Category: Hockey History

Pennridge 6 C.B. East 0

The SHSHL playoff field is complete. And Pennridge provided the final piece of the puzzle. 

James Rush and Landon Bishop scored two goals each as the Rams bested Central Bucks East 6-0 Thursday night in a National Division matchup. that served as the finale for the SHSHL’s regular season.

The Pennridge win, combined with Central Buck South’s overtime win over Souderton Thursday night, filled the last two slots on the National Division playoff bracket. Pennridge (6-10-1, 6-10 in the division with two losses in OT)) will be seeded fifth and face fourth seed Pennsbury Monday night. Central Bucks East (6-10-1, 6-9-1 with one win in OT), the sixth seed, will face third-seeded Central Bucks South. North Penn and Council Rock South, the top two seeds, have byes into Wednesday’s semifinals.

For a Pennridge teams that had only nine skaters available at one point early in the season reaching the postseason is a remarkable achievement.

“It’s incredibly satisfying,” said Ram coach Jeff Montagna. “They deserve it, for the amount of close games they played and lost, and come in to basically a ‘You lose and your done’ scenario, with that kind of pressure and play a perfect hockey game? It says a lot about them.

“I feel really, really good for them tonight.”

Junior Ryan says Montagna is committed to winning but also understands that hockey is supposed to be fun.

“He’s definitely intense,” Burke said. “He’s very loud, he’s very expressive on how he coaches.

“But, he wants to have a good time. He’s always joking, in the locker room and on the bench.

“He’ll show {His competitive side. You’ll hear him on the bench. He’s very intense, but he’s a great coach.”

Burke says Montagna and his staff have worked to make this season a positive experience for the players, even when the losses added up.

“There’s a lot of joking around and trying to lift our spirits up before games and during games. Just trying to push through those {challenges} we’ve gone through.

Pennridge controlled the game from the start. Rush scored a power-play goal just 2:38 into the opening period and assisted on second-period goals by Landon Bishop and Kaden Gunning.

Andrew Engler made it a 4-0 game with 2:01 left in the middle period and sent Patriot goaltender Cameron Young to the bench; Logan Mitchell replaced him.

Rush and Bishop added third-period goals; Rush also contributed three assists.

• Plymouth Whitemarsh defeated Wissahickon 11-1 Thursday night to claim the American Division title and arn a bye into Thursday’s championship game. Second seed Hatboro-Horsham and third-seed Springfield will meet in a Wednesday semifinal.

Pennridge 1 3 2—6

C.B. East 0 0 0—0

First-period goal: James Rush (P) unassisted, 2:38 (pp)

Second-period goals:  Landon Bishop (P) from Rush, 5:03; Kaden Gunning (P) from Rush, 8:40; Andrew  Engler (P) from Bishop, 14:59 (pp)

Third-period goals:  Rush (P) from Morris Ostrobrook, 1:57; Bishop (P) from Rush and Engler, 6:14

 Shots: Pennridge 47, C.B. East 23

Saves: Andrew Slutsky (P) 23, Cameron Young (CBE) 21 and Logan Mitchell (CBE) 20

APAC Founders Cup Playoff Preview

The APAC’s Founders Cup semifinals are set for Wednesday at Ice Line. Second seed Hun School will face third seed St. Joseph’s Prep in the 3:30 opener. Top seed and defending champion Holy Ghost Prep will go against fifth seed Malvern Prep at approximately 5:45.

The Founders Cup championship game is set for next Wednesday, February 25 and will be hosted by the highest-seeded finalist.

Here’s how the teams match up. The statistics listed below are for APAC games only.

Hun School (2)

Coach: N.G. Welsh

Record: 13-12, 4-4 in APAC

Key Players: Jr. Zachary Vallee 8 goals, 2 assists, 10 points; Sr. Luca Jean 3-3-6; Elliot Trottier .917 save %, 2.45 GAA; Blake Echternacht .915 save &, 2.71 GAA

St. Joseph’s Prep (3)

Coach: Charlie Van Kuna

Record: 15-6, 4-4 in APAC

Key Players: Jake Ely 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points; Jr. Cole Gargon 4-1-5; Sr. Bradan Fisher 1-4-5;.  Jr. Declan Geary .908 save &, 2.31 GAA

This season:

12-10 Hun School 2 St. Joseph’s Prep 1

12-29 St. Joseph’s Prep 3 Hun School 2 (Purple Puck final)

1-13 Hun School 4 St. Joseph’s Prep 3

Holy Ghost Prep (1)

Coach: John Ritchie

Record: 16-4, 8-0 in APAC

Key Players: Sr.  Lucas Gonalez 4 goals, 6 assists, 10 points; Jr. Chase Logue 9-1-10; Sr. Anthony Valeriote 1-7-8; Jr. Matt Salita .971 save &, 0.67 GAA

Malvern Prep (5)

Coach: Bill Keenan

Record: 5-10-2, 2-6 in APAC

Key Players: Sr. Pax Hoishik 5 goals, 7 assists, 12 points: So. Jake Weingartner 4-7-11; Sr. Ryan Caterino .921 Save %, 2.34 GAA

This season

11-19 Holy Ghost Prep 4 Malvern Prep 1

12-3 Holy Ghost Prep 2 Malvern Prep 0

Past APAC Champions

2025 Holy Ghost Prep 6 La Salle 4

2024  La Salle 7  St. Joseph’s Prep 0

2023 La Salle  7 Holy Ghost Prep 3

2022  Malvern Prep 4 La Salle 1

2021 La Salle and Malvern Prep declared co-champions

2020 La Salle 4 HGP 1

2019 La Salle 6 Holy Ghost Prep 3

APAC Playoffs at Hand

The APAC Founders Cup playoffs begin Wednesday afternoon with a play-in game featuring fourth-seeded La Salle hosted fifth-seeded Malvern Prep. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Hatfield Ice.

Here’s a look at how the Friars and the Explorers got to this point.

Malvern Prep

Coach: Bill Keenan

Record: 4-10-2, 2-6 in the APAC

Key players: Sr. Jake Weingartner 7 goals, 11 assists 18 points; Sr.   Pax Hoishik 6-9-15; Sr. Ryan Caterino 2.66 GAA, .912 save %

La Salle

Coach: Wally Muehlbronner

Record: 6-12, 3-5 in APAC

Key players: Fr. Thomas Leonards 11 goals, 2 assists, 13 points: Patrick Lunsford 4-8-12; So. Andrew Frantz, 4-7-11; Jr. Anthony Foster 2.94 GAA, .913 save pct.; So. Danny Trainor 1.59, .920

This season:

11-26 Malvern Prep 2 La Salle 0

1-14 La Salle 3 Malvern Prep 2   

Wednesday’s winner will face top-seeded Holy Ghost Prep next Wednesday in one half of a semifinal doubleheader at Ice Line. The other half of that doubleheader will match second-seeded Hub School and third seed Joseph’s Prep.

SHSHL Update 2-10-26

National Division                W    L   T  OTW OTL    SOW    SOL    Pts

North Penn (18-1)               14    0   0   –       –          –            –       56

Council Rock South (15-2)  12     2   0    –        –         –           –     48

Central Bucks South (11-4)      10      3    0      –         –          –         40

Pennsbury (10-5-1)               8     5   1   –    –            –            –        34

Central Bucks East (6-8-1)   6    7   1      1    –            –            –      25

 Pennridge   (5-9-1)               5     9  0      –      2           –          –       22

Souderton (3-11)                   4    9   0   1    1          –           –           16

Neshaminy (2-13)                  2  12   0    1    –           –            –          7

Central Bucks West (0-15)  0   14   0    –     –           –           –           0                                 

American Division         
W    L    T    OTW     OTL   SHW   SOL PTS  

Hatboro-Horsham (14-2)  12    2     0     –       1         –          –   49

Plym. Whitemarsh (12-2)   12    2     0     –           –         –          48

Wissahickon (5-9-1)            5   8      1  2          –        –          –       20

Springfield (5-10)               5    8     0     1      –           –                 19

Abington (0-13-1)                0    13  1   –         2       –          –          4

Scoring   All League Scheduled Games                        

 National Division                      GP    G     A      Pts

Shane Gleisner   Pb                   16    40   20     60

Jake Weiner CRS                        16    37  17      54

Samuel Norton NP                     17   24  29      53

Chris Silvotti NP                          19   21  25      46

Nolan Shingle                              18   21   20     41

Ismael Cabrales   NP                   17   14   23     37

Ryan Frey     C.B. South              15     16  20    36

Max Ryon Sou.                            9      20    15    35

  American Division         GP      G     A    Pts

 Vincent Graziani HH      16      30   25   55

 Daniel Guller       PW      13     13    31   44

Nate Nemchinov HH      14     21    20    41

Grayson Quinn Sp.         15      21     15   34

Cooper Kanze   PW         10     17    14    31

Mack Risnychok Wiss    14       19   11    30

Luca Staffieri HH            13      15    15    30

Bill Moffa   HH                14      11   16      27

Blake Ambler PW            12     10    17    27

Logan Dicus  Wiss           14     12    13    25

APAC Standings 2-3-26

                                                Won    Lost    Otw    Otl       Shw  Shl    Pts

Holy Ghost Prep (15-4)          7          0           1            0        0         0     20

St. Joseph’s Prep (14-5)         4           3          0           1         1        0      12

Hun School (12-9)                   3          4          2            3        0         0       9

La Salle (5-12)                          2          5         0            1        0         0     7

Malvern Prep (4-10-2)            2       5             1             0        1         0     6

Remaining Conference Games

Tuesday: Malvern Prep at Hun School 4:00 at Ice Land

Wednesday: St. Joseph’s Prep at Holy Ghost Prep 4:00 at Grundy

Lunsford Maturing at La Salle

Patrick Lunsford is at home at La Salle, in the classroom and on the ice. The junior forward is in the midst of his first season of varsity hockey.

A Blue Bell resident, Lunsford was pointed toward La Salle at a young age.

“A lot of my family went to La Salle,” he said. “It was a very popular school at my grade school (St. Helena), and it was great for me so, that’s what made me go to La Salle.”
Like three of the other four schools in the APAC, La Salle’s student body is all male. Lunsford cites the upside to that environment.

“It really helps us focus,’ he said. “And, there’s the brotherhood. You just become so close with your classmates. It’s a really great opportunity. You just do a lot of things with your classmates; the classes. You make so many friends. It’s a great way to expand your friendships and just meet so many new people.”

Lunsford says he adjusted relatively quickly to La Salle’s academic demands.

“It was very different from grade school,” he said. “But, within the first couple weeks of my freshman year, I did very well. I did a great job adapting to the time management. You’ve just got to tackle your work early and if you get it in early, you’ll excel.

I think the kids at the schools around here, they get it and they understand so, everyone does a great job with schooling.

Like his peers, Lunsford has become adept at managing his time successfully.

“It’s hard,” he said. “But at the same time, La Salle does such a great job of giving you time throughout the day and time after school to get your work done. We don’t have the same classes every day. We have them every other day. So, we have two days to get our homework in, which is very huge with sports, and all the kids have outside activities.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for everyone. Time management, it is a struggle sometimes, but if you can get your work in, you’ll be just fine. That’s worked out great for me.”

Lunsford says the curriculum at La Salle teaches students to make independent decisions.

“My grade school did a really great job of preparing me for things like that in high school,” he said, “and it funneled into La Salle very well for me.”

From a hockey perspective is part of a team that began the season young in terms of age and more importantly varsity experience. They found themselves navigating a steep learning curve early on but recorded their two first two APAC wins of the season heading into Wednesday’s scheduled game at St. Joseph’s Prep.

“{Varsity hockey} is very different from the jayvee level,” Lunsford said. “The first couple games took some really getting used to, but over time I think myself and all my teammates, we’ve done a great job.

“The passing, the hitting, everything. It’s just a different level but I think we’ve done a really great of adapting to that.”

St. Joseph’s Prep Set for Purple Puck Tournament

The National Capital Hockey Tournament, more familiarly known as the Purple Puck Tournament, is a longstanding holiday tradition.

Now in its 31st year the tournament is hosted by Gonzaga Prep and brings some of the scholastic and prep school teams to the Washington, D.C. area each year. This year’s event begins on Saturday, December 27 and runs through Monday, December 29.

For St. Joseph’s Prep, the Purple Puck event is a regular fixture on the schedule. The Hawks have had considerable success there; they’ve won championships in two of the last three seasons. Senior Ben Kurson is the Hawks’ captain.

“The Purple Puck Tournament is very competitive. Teams come from all over the country and test our team every year. It is always a challenge, but I am very confident in our group this year. “

Kurson has fond memories from the Purple Puck Tournament; he played on championship-winning teams as a freshman and sophomore

“I remember really looking up to the upperclassmen,” he said, “seeing how they played for each other, and how they treated the younger players. I hope as a senior, in my last Purple Puck Tournament, I can similarly do this for our team.”
Kurson says the experience of being on the road as a group for a long weekend builds team cohesiveness.

“This tournament greatly helps to develop team chemistry. Eating meals together, traveling to the games together, and briefly living together all contribute to working well on the ice. Also, our team has a tradition of doing Secret Santa at this tournament. This has always been my favorite off ice activity, and is always very funny to see what people get for each other. 

St. Joseph’s Prep coach Charlie Van Kula says the weekend offers his team a lot of benefits, including testing it in a tournament setting.

“The round robin is only three game, but you do have to perform well to make it to the championship rounds,” he said. “Regardless of what’s on the line, it’s a unique situation, learning how to play {in a tournament setting}.

“That’s one aspect, but I think equally as important is the time together as a group.”

In addition to the Hawks’ varsity, one of their junior varsity teams will also be part of the tournament and several sub-varsity players will be on the trip even though they may not dress for games.

“I think it’s important for all of us to be together as a group,” Van Kula said. “Especially with the nature of our sport, it’s so rare to have even one individual team all together at once but certainly to draw the whole program together is a valuable eperience.

Kurson says the Hawks find out a lot about themselves over the course of the weekend. ”I think as a team we learn a lot. When we play so many games in such a short period of time, it gives us the ability to tweak something and directly implement it in the same day. In comparison, we usually play one game a week, so we have to wait a whole week to change what we learned. “

• The Hawks will not be the only APAC team in this year’s field. The Hun School will also be part of the event. The other three conference teams will also be involved in tournaments this weekend. La Salle will travel to Providence for a four-team event involving Christian Brothers-affiliated institutions while host Malvern Prep and Holy Ghost Prep will take part in the Friars Faceoff

North Penn 5 Council Rock South 2

By Karen Sangillo

It was an early season matchup that could become a harbinger for the post-season. 

Council Rock South hosted the defending National Division, Flyers Cup and state champion North Penn and fell to the Knights, 5-2, on Wednesday night at Grundy Ice Arena. 

Both teams entered the game undefeated at 3-0. 

CR South got on the board first with a goal by Jake Weiner, midway through the first period. 

“Scoring first definitely gave us a lift, but we have to learn to keep our heads up and keep moving when the other team scores,” said CR South goaltender Trey Prozzillo, a senior. 

Late in the first period the Golden Hawks (5-1 overall) got into some trouble when they were issued a bench minor, served by Xavier Prozorov. He joined Jordan Sarne, already in the penalty box for cross checking. 

The five-on-three power play was too good of an opportunity for the Knights to miss, and they didn’t. Samuel Norton stuffed it in with an assist from goaltender Andrew Norton and the period ended tied, 1-1.

“We knew they were going to come out strong right away, so it wasn’t too surprising when they scored first, but we bounced back pretty fast,” said Norton, a junior forward. “We thought this was going to be one of the toughest games of the year for us and we came out of it pretty well.

“We did a good job of moving the puck into the neutral zone and we played pretty good defense. Our offense needs a little work but it’s still early in the season so I think we’ll get it down by the time the playoffs come around.” 

North Penn’s Chris Silvotti IV made it 2-1 three minutes into the second period, but CR South tied it up on a goal by Keegan Spence. 

North Penn (5-0 overall) took control in the third period, with Samuel Norton netting the game winner two minutes into play and Declan Leahy and Silvotti providing a pair of insurance goals. 

“Being the defending state champions hasn’t changed anything for us,” said North Penn senior Danial Cabrales, a defenseman. “We aren’t doing anything different, but I do feel like we’re more of a target this year. Everyone knows we’re the defending state champion so everyone wants to beat us. 

“But we pretty much have the same team back again so I feel like we definitely can do it again.”

There are quite a few new faces on the CR South squad, which graduated nine from last year. 

“This was a good early test for us,” Prozzillo said. “Next time we see them we’re going to work harder and not take our foot off the gas.

“We hung in there for a while but we have kids who have to fill new roles and they’re still learning. We’re definitely going to go to practice on Monday and work on the things we need to work on. 

“I think they’ll figure out their assignments and know what they need to do next game. This was the toughest game we’ve had all year against probably the toughest team we’ll see all year, and we’ve got to learn from it.”

North Penn 1 1 3—5

Council Rock South 1 1 0—2

First-period goals: Jake Weiner (CRS) from Allen Pronin, 8:44; Samuel Norton (NP) from Andrew Norton, 16:16 (pp)

Second-period goals: Christopher Silvotti IV (NP) from James Boyle and Declan Willison, 14:00; Keegan Spence (CRS) from Brendan Rooney, 14:24

Third-period goals: S. Norton (NP) from Danial Cabrales, 1:48; Declan Leahy (NP) from Luke Haftel and Chase Kelly Del Ricci, 10:29; Silvotti (NP) from Del Ricci, 12:47

Shots: North Penn 38, Council Rock South 24; Saves: A. Norton (NP) 22, Trey Prozzillo (CRS) 33 

SHSHL Update 11-9-25

National Division              W    L   T  OTW OTL    SOW    SOL    Pts

Central Bucks South (3-1)      3      0    0      –         –          –           6

Council Rock South (3-0)  2     0   0    –        –         –           –         4

North Penn (2-0)                2     0   0   –       –          –            –         4

Neshaminy (2-1)                 1     1   0    –     –           –            –         2

Pennridge   (1-1)                1      1   0  –      –           –            –          2

 Central Bucks East            1      1   0   –    –            –            –          2

Pennsbury (1-2)                 0      2   0   –    –            –            –           0

Souderton (0-2)                  0      2   0     –    –          –           –            0

Central Bucks West (0-3)  0      3   0    –     –           –           –           0                                 

American Division          W    L    T    OTW     OTL   SHW   SOL   PTS

Hatboro-Horsham (3-0) 3    0     0     –            –         –          –         6

Plym. Whitemarsh (2-0  2    0     0     –           –         –          –          4

Wissahickon (1-2)            1   2      0    1          –        –          –            3  

Abington (0-1)                  0    1    0      –         1       –          –             1

Springfield (0-2)              0      2    0     –          –      –           –             0

Scoring                         

 National Division                      GP    G     A    Pts

Jake Weiner CRS                          3       11      6     17

Landon Bishop Pr                         3       10      3    13

Ryan Burke       Pr                          2       1      6     7

Jordan Sarne   CRS                         3        2     5     7 

Cameron  Fairweather  Sou.        2       2      4     6   

Dominic Gibson CBS                      3       3      3     6   

American Division         GP      G     A    Pts

Vincent Graziani HH      3         4      5      9

Daniel Guller       PW      2        1      7      8

Joseph Mangin    HH      3        5      2      7

Nate Nemchinov HH      3        4      3      7

Cooper Kamze     PW     2         5     1      6

Reid Rochestie    PW     3         1      5     6

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