Ryan Wiley scored two goals and assisted on a third as the Explorers claimed the non-league victory on Wednesday at the Wissahickon Skating Club. Ben Falicki and Charlie Kennedy also scored for La Salle (11-1).
St. John’s 0 1 1—2
La Salle 2 2 0—4
First-period goals: Ryan Wiley (L) from Charlie Kennedy and Patrick Brace, 10:13; Wiley (L) from Brace and Kennedy, 10:54
Second-period goals: Colin Doherty (StJ) from Thomas Lynott, 5:10; Ben Falicki (L) from Michael Esmond and Will Gregorio, 12:49; Kennedy (L) from Wiley, 13:18
Third-period goal: Carter Johnson (StJ) from Adam Urbancic, 1:17
Shots: St. John’s 31, La Salle 41; Saves: Chase Blackburn (StJ) 37, Jake Rossi (L) 29
At the start of what was to be his senior year of high school, Ryan Levesque made a big decision. Instead of completing his secondary education at Hunterdon Central High, the Reddington, New Jersey resident chose to enroll at The Hun School instead and repeat his junior year.
That was prior to the 2022-23 school year.
“I heard about [Hun School] through friends that had played hockey there,” Levesque recalls. “They’re older now, they’re in college. Then I heard about it from a friend at [Princeton Day School] which is actually surprising because he didn’t go to Hun, but his mother and my mother talked about it and she hard great things. We found that it was a good match for me.
“It’s been a great experience.”
Levesque (#15) takes his leadership role seriously
Now a senior at Hun School, Levesque acknowledged he had some adjustments to make when he first arrived on campus.
“I would say the first week or so was pretty tough,” he said, “trying to gauge the different education level, how they treated their students, how their classes were commenced.
“It was definitely a tough change at first, but once I got really settled in everything really just became a routine and it started to just come to me naturally.
“I never had a problem with meeting new people, but I would say breaking the ice was definitely the biggest part. I kind of had to get over that little hump, I would say. Because I didn’t know anyone going into the school so it was a definitely a big adjustment in that aspect, but now I have a lot of friends there. I keep in touch with them not only in school but out of school and I would say that was the biggest adjustment.”
Lavesque says his passion for hockey accelerated the transition process.
“I feel like the ice is a different home for me,” he said. “I’ve always felt it feels so natural to me. All my problems go away as soon as I hit the ice. It really doesn’t matter where I touch down but I feel as if I really jelled with the guys on the team last year and this year.
“For me personally, it was definitely a big step from transferring from a public to a private setting but I definitely felt as soon as I touched the ice I’d fit in right away.”
As a senior on a young team, Lavesque takes his leadership responsibilities seriously. He stresses the importance of being a positive influence for his teammates on the ice and elsewhere.
I definitely hope to produce my best for this team, on and off the ice,” he said. “I look to be a guy the younger kids on the team playing varsity for the first time, cam look up to, not only as a teammate but as a person on and off the ice.
“I’m definitely excited to take a leadership role just to be a guy people can turn to on and off the ice; if they need anything.”
A six-goal explosion over portions of the second and third period periods propelled St. Joseph’s Prep to a 7-2 win over Hun School Tuesday afternoon in an APAC game at Ice Land.
Tristan Winata provided three goals as the Hawks overcame a 2-1 second-period deficit to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the APAC. Jake Schultz added two goals and an assist. John Lynch and Calum Hartnell also scored goals.
Ryan Levesque and Jake Beck scored for the Raiders (2-3, 0-2).
Winata’s goal with 2:28 left in the first period have St. Joseph’s Prep a 1-0 lead. Levesque and Beck scored goals five minutes apart to put the Raiders up 2-1 with 7:33 left in the middle session.
Lynch tied the game for the Hawks with 1:02 left in the second frame and Shultz put his team ahead for good just 32 seconds later.
The Hawks broke the game open by scoring four goals in the third period over a span of 9 minutes, 23 seconds. Winata scored two of those goals and completed his hat trick with 4:22 remaining. The junior has scored four goals in three conference games.
St. Joseph’s Prep 1 2 4—7
Hun School 0 2 0—2
First-period goal: Tristan Winata (SP) from Shane O’Neill, 14:32
Second-period goals: Ryan Levesque (HS) from Justin Laplante and Jake Beck, 4:30 (sh); Beck (HS) from Levesque and Laplante, 9:27 (pp); John Lynch (SJP) from Jake Schultz, 15:58; Schultz (SJP) from Parker Tumelty, 16:30
Third-period goals: Calum Hartnell (SJP) from O’Neill, 3:15 (pp); Winata (SP) from Frankie Ely and Patrick Sweeny, 6:58; Schultz (SP) from Ely, 8:03; Winata (SJP) unassisted, 12:38
HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—The performance was not flamboyant or flashy. This season’s version of the La Salle Explorers don’t play hockey that way. But it was a textbook display of efficiency.
Six different players scored goals as the Explorers shut out Hun School 6-0 Wednesday afternoon in an APAC encounter at Hatfield Ice. The defending Class AAA Flyers Cup and state champions are a perfect 7-0 this season, 3-0 in conference play.
The Raiders are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
Charlie Kennedy gave La Salle a lead 7:08 into the opening period and the Explorers built on their advantage from there, adding three goals in the second period and two more in the third.
Kennedy a senior, said he and his teammate were confident scoring opportunities would come, if they worked for them.
“It takes a lot of hard work,” he said. “And you’ve got to be consistent, get some shots on net. You’ve got to drive the net hard You’ve got to be there, you’ve got to communicate. And, if we do all that, that will end up in our favor. We’ve got to continue to be persistent in that way.”
Senior Dean Carvalho scored one goal and set up another.
“I think the third period was definitely our strongest,” he said. “We finished out strong. The first two there were lapses at points in our D-zone but we tightened it up and found a way to come out with a win.”
Ryan Wiley, Patrick Brace, Grant LaGreca, and Michael Zarzycki also added goals for the Explorers. Whatever shortcomings plagued them were not immediately noticeable, certainly not to Hun School coach Eric Szeker.
“That’s a good team on the other side,” he said. “Credit to them, they came out, they were ready to play. They were moving the puck well today and got some good goals.”
The hosts broke the game open with three goals in the second half of the second period from Ryan Wiley, Patrick Brace, and Grant LeGreca. Carvalho and Michael Zarzycki added goals in the third frame.
Lost amidst all this was the work of Raider goaltender Julian Arsenault, who faced 51 shots and stopped 45 of them.
“Julian’s an incredible kid,” Szeker said. “He battled today for us in a little bit of a one-sided game. He gave us a great opportunity but defensively, we kept up a little bit too much on the inside.”
“(Arsenault) was good tonight,” Carvalho said. “There were a lot of shots we put in his chest there were some really good saves that he made, point blank. He did a good job.”
Kennedy was pleased with the Explorers level of consistency for the full 51 minutes.
‘“It felt good,” he said. “We had a little bit of a slow start but eventually got it going, got the right mindset going, and then really came up in the third period with the quality of goals that they were.
“We ended on a good note.”
Hun School 0 0 0—0
La Salle 1 3 2—6
First-period goal: Charlie Kennedy (L) from Dean Carvalho and Alex Fusaro, 7:52
Second-period goals: Ryan Wiley (L) from Will Carpenter and Logan Dicus, 8:21; Patrick Brace (L) unassisted, 14:51; Grant LaGreca (L) from Will Gregorio and Michael Zarzycki, 15:47
Third-period goal; Dean Carvalho (L) from Julian Tarsi and Declan Kelly, 11:43; Zarzycki (L) from Will Carpenter and Jake Rossi, 16:25
Shots; Hun School 32, La Salle 51; Saves: Julia Arsenault (HS) 45, Jake Rossi (L) 32
For more about La Salle College High School CLICK HERE
For a high-school hockey player, performing on the ice while also succeeding academically is a balancing act. Thomas Doucet appears to have struck that balance.
The La Salle senior is one of the Explorers’ top defensemen. He’s also carrying a 4.1 grade-point average on a weighted 4.0 scale with a schedule that includes four AP courses, while also playing club hockey for the Valley Forge Minutemen.
Doucet, a Wayne resident, is also active in the Frozen Lemonade Cup event which utilizes hockey as a vehicle to support childhood cancer research.
Somehow, he makes it all work.
“For me, it’s about doing what I can, when I can,” Doucet said. “Really, just finding time in my schedule.
Doucet’s schedule, in the classroom and on the ice, is daunting, to say the least. La Salle utilizes modified block scheduling so his AP classes meet on alternate days; biology and psychology on one day, English and statistics the next. The AP classes are an hour long save for biology (90 minutes) which includes a lab.
Once the school day ends, there is hockey. Doucet is typically on the ice with the Explorers two days a week; normally Monday and Wednesday, plus Tuesday and Thursday evenings with his club team.
Following hockey, there is a vigorous homework schedule.
“It’s about making time for the things that are important,” Doucet said, “and really prioritizing over the distractions is kind of what has helped me be able to manage all of it.
“Coming to La Salle kind of pushed me into learning time management. The homework schedule for me is pretty rigorous and I feel like that’s what kind of what pushed me to really be able to manage my time well.”
Doucet gets his homework done during free periods during the school day and at home before or after a session on the ice.
“I’ll get home and immediately do my homework,” he said.
Doucet weekends are devoted to club games with the Minutemen, which often involve travel. He takes work with him on the road but focuses on getting assignments competed ahead of a road trip, whether it’s a weekday excursion with the Explorers or a weekend tournament with his club team.
“That’s where you find time and you make time,” he said. “Usually, I’ll try the day before a road trip like that to get all my homework done the next day so that day when I get home I’m able to relax and not have to stress about homework right after playing a big game.”
Club games sometimes involve missing class time. Doucet estimates he’ll miss perhaps a half dozen days of school during the hockey season, normally on Fridays.
“That’s where communication really comes in,” he said. “Communication, building a good relationship with your teachers, really becomes key for me. And also, relying on your classmates to get any notes that you missed, really just communicating with everyone and building strong relationships really helps that become more manageable.”
Even in the midst of a hockey trip, Doucet attends to his academic chores.
“I do a little bit of studying before I go to bed,” he said. “If I have an assignment that’s due on Sunday night, I’ll being my laptop with me and get that finished up.
“But usually, I think I’m pretty good at getting my stuff done before I have hockey so I can focus on my athletic side.”
Doucet cites his ability to maintain his discipline and focus as a key to maintaining his demanding schedule.
I’d say ‘Definitely’ about the discipline,” he said. “Especially in today’s world, there’s a lot of distractions. So, being able to stay focused, stay locked in, keeping your mind on the task, has really been helpful for me.”
Ducette credits the culture at La Salle as being instrumental to his success.
“That’s probably the biggest part for me,” he said. “Again, building relationships with your teachers and your peers. They make the school experience overall easier, so when it comes to missing a class or having to retake a test, or something like that, it just makes it a million times easier for me to get back on track and stay on top of things.”
The close of the 2023-24 season will end a phase of Doucet’s hockey career. With college ahead, he has new priorities.
“I’m going to move on from hockey,” he said. “I’m going to play club hockey in college but I really want to focus on my academics.”
Docette is planning a major in pharmaceutical sciences. The schools he’s applied to include Purdue, the University of Georgia, and McGill University in Montreal.
“I really have this deep-rooted love for science,” he said. And I feel like using my love for science to help people really drew me in, really gave me a good sense of direction, a good sense of purpose.”
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WEST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP—The evening offered a little bit of everything, including a dramatic conclusion to a first-rate hockey game.
Frankie Ely’s goal in the sixth round of a shootout was the margin of victory as St. Joseph’s Prep edged Malvern Prep 4-3 Wednesday night in an APAC matchup at Ice Line.
For the Hawks, who improved to 3-1 overall (1-1 in the APAC) it was another step in the maturation of a young hockey team. Ely was one of five freshmen who saw ice time for his team.
“The very first [APAC] game against La Salle opened my eyes a little bit,” said St. Joseph’s Prep coach David Giacomin. “These kids can get challenged a little bit and play well.
“We had a good game against Gonzaga and the kids really stepped up. I think they’re a bit more experienced, a little bit less nervous, when they’re out there playing against the bigger and older kids.” Calum Hartnell gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead 11:24 into the opening period off a turnover at the Friars’ blue line. Tristan Winata made it a 2-0 game at the 13:20 mark when he beat Matt Crawford in goal on an effort from the left faceoff circle.
Winata, a junior, is impressed with the play of his younger teammates.
“They’re so much better than when I originally met them,” he said. “They’re playing great out there. A lot of speed, everyone is playing together.”
Winata noted the importance of the veterans on the roster setting the tone for the newcomers.
“I think as an older [member of the team] we have to show them all out plays,” he said, “playing together, those kinds of things. When I was a freshman I had a hard time getting used to it, so I want to be a leader for them.”
The Hawks had a chance to build on their lead at the start of the second game when they were awarded their third power play of the evening. The Friars ( 3-3, 1-2) were able to kill the penalty however and used that sequence as an impetus to get back in the game.
Caiden Canale tipped in Jeremy Jacob’s shot from the right point at the 1:55 mark while the teams were skating four on four. The Friars tied the game with 1.4 seconds left in the period when Gabriel Bedwell, with Jacobs’ help, beat Hawk netminder Jacob Aranda when he put his shot just under the crossbar.
The Friars took the lead on shorthanded goal with 6:31 left in regulation when Jacobs forced a turnover inside the Hawks’ blue line went on to beat Aranda from close range.
As the clock would down, Malvern Prep seemed to have the upper hand but Caiden Kelly scored for the Hawks via a deflection to send the two teams to overtime.
Cole Gargon started the shootout by scoring for the Hawks. James Young responded immediately for the Friars and the two goaltenders, who had performed with distinction for 56 minutes, were impenetrable until Ely’s game winner and Aranda’s game-ending save, when he denied Paxton Hoishik to send the Hawks home with a win.
Malvern Prep coach Bill Keenan praised his team for rallying from a two-goal deficit.
“I told our guys it’s hard to come back from a 2-0 deficit,” he said. “The resilience of them to get the game back tied and get a shorthanded goal to go up 3-2 said a lot about our team, about the grit that we have.”
Ice chips—Wednesday’s game was a benefit for families with children afflicted with Rubenstein-Taybi Syndrome or RTS. The genetic disorder causes intellectual and developmental disabilities and impacts one in 125,000 children, among them Connor Keenan, Bill Keenan’s 3-year old son.
The two teams wore multicolored jerseys during the warmup in support of families impacted by RTS.
Connor Keenan (with glasses) standing with his mother Sarah and father Bill during Wednesday’s ceremonial faceoff. With them are Connor’s siblings J.J. and Olivia. (photo by Max Mangigian)
St. Joseph’s Prep 2 0 1 0 1—4
Malvern Prep 0 2 1 0 0—3
First-period goals: Calum Hartnell (SJP) unassisted. 11:24; Tristan Winata (SJP) from Bobby McGinn. 13:20
Second-period goals: Caiden Canale (MP) from Jeremy Jacobs, 1:55; Gabriel Bedwell (MP) from Jacobs, 16:58
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ—Wednesday marked the dawn of a new era for the Hun School hockey program. The Raiders made their 2023-24 debut under Eric Szeker, who is succeeding Ian McNally this season.
His troops gave a good effort before dropping a 5-3 decision to Bergen Catholic at Ice Land.
The affair was officially designated as a scrimmage, since Bergen Catholic, which plays hockey under the auspices of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association could not play an official game until Thursday. That designation did not diminish the energy level on the ice however and both teams were able to dress an extra player or two.
The Cougars wasted no time jumping in front. Will Schlechtweg found the net just 59 seconds after the opening faceoff and Bergen Catholic never trailed.
Matthew Maglio, who assisted on Schlechtweg’s tally, made it a 2-0 game with a goal of his own at the 8:18 mark.
Nathaniel TrawinskI got the Raiders on the board but Kyle Frassetto’s power-play effort 9:32 into the second frame made it a two-goal game once more.
Ryan Levesque stepped up for Hun School not quite four minutes later when he scored on a shorthanded breakaway but Kyle Rooks and Colin Higgins added goals for the Crusaders to make it a 5-2 game 6:05 into the final period.
Justin Laplante’s late goal made the final margin a bit closer.
Szeker took a number of positives away from the afternoon.
“I loved the effort,” he said. “We were working up and down the ice. But sometimes, the effort isn’t enough. We’ve got to pick up guys and stuff like that.
Having lost 10 seniors to graduation a year ago, the Raiders are looking for contributions from the underclassmen on the roster.
“We like to see the guys coming out and competing and playing their hardest,” Szeker said. “We’ve got a lot of young player who are going to have to adjust to the level.
“What I like is we’ve got the compete level. Now, we’ve got to execute at a higher level.”
Szeker, who played for Hun School says a big key for players transitioning to a higher level of hockey is improved/quicker decision making.
“The game comes at them a lot faster,” he said. “They’ve got to make those decisions pretty quick. The plus side to it is there are a lot of skilled players at a younger age and I don’t think it’s going to take them too long to adjust to the speed, but just decision making is going to be the biggest thing they have to adjust to.”
Ice chips—The Raiders will host Haverford School Friday night in their first official game of the Eason. They’ll open APAC play at La Salle on December 6
Bergen Catholic 2 1 2—5
Hun School 1 1 1—3
First-period goals: Will Schlechtweg (BC) from Matthew Maglio, :59; Maglio (BC) from Alex Frassetto, 8:18; Nathaniel TrawinskI (HS) unassised, 14:00
Second-period goals: Kyle Frassetto (BC) from Justin Tong and Andrew Darst, 9:32 (pp) Ryan Levesque (HS) 13:25 (sh)
Third-period goals: Kyle Rooks (BC) from Nick Frassetto and George Weiner, 1:13; Colin Higgins (BC) from Braydon Kane and Rocco Venezia, 6:05; Justin Laplante (HS) from Jake Beck and Anders Raalte, 15:27
Cole Gargon scored two goals to help the Hawks to the win over Gonzaga Friday afternoon at the University of Pennsylvania’s Class of 1923 rink.
The freshman’s second goal of the game with 1:58 left in the second period snapped a 2-2 tie. Jake Shultz added a third-period goal as the hosts improved to 2-1 on the season.
Frankie Ely, another freshman, also scored for the Hawks; his tally in the first period was the first varsity goal of his career.
Declan Geary, another freshman, got the win in goal, making 30 saves.
Gonzaga 1 1 0—2
St. Joseph’s Prep 1 2 1—4
First-period goals: Edwin Siembzeba (G) from Hamilton Nordwin, 13:13; Frankie Ely (SP) from Adam Charrafi and Carter Short, 13:29
Second-period goals: Cole Gargon (SJP) from Charrafi, 6:22; Matthew Shay (G) from Tyler Jasell, 8:57; Gargon (SP) from Tristan Winata and Charrafi, 15:52
Third-period goal: Jake Shultz (SP) from Tyler Degiralomo and Shane O’Neill, 8:18
Hockey Happenings 