give Ron Hellen's club new life. Indiana now was in business and began looking more like the team that throttled Kittanning and all of its opponents in this years playoffs. IHS still had time and started to get chances as Jason Vaughn's shot glanced of the crossbar at 11:03. Kittleberger robbed Bryan Schlemmer with a great save with a little over 10 minutes to go. Then the IHS Indians went on the power play and this time Zach Diamond scored on the rebound sending the Indiana faithful into a frenzy as the score was 3-2. Indiana was now dominating and looking to tie the score beat could not beat Kittleberger. Then a questionable call by the one of the two referee at 3:53 put Peters on the power play and Matt Clackson had a chance to put the game on ice, but Lady made a great save to keep it 3-2. Indiana never seemed to recover and pulled the goalie and Chris Clackson put the dagger through Indiana for a 4-2 final and sent Peters Township to its first ever Penguins Cup and a date with the winner of the Archbishop Ryan - Archbishop Carroll Flyers Cup AA champ in the Pennyslvania State Final. A great victory for coach Mark Cooper and Peters Township, who delivered as the favorites to win it all and hopefully the 20 (-2) PT Indians will show that the team is more important than the sum of its parts in next weekends Pennsylvania AA Finals and bring a State Championship to a program after 23 years, which deserves to win one !