WARWICK—Central Bucks South and Pennsbury have taken different roads this season. The Titans as usual are setting the standard against which their opposition in the Class AA Division of the Suburban High School Hockey League is compared.
The Falcons feature a lineup with an abundance of young players adjusting to the rigors of high-school hockey.
It came as no surprise that South dominated Wednesday’s meeting at Revolution Ice Gardens. The Titans rolled to a 10-0 win in a game that was halted with 3:55 remaining in the third period due to the 10-goal rule.
But both teams had things to feel good about. The Titans (5-2, 4-0 in league play) stayed focused for the most part while winning their fifth straight game after opening the season with two losses. Captain Colin Abbonizio delivered a hat trick while Reis Braccio and Stephen McMillan scored twice each and goaltender Mason Moyer turned aside all six shots he saw.
South coach Shaun McGinty was absent Wednesday night but his aide de camp Tyler Skorski was pleased with the effort.
“We had every excuse to come out there and lay an egg if we wanted to,” he said. “We were short of bodies (due to a school play and one suspension). If they wanted an excuse, they had every excuse in the world.”
Alex Glushek scored for the Titans exactly one minute into the game and South was off and running to a four-goal first period.
One of the goals came from Abbonizio. “Our goal was to mercy rule them and get out of there quick,” he said. “So, that’s what we were focused on, really. Staying focused, getting out of there quick, all that.”
The margin was 6-0 after the second frame. Pennsbury coach Ryan Daley made a goaltender change at that point, lifting freshman Topher Seiller, who made 28 saves in the first two periods. Mark Jorgenson went the rest of the way.
Seiller was one of six freshmen in the lineup for the Falcons.
We’re a young team,” Daley said. “We’re a majority of freshmen and sophomore guys, they’ve got a lot of learning to do.”
Daley, who played for Pennsbury himself when he was in high school, said Wednesday’s game was an opportunity for his players to get a sense of what is needed to play consistently at a high level.
“It helps our guys see what a top-level team in this league can be,” he said. “We’re in the same league. (C.B. South) is not a AAA team. We’re both AA teams. And for us to have that big of a gap, it really should get our guys going. I hope it does, it gets me going.”
For his part. Skorski feels the young Falcons are headed in the right direction. “They seem young,” he said, “They seem like they have talent but I think we had some of our older guys who were just bigger, stronger, and faster.
“But in terms of skill that’s going to be a good team in the next couple years.”
By Rick Woelfel
Pennsbury 0 0 0—0
C.B. South 4 2 4—10
First-period goals: Alex Glushek (CBS) from Ryan Gingras and Josh Weber, 1:00; Colin Abbonizio (CBS) unassisted, 3L42; Reis Braccio (CBS) from Flo Kraus and Connor Gaffney, 12:01; Stephen McMillan, from Dominick Liberta, 12:35.
Second-period goals: Liberta (CBS) from Braccio and D.J. Loverdi, 9:33; Abbonizio (CBS) from Liberta and McMillan, 12:12.
Third-period goals: Braccio (CBS) from McMilland and Harry McLaughlin, 5:53; Connor Gaffney (CBS) from Gringras and Kraus, Abbonizio (CBS) from Braccio and Weber, 11:03, McMillan (CBS) unassisted, 12:05.
Shots: Pennsbury 6, C.B. South 44; Saves: Topher Seiller (P) 28 and Mark Jorgenson (P) 6, Mason Moyer (CBS) 6.
Hockey Happenings 