Van Kula Named Coach at St. Joseph’s Prep

Charlie Van Kula is the new varsity hockey coach at St. Joseph’s Prep. He replaces David Giacomin who spent 14 seasons behind the Hawks’ bench.

For the past three seasons Van Kula has coached the Hawks’ JV Gray team. He has also served as a varsity assistant and been a coach for the Ed Snider Youth Hockey organization.

A St. Joseph’s Prep graduate, Van Kula was a four-year letter winner as a goaltender for the Hawks before going on to Boston College where he was a student manager apart from a brief stint as a walk on during the 2015-16 season.

Van Kula returned to the Prep in 2018-19 as an Alumni Service Corps member, during which time he served as a Varsity and JV assistant coach. He was a frequent presence at subsequent Prep Hockey summer camps and clinics.

Van Kula has also coached with a variety of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey and Education organization’s programs from 2018-2021. Since 2022 he has been a full-time member of St. Joseph Prep’s Institutional Advancement team.

In addition to his coaching and playing experience, Van Kula has been an on-ice official for the past 17 seasons, including three full-time seasons in the USHL and NAHL. He currently referees at the NCAA Division I and Division III levels.

Keystone State Games Rosters

Hockey players from throughout the Commonwealth will converge at Penn State University next weekend for the Keystone State Games. Round robin play will take place at Pegula Ice Arena next Friday and Saturday, July 25-26. The gold and bronze medal games will be played on Sunday, July 27.

Games will be played in five divisions: 12U, 14U, 16U, 18U, and 19U (female) with teams representing four regions in the state.

Listed below are the U16 and U18 rosters for the South region, which encompasses the five-county Philadelphia area.

18U

1 Aiden Mott G

2 David Brown D

3 Brett Linker D

4 Aiden Paster D

5 Michael Snyder D

6 Jake Stepp D

7 Wim van Rossum D

8 Sean Cutter F

9 Shane Dachowski F

10 Declan Dowd F

11 Thomas Ely F

12 Ryan Frey F

13 Grady Jones F

14 Socrates Kelly F

15 Mason McCabe F

16 Lucas Mott F

17 Kevin Pico F

18 Cole Pluck F

19 Reed Surak F

30 Jacob Rotwitt G

16U

1 Nate Napolitano G

2 Seth Bender D

3 Aiden Collins D

4 Gabriel Dunn D

5 Aiden North D

6 Sean Tobin D

7 John Wagner D

8 Ryan Christie F

9 Joseph Darrah F

10 Malakye Johnson F

11 AJ Marazzacco F

12 Sean Scott F

13 Gavin Tietz F

14 Dean Venner F

15 Delan Wilson F

16 Alex Wilson F

17 Connor Boland F

18 Kamren Wetherell F

19 Dominic Gibson F

30 Peter Neveil G

Hockey Happenings is looking for contributing writers for the upcoming hockey season. If you’d like more information, e-mail is at rwoelfel2013@gmail.com

Chris Francis Takes Over at WC Rustin

Chris Francis is the new head coach at West Chester Rustin.

A graduate of Penncrest Francis played Division I club hockey at West Chester University.

He began his coaching career by launching the program at Kingsway Regional High School in South Jersey and has also spent time at Springfield-Delco and Harriton. He is currently an assistant coach at Neumann University.

Rustin did not field a varsity team for the 2024-25 season but the Golden Knights have won nine Class A Flyers Cup championships and seven state chapionships including six straight Cup and state titles from 2024-19.

APAC Names All-Stars

The Atlantic Prep Athletuc Conference has named its all-conference team for 2024-25. Players were selected by the five conference head coaches.

First Team

F Brady Logue Jr. Holy Ghost Prep

F Grant LaGreca Sr. LaSalle College High School

F Cole Gargon So. St Josephs Prep

D Will Gregorio Sr. LaSalle College High School

D Ryan Lippy Sr. Holy Ghost Prep

G Jake Rossi Sr. LaSalle College High School

Second Team

F Teague Murray Sr. Malvern Prep

F Julian Tarsi Sr. LaSalle College High School

F Joe Spaddacino Sr. Holy Ghost Prep

D Joe Kauffman Sr. Holy Ghost Prep

D Declan Kelly Sr. LaSalle College High School

G Jack Unger Sr. Holy Ghost Prep

Honorable Mention

Forwards

Micheal Zarzycki Sr. LaSalle College High School

Anthony Valeriote Jr. Holy Ghost Prep

Gabe Bedwell Sr. Malvern Prep

Pax Hoishuk Jr. Malvern Prep

Thomas Ely Jr. St Josephs Prep

Noah Stuhl Jr. St Josephs Prep

Defensemen

Cole Scarbinsky Jr. Malvern Prep

Adam Charaffi Jr. St Josephs Prep

Matt Barbacane Sr. Malvern Prep

Ben Kersun Sr. St Josephs Prep

Jake Beck Jr. The Hun School

Andrew Darst Jr. The Hun School

Goalies

Elliott Wong Sr. The Hun School

Patrick Donohue Sr.The Hun School

Matt Crawford Sr. Malvern Prep

Declan Geary So. Joesphs Prep

Pluck Looks Back on North Penn’s State Championship Win

It’s been not quite a week now since Cole Pluck and his North Penn teammates left the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center in procession of the Class AA Pennsylvania Cup after a 4-1 won over Erie Cathedral Prep.

The state-title game marked the conclusion of a remarkable senior season for Pluck, who finished with 27 goals and 37 assists for 64 points. He provided five goals and two assists in three Flyers Cup games to share the top of Class AA division pyramid in both goals and scoring but it could be argued his most significant contribution of the season came late in the state final.

Going into the third period, North Penn trailed, 1-0 having had a an apparent game-tying goal waved off late in the second period because the net was dislodged. Sam Norton drew his team even however with a power-play goal 2:49 into the final session. Norton’s goal the Knights a fresh surge of energy as momentum swung in their direction.

“We were all excited to get one on the board,” Pluck said, “especially after one was waved off. And yeah, it swung the momentum our way. And then we had more energy.”

As the clock wound down inside the four-minute mark the Knights got control of the game with two quick goals. Pluck assisted on James Boyle’s effort with 3:36 left in regulation. Daniel Cabrales extended his team’s lead just 19 seconds later.

{Cathedral Prep} didn’t know what to do at that point Pluck recalled.

Nolan Single added the final goal to put the finishing touches on a season that saw North Penn win 21 of 24 starts. At one point, they won 13 consecutive games.

After dropping their opener, the Knights won three straight, outscoring their opponents 30-6. Pluck said it was about then he and his teammates realized they had the potential to do something special.

“I would say after the first couple games when we were just blowing teams out,” he said.

“We knew we were going to be a good team coming into it. But we didn’t know we would make it this far for sure. we definitely didn’t know that we’d win states.”

Pluck, who is hoping to play college club or junior hockey next season, notes that North Penn’s roster blended youth and experience. Of the 25 players on the Knights’ Flyers Cup roster, 11 were underclassmen, including four freshmen.

“The younger kids aren’t afraid to show what the can do on the ice,” he said. “The older kids, they have confidence and don’t have a problem with them showing what they can do.’

Pluck said there was no resentment among the veterans about losing ice time to younger teammates.

“I don’t think anybody had a problem,” he said. “we just all wanted to win.”

In the end the depth on the roster was a big reason for the Knights’ success.

“It was a huge factor,” Pluck said. “We all contributed.”

Seneca Valley 7 Holy Ghost Prep 2

The chasm proved too wide to navigate. Seneca Valley scored twice in the first period and went on to a 7-2 win over Holy Ghost Prep in the Pennsylvania Class AAA state championship game Saturday night at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center in suburban Pittsburgh.

The state title was Seneca Valley’s first.

The Firebirds, who closed the season at 21-5-1, were seeking their second state championship, and their first came in 2017.

Ethan Riffle got the Raiders started 7:30 into the opening period when he had an open look and beat Jack Unger from the edge of the left faceoff circle. Braden Morin made it a 2-0 game with 3:29 left in the first frame. Marshall Hewitt etended the Seneca Valley lead 3:32 into the second session, leaving the Flyers Cup champion with a steep hill to climb.

They gave it their best shot. John Gavaghan scored off a setup from Brady Logue 7:07 into the period and when Ryan Lippy put in a rebound during a power play with 2:56 left in the period the Firebirds appeared to have the momentum.

But Jimmy Murphy responded for the Raiders just 84 seconds later and when Murphy scored his second goal of the game 1:04 into third period the outcome was no longer in doubt. Holt Ghost Prep coach John Ritchie lifted Unger at that point.

“I’m disappointed, obviously,” Ritchie said, “but I don’t think the score did the game justice.

Seneca Valley is s really good team and they finished their chances off our mistakes.”

Ritchie wants his players to look back with pride on their season once they over the pain of Saturday’s loss.

“I am very proud of our players,” he said. It’s an incredible group of kids and a season to remember at some point when they get away from the emption of losing tonight.

“They should be very proud of what they accomplished.”

Holy Ghost Prep 0 2 0—2

Seneca Valley 2 2 3—7

First-period goals: Ethan Riffe (SV) from Tyler Maxwell, 7:30; Braden Morin (SV) from Carter Hoehn and John Sroka, 13:31 (pp)

Second-period goals: Marshall Hewitt (SV) from Sroka , 3:32; John Gavaghan (HGP) from Brady Logue, 7:07; Ryan Lippy (HGP) unassisted, 14:04; Jimmy Murphy (HGP) from Owen Martin. 15:38

Third-period goals: Murphy (SV) from Martin, 1:04; Morin from Hewitt, 4:30; Morin (SV) from Hewitt, 7:02 (en)

Shots: Holy Ghost Prep 26, Seneca Valley 30; Saves: Jack Unger (HGP) 15 and John Botthof 7, Chris Brown (SV) 24

North Penn 4 Erie Cathedral Prep 1

The game was up for grabs. North Penn stepped up and took it.

James Boyle and Daniel Carbrales scored third-period goals 19 apart Saturday afternoon to snap a 1-1 tie and propel the Knights to 4-1 win over Erie Cathedral Prep in the Pennsylvania Class AA hockey championship game at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center.

It was the first state hockey championship for North Penn (22-3) in the school’s history and the third state championship for the Suburban High School Hockey League in four years: Pennridge won Class AA titles in 2022 and ’24.

There was little to choose between the two teams for the first two periods. The Raiders’ Tucker Kinnear delivered the only goal in that span, 5:19 into the second frame.

With 4:52 left in the period the Knights briefly appeared to have scored the tying goal. Cathedral Prep goaltender Ian Brown denied Norton on a wraparound before Derek Lugera put in the rebound. The apparent goal was disallowed however when it ruled was the net had come off its moorings prior to the puck crossing the goal line.

During the post-second period ice cut, North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis reassured his players.

“I told them we’ve just got to keep moving the puck,” he said, “keep playing our game and our chances are going to come.”

At the start of the third period, Samuel Norton stepped up. With the Ramblers’ Charlie McBrier in the box serving an interference penalty, Norton, a sophomore made a dash down the right wing and beat Brown to tie the game 2:49 into the period.

As the clock wound down, momentum seemed to be shifting in North Penn’s direction. Boyle drove that point home with emphasis with 3:36 left in the game when he found the back of the net with a one-timer from the left point. It was a power-play goal; the Raiders were playing a man down after being caught with too many men on the ice.

Just 19 seconds later Cabrales scored a goal of his own to tighten the Knights’ hold on the game,

Nolan Shingle the evening with a goal into an empty net with 43 seconds remaining.

Vaitis said sened early on this could be a special season.

“At the beginning of the season when we met with them for the first time, we knew with the team we were going to have and the talent we were going to have what we were capable of doing,” he said. “We believed in them and it was a matter of them understanding of they were able to put the work in, just how special the season could be for them.”

North Penn 0 0 4—4

Cathedral Prep 0 1 0—1

Second-period goal: Tucker Kinnear from Ethan Cunningham and Chris Bruschi, 5:19

Third-period goals: Samuel Norton (NP) unassisted, 2:49 (pp); James Boyle (NP) from Norton and Cole Pluck, 13:24 (pp); Daniel Cabrales (NP), 13:43 unassisted; Nolan Single (NP) 16:17 (en) unassisted

Shots: North Penn 35, Erie Cathedral Prep 27; Saves: Andy Norton (NP) 26, Ian Brown (CP) 31

Pennsylvania State Championship Schedule

Saturday 3-22

At Robert Morris University Neville Island site

Class A

12:45 Garnet Valley 7 Avonworth 2 Final

Class AA

3:30 North Penn vs Cathedral Prep

Class AAA

6:15 Holy Ghost vs Seneca Valley

A video stream will be available at:

Www.tenband.tv

Holy Ghost Prep Wins AAA Flyers Cup

The evening came down to capitalizing on opportunities while avoiding mistakes. Holy Ghost Prep found the right balance Wednesday night and left Hatfield Ice Arena as the Class AAA Flyers Cup champion.

Chase Logue scored two goals and Jack Unger was superb in goal as the Firebirds bested La Salle 3-1 in front of a full house to win its first Flyers Cup title since 2017 and the fifth in the school’s history.

“It’s amazing,” Logue, a sophomore, said. “To be with those guys in the locker room is a blessing. “

Offensive opportunities were scarce early on as two teams familiar with each other were reluctant to yield space to the opposition.

The second-seeded Explorers (17-8) outshot the top-seeded Firebirds (21-4-1) 7-1 in the early going but Unger stood tall between the pipes. His big save not quite seven minutes into the first period set the tone for the night.

Logue put his team on from 1:27 into the second period when he beat La Salle netminder Jake Rossi from close range.

“I was lucky,” he said. “I just came out and shot it. I put pucks on net and it went it.”

Some 200 feet away, Unger was doing his part to keep Holy Ghost Prep in front, denying Julian Tarsi on a breakaway with 2:25 left in the middle frame to send the Firebirds into the ice cut clinging to the 1-0 lead.

The Explorers however weren’t going away and a Holy Ghost Prep turnover two-and-a-half minutes into the third period gave them an opening. Michael Esmond converted the chance when the Firebirds lost the puck in front of their own net.

But Logue responded with his second goal of the game just 15 seconds later. With 14:15 left in regulation the Firebirds were back in front but the game was still up for grabs.

It was left to Unger to reach out and seized it by the throat, which he did when the Firebird found themselves killing two penalties in the last 7:14 of regulation. The shots seemingly never stopped coming but Unger turned them all away, en route to winning the Bob Clarke Award as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He finished the evening with 29 saves.

Unger, a senior felt that Wednesday’s game was the best of his career.

“I would say for sure,” he said. “Between the atmosphere, the intensity of the game, and what was at stake.

“I was able to lock in and then being able to get the tam to rally around me and especially during that third period.’

The closest he came faltering the stretch came when a shot from La Salle’s La Salle’s Alistair St. Hilaire from the right wing actually got behind him but slid across the crease before going wide of the far post.

“I’m not going to lie, that one really scared me,” Unger said. “But sometimes you need a little bit of luck on your side.”

Joseph Kauffman scored an empty-net goal for Holy Ghost Prep just before the final buzzer.

For La Salle coach Wally Muehlbronner, whose team was trying to win its 14^th Flyers Cup the result was a disappointment but he appreciated the level of play on both sides.

“That was definitely a great high-school hockey game for sure,” he said.

Muehlbronner felt his team did a lot of good things right during its three power-play chances, except score.

“I thought we did well on the power play,” he said. “We moved the puck well. We didn’t bury many pucks, we didn’t get many bounces that we needed.

“But, I think we played a great game, I really do. We carried a large portion of it, but weren’t able to put any in.”

The Firebirds will face Penguins Cup champion Seneca Valley for the Class AAA state title Saturday in suburban Pittsburgh.
The All-Tournament Team included :

G Jack Unger Holy Ghost Prep

D Ryan Lippy Holy Ghost Prep

D Cam Ross LaSalle

F Alistair St. Hilaire

F Chase Lougue HGP

F Brady Logue HGP

La Salle 0 0 1—1

Holy Ghost Prep 0 1 2—3

Second-period goals: Chase Logue (HGP) from Joe Spadaccino, 1:27

Third-period goals: Michael Esmond (L) from Luke Baumann and Alex Gibson, 2:30; Chase Logue (HGP) from Brady Logue and John Gavaghan, 2:45; Joseph Kaufman (HGP) unassisted,16:59 (sh)

Shots: La Salle 30, Holy Ghost Prep 24; Saves: Jake Rossi (L) 21, Jack Unger (HGP) 29

Avon Grove 12 Downingtown West 11

Lily Schindler’s goal with 64 seconds left in regulation gave Avon Grove a 12-11 win over Downingtown West Tuesday night in the Girls Flyers Cup championship game at PNY Arena.

The win gave Avon Grove its first Flyers Cup girls title. Downingtown West was trying for its third straight Cup and fourth in five years.

Schindler’s goal capped a stretch that saw the top-seeded Red Devils score three times in a span of 46 seconds to take a 12-10 lead. Avon Grove trailed 7-4 entering the third period but scored eight goals in the final session.

Schindler finished with three goals and three assists. Her teammate Skylar Greene scored five goals and added an assist. Emily Sullivan scored two goals for the winners while Brianna Register and Blaire Stoltzfus scored one goal each.

Ava Thomas scored for second-seeded Downingtown West with 29 seconds remaining to bring the Whippets within a goal. Thomas finished the game with nine goals and the tournament with 29.

Maddison Vitali scored the Whippets other two goals and contributed three assists.

Downingtown West 3 4 4—11

Avon Grove 2 2 8—12