Central Bucks West Bucks

KITTANNING - QV coach Kevin Quinn knew the importance of his teams regular season finale loss to Quigley, which handed Freeport home ice in the second round. If he didn't, when he walked into the Belmont Complex and saw the capacity crowd on hand, it probably hit home. Freeport was riding a remarkable 13 game winning streak into the second round and coach Jim Hill's team was fired up for its opportunity as it took to the ice. Derek Gaworski, who has been the Yellow Jackets workhorse all year was between the pipes and Jed Michael, a surprise choice in goal for the Quakers over Nick Signet, who has handled a majority of the work for the Quakers. The Yellow Jackets came out flying in the first and Nick DeCroo chipped the puck off the boards and created a 2 on 1 and took the puck to the net and beat Michael at 11:39 to give Freeport a 1-0 lead. Then the Yellow Jackets went on the power play at 9:32 and again it was Decroo positioned between the circles, who made a beautiful tip of a Ryan Janoski shot at 8:16 and it was 2-0. The Jackets extended the lead with just :38 seconds left in the opening period as Mike Bender took a great feed from Dustin Gaworski and buried it to make it 3-0 Freeport. In the second, Quaker gain some momentum and an edge in play, which resulted in an Adam Kostial power play goal at 10:03 to get QV back into the game. Then Kostial found Sam Herring on the breakaway at 3:41 and he scored to cut the lead to 3-2. QV was back in the game and outplayed the Yellow Jackets in the period and gained a 14-7 advantage in shots for the period. On to the final period of regulation and with the game in the balance, Bender found DeCroo and the freshman sensation blistered a wrist shot past Michael towards the end of a power play at 10:04 and a huge two goal lead. Then Dustin Gaworski picked off a Michael clearing attempt just a minute and a half later and deposited the puck into an empty net to make it 5-2. Tom Christy added an empty netter to make the final 6-2 and the Freeport Yellow Jackets will move on to the Penguin Cup Semi Finals next Monday for the first time in its history.

MEADVILLE - Central Catholic and Meadville have developed quite a rivalry over the past five years as each team has scored some big playoff victories over the other on their way to Penguin Cup Championships. There was the 6-1 Central victory in the 1998 Penguin Cup and on the other side the 1999 overtime victory for Meadville at the Mellon arena to win the Penguins Cup. Then, in 2000, the double overtime thriller in which Meadville sent the Vikings home, care of Nick Tucci, who was on hand last night, just as a reminder to CC coach Kevin Zielmanski, that there is still some old magic in the 'House of Chills'. I am sure Jamie Plunkett had thoughts of suiting up old # 14 and sending him out there for warmups to send the message to CC, should this one go to OT ! Playoff games are a unique blend of nervousness, crazy bounces and unsung heroes and if we keep in mind the old coach adage 'that no shot is a bad one', well that sounds like the beginnings of a playoff game for the ages. The fact that the last Western Pennsylvania team to beat Meadville at home in a PLAYOFF GAME was Shadyside in 1988, would even give more storyline to this one. These Vikings, playing without leading scorer Jeff Race, were determined to pressure and get chances. Before the Dawg faithful could settle into their accustomed positions throughout the MARC, a Thomas Grossman shot, a rebound and Eddie Martin found that loose puck and chipped it past Danny O'Sharuk at 12:17 to give CC a 1-0 lead. Then at 11:53, a harmless shot from the right point by Rob Donatucci, found its way past the Bulldog goaltender as if it had eyes on it and all the sudden it was 2-0. Just 32 seconds later, Brian Bahurinsky wheeled from behind the net and lofted a shot past Russ Hefner on the short side which cut the lead to 2-1. Then a break for the Vikings, Rob Donatucci shot the puck and Martin got the rebound and shot the puck which trickled past O'Sharuk and lay on the goal line. The light went on and whistle blew and the referee after reviewing the play with the goal judge determined the puck had crossed the line and gave CC a 3-1 lead at 10:27. Building on that momentum, Andrew Petnuch scored on a backhand at 9:11 to extend the lead to 4-1 and you could hear a pin drop in the MARC for the remainder of the first period and well into the second as Central looked well on its way to victory. Sure Meadville had chances, as Hefner stopped Christian Nickerson on the breakaway at 5:25 of the 1st and Matt Rusilko had a goal waived off at 1:34 or Bahurinksy hit the post at 11:40 of the 2nd and then pulled Hefner out of the net at 2:12 only to see the puck go wide of an open net. This was not to be for the Dawgs or was it ? With :34 left in the 2nd period, Justin Werle's shot, from the same spot the CC's Donatucci scored, found the net past Hefner and all the sudden it was 4-2. Early in the 3rd the Dawgs killed a penalty and took advantage as Bahurinsky's pass in front found its way on the stick of Matt Rusilko who scored and pulled the Bulldogs within one at 4-3 with 11:57 remaining. Now the the 'Let's Go Dawgs' chants started and Meadville was all over Central, Hefner made an improbable save on Nickerson who went to the backhand and caught the CC goalie leaning the wrong way, but somehow the puck didn't go in at 8:57. Coach Z called a timeout to settle the troops and on the next shift, it was Nickerson again, who collected his own rebound and beat Hefner at 4:51 to tie the game 4-4 and send the game to OT. In the overtime, both teams had chances to win it with near misses. A great play by Central's Zach Roberts to read the play and capture a loose puck in the Bulldog zone and throw it to the net resulted in a rebound, which Thomas Grossman poked past O'Sharuk at 6:52 of the extra frame. The goal sent shockwaves throughout the House of Chills, stunning the capacity crowd and the Bulldogs in a classic 5-4 Central Catholic overtime thriller . Now a tradition with this Viking squad, they all gathered in front of the bench to do their 'Dirty Bird' dance to celebrate a great win !

VALENCIA - Pine Richland has been to the Penguin Cup semi-final round each of the past five years and was looking for a return trip again to atone for a loss in the Penguin Cup last season. The Rams would have to do it without Randy Bauer, who was attending a meaningless practice for his amateur team (he has already committed to the Forge for next season). Latrobe, on the other hand, was still basking over their OT victory over arch rival Greensburg CC last week in the first round. The Wildcats were looking to go where no Latrobe team has ever gone. Pine Richland pressured in the first period and outshoot Latrobe 14-8, but could not beat Matt Bloom. Then with 3:43 remaining in the first, Nick Loughner gathered a loose puck and beat Danny Mills on the wraparound to make it 1-0. On to the second period and Pine Richland continued its onslaught on Bloom but were held off the board. The Rams may have been pressing tooo much as Josh Fajt caught their defense sleeping as he took a Matt Makoski pass and scored on the breakaway to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. The Rams were not done yet as Ryan Tessmer deflected a J.R. Swan shot past the Latorbe keeper with just :10 seconds left to cut the lead to 2-1 at the break. Pine Richland came out flying in the third as Bloom made a great save on Adam Fodor at 14:01. The Rams continued to try to get the equalizer as Jon Schwerer hit the post with a little over 6 1/2 to play. A couple of near misses ensued as PR could not buy a goal. Then with the goalie pulled, Josh Fajt found the empty net to help Latrobe close out the scoring and send the Wildcats to the Penguin Cup Semi-Finals for the first time in their history since 1981 !

Congratulations to Penn State University and Coach Joe Battista for their 3rd Straight ACHA Division 1 National Championship [Battista named 2002 ACHA Division 1 Coach of the Year !] Congratulations to Robert Morris University and Coach Mike Josephs for their 1st ever ACHA Division 3 National Championship ! Click on Title to see all the ACHA Schools !

See the results of the 2002 Chicago Showcase for Team Philadelphia and Team Pittsburgh