APAC Update 12-3-19

Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference

W L OW OL Pts GF GA

St. Joseph’s Prep (4-4) 3 0 0 1 10 16 12

Malvern Prep (3-4) 2 2 0 1 7 22 23

Holy Ghost Prep (7-3) 2 2 0 0 6 17 13

LaSalle (4-5) 0 2 1 0 2 14 9

Game of Wednesday, December 11

Holy Ghost Prep 7, Malvern Prep 4

The Grundy Skate Shop is a full-service hockey pro shop inside the Grundy Arena, offering a great selection of equipment, brands and various services. We do a range of repairs as well as offer custom hockey jerseys. Owner Bill Keyser, has over 25 years experience in the industry and specializes in skate sharpening, including profiling. Please visit our Facebook page or stop in and check us out!

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William Tennent 4, Council Rock North 3

WARWICK—Persistence and resolve paid off for William Tennent Wednesday night. Down by two goals entering the third period, the Panthers rallied for a 4-3 win over Council Rock North in. Suburban High School Hockey League Class AA encounter at Revolution Ice Gardens.

Tom Hartenstein’s goal with 52 seconds left in regulation capped a three-goal third frame as the Panthers squared their league record at 1-1 (3-2 overall).

Tennent’s resurgence came after coach Nick D’Aurizio gave his troops a talking to after the second period.

‘We challenged the guys and they responded,” he said. “That’s what being a high-school coach is all about, or just a coach in general. Challenging guys when you’re not getting the results that you want and challenging guys to be better than the status quo.”

Hartenstein’s goal came off a deflection in front of the North net; he deposited the puck over the left shoulder of North netminder Rex Goldberg.

”I think this win was one of (our) most important wins,” the senior said. “This was a team very similar to ours and they’re in our division. We really needed that to get ahead of them.”

Council Rick North (1-5, 0-4) took a 3-1 lead after two periods on goals from Wyatt Pasch, Colin Kiefer, and Vlad Litvinov. Kiefer and Litvinov both scored on second-period power play; the Indians needed just 20 seconds of power play time to score the two goals. Anthony Catalo got Tennent on the board with a goal in the first period.

Goldberg meanwhile was magnificent in goal. He made 24 saves over the first two periods and finished the 48-minute game with 41 saves.

“He did a heck of a job tonight said North assistant coach Mike Epstein. We were outshot two to one (actually 45-25) but yet we were in the game until the last 30 seconds of the game.”

Tennent started its comeback when Matthew Castan scored 5:50 into the third period. Zach Devor tied the game at the 11:49 mark to set up the finale.

Through it all, Tennent goaltender Trey Smith was stalwart. So was the defense in front of him which limited the Indians to five shots in the third period.

Hartenstein had two assists to go with his game-winning goal. He says part of the Panthers’ early season success can be attributed to the youth in the lineup. “The fact that they don’t have a JV team, that they’re playing varsity right now is really impressive,” he said. “They’re really stepping it up. I’m proud of them, they’re doing their part.

Council Rock North 1 2 0—3

William Tennent 1 0 3—4

First-period goals: Wyatt Pasch (CRN) from Noah Epstein and Jude Hollister,m 6:57; Anthony Cattalo (WT) from Tom Hartenstein, 15:37.

Second-period goals: Colin Kiefer (CRN) from Vlad Litvinov and Epstein, 6:29 (pp); Litvinov (CRN) from Wilton Pasch, 13:20 (pp).

Third -period goals: Matt Castan (WT) from Jonathan Kreider, 5:50; Zach Devor (WT) from Hartenstein, 11;49; Hartenstein (WT) from Kreider, 15:08.

Shots: Council Rock 25, William Tennent 45; Saves: Rex Goldberg (CRN) 41, Wyatt Smith (WT) 22.

The Grundy Skate Shop is a full-service hockey pro shop inside the Grundy Arena, offering a great selection of equipment, brands and various services. We do a range of repairs as well as offer custom hockey jerseys. Owner Bill Keyser has over 25 years experience in the industry and specializes in skate sharpening, including profiling. Please visit our Facebook page or stop in and check us out!

Other scores

Hun School 6, La Salle 3

Princeton Day 6, St Joseph’s Prep 3

Pennridge 9, Upper Dublin 2,

C.B. South 10, Souderton 0

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Flyers Kick Off Holiday Season by Launching Toy Drive

All Toys to Be Donated to the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia for Families in Need

Philadelphia, PA (December 2, 2019) – As the season of giving commences, the Philadelphia Flyers announce their annual Holiday Toy Drive presented by Nissan. The club is encouraging fans to bring new and unwrapped toys to select home games in December. Toys will be delivered to the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia to benefit less fortunate children and teens throughout the region.

Collection bins for donations will be available at all entrances at the Wells Fargo Center at the following games:

– Thursday, December 5 vs. Arizona Coyotes

– Saturday, December 7 vs. Ottawa Senators

– Tuesday, December 17 vs. Anaheim Ducks

– Thursday, December 19 vs. Buffalo Sabres

Additionally, collection bins will be available at local Nissan dealerships and all SkateZone locations.

The Toy Drive will culminate with a festive toy drop off and sorting session at the Greater Philadelphia Salvation Army Foster Care Center with Gritty leading the charge on December 20, backed by Flyers Wives and front office staff members.

More Than a Hockey Trip

Sometime Thursday morning the Holy Ghost Prep hockey team will head north on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the direction of Jamestown, New York where it will compete in the National Scholastic Invitational Scholastic Showcase this weekend.

The Firebirds are scheduled to face Glenbrook South (Illinois) Friday afternoon and Bethel Park (Pa.) and University School (Ohio) on Saturday; they could also see action on Sunday.

The Showcase is a regular stop for the Firebirds each season. The 16-team tournament features some top-flight high school teams but the trip is about a lot more than hockey. The weekend is structured to allow the players, regardless of their academic standing or the amount of ice time they have earned, to bond and get to know one another as people.

Junior defenseman E.J. Pohl is one of the Firebirds alternate captains. “It’s a tournament” he said, “and we obviously want to win games up there, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s more about brotherhood and coming together as a team and for me I didn’t really feel like I belonged until after the Jamestown trip my freshman year.”

Pohl recalls his anxiety when he made his first trip to Jamestown two years ago. “Obviously, I was afraid,” he said. “I was one of the younger kids on the team but after the Jamestown trip I felt like we really came together as a team and I felt more involved and like I mattered and had a place on the team.”

Pohl points out that weekend is about togetherness, on and off the ice. “We all hang out together as one,” he said, “whether we’re hanging out together, eating together playing together. It’s freshmen seniors, juniors, sophomores all hanging out together as one. And I think building relationships with those older kids really helped me to grow, as a person on the team and as a player.”

Pohl, who is carrying a 4.3 academic average on a 4.0 scale at Holy Ghost Prep, reflects on how his role with the team has evolved from anxious but eager newcomer to a veteran leader.

“Before, it was exciting for me,” he said, “but I didn’t really feel like people relied on me. I could rely on other people for help to grow, but now I feel like I’m in that role where people are looking up to me, so I’m looking to set a good example, on the ice and off the ice.

“I’m excited to get to know the freshmen and the younger people more and hopefully do the same as the older captains from the last two years did for me and bring them into the team and make them feel that they have a spot and they matter, because they do.”

E.J. Pohl (photo provided by Chris Paul)

Pohl notes that receiving positive reinforcement from a teammate can be more meaningful to a younger player that getting those same assurances from a coach. “It means something from the coaches but when you hear it from your peers it means a lot more,” he said. “Because you know the people you’re working alongside are rooting for you as much as you’re rooting for them,”

That mindset is in keeping with the core philosophy at Holy Ghost Prep which was founded by the Spiritans as a prep school and junior college seminary in 1897 (it became Holy Ghost Prep in 1968) and teaches its students that success is measured by the ability to help others.

“The brotherhood that we often talk about, that we have at Ghost, definitely fits into this trip a lot,” Pohl said. “Building that brotherhood with our younger teammates and even the older ones coming together as one, it definitely fits into that one goal, one team mindset that we have.”

By Rick Woelfel

For more information about Holy Ghost Prep CLICK HERE

Neshaminy and Pennsbury Play for the Greater Good

By Rick Woelfel

BRISTOL—There was a hockey game played at Grundy Arena Wednesday night. For the record, Pennsbury defeated Neshaminy 4-3 in front of a full house.

But what transpired between the Falcons and the ‘Skins and Neshaminy transcended what happened on the ice.

The occasion was the second annual Gannon Cup game, named in honor of Patrick Gannon, a former Neshaminy Middle School player who perished in an accident at age 13. Prior to the opening faceoff a ceremony was held recognizing Gannon and Neshaminy player Phil Oseredzuk, a who was killed in a kayaking accident this past May at age 16. Replicas of both players’ jerseys are now displayed at Grundy Arena.

Some $1,400 dollars was raised via various pregame goodie baskets and raffles, with the funds earmarked for the Gift of Life Foundation which promotes organ donation efforts.

Neshaminy coach Matt DeMatteo spoke to that topic before the teams took the ice. “I think a night like tonight is a great way to raise awareness,” he said. “Especially with all the high-school kids that will be in attendance tonight. I think it’s a very important message and we can’t overlook the fact that through Patrick’s tragedy, there were six or seven lives that were saved through organ donors.”

Pennsbury coach Ryan Daley noted the evening exemplified hockey’s sense of community. “Both teams have ties to the Gammon family,” he said, “and our players know the families. It’s a lot more than a game.”

The game itself saw the Falcons (3-1) hand Neshaminy (4-1) its first loss of the season.

Jake Machlovitz gave Pennsbury a 1-0 lead with 59 seconds left in the opening period. The senior made it 2-0 just 34 seconds into the second period.

Momentum shifted at the 2:02 when Pennsbury captain Ben Dous drew a five-minute major penalty plus a game misconduct for a hit from behind on Neshaminy’s J.J. Hathaway. Matt Buchinski scored for Neshaminy just 59 seconds later to make it a one-goal game. The ‘Skins didn’t score again during the power play but Robert Seewagen tied the game with a shorthanded goal with 4:31 left in the period.

The Falcons regained and extended their lead in the final minute of the period when when Beau Brusius-Yedman and Machlovitz scored 19 seconds apart during a four-on-four situation.

Thomas Gallagher scored for Neshaminy with 6:07 left in the game; it proved to be the only goal of the third period.

Machlovitz savored playing in front of a packed house. “It’s electrifying, really,” he said, “and three goals too? I’m shaking still.”

Many of the players on both teams have played or do play together on various club teams but that does not diminish the intensity of the rivalry when they’re wearing their school’s colors. “A lot of these guys off the ice will joke around,” he said, but on the ice, it’s for blood.”

Pennsbury 1 3 0—4

Neshaminy 0 2 1—3

Thanksgiving Eve Hockey Scores

Pennsbury 4, Neshaminy 3

Upper Dublin 12, Truman 2

William Tennent 14, Archbishop Wood 4

Hatboro-Horsham 6, Moreland/NHS 4

Central Bucks East 5, Central Bucks West 4 OT

Council Rock South 11, Council Rock North 1

Central Bucks South 5, North Penn 1

Pennridge 6, Souderton 1

Malvern Prep 3 vs. Cardinal O’Hara 1

Holy Ghost Prep 4, Father Judge 2

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Wednesday’s Neshaminy-Pennsbury Game Will Send a Powerful Message

Like the other games being played around the Suburban High School Hockey League on Wednesday night, the matchup between Pennsbury and Neshaminy (7:20 at Grundy Arena) won’t count in the league standings. But it will be a special occasion, and an emotional one.

The two teams will play for the Gannon Cup, which is named for Patrick Gannon a former Neshaminy Middle School hockey player who tragically died in an accident at age 13. He played club hockey with many of the players on both teams who will be in uniform Wednesday night.

“We thought it would be a great way to remember him during the game every year,” said Neshaminy coach Matt DeMatteo.

Neshaminy won the inaugural Gannon Cup game last year

As tragic as Patrick Gannon’s death was, he gave back to others via organ donation. The game is being played in part to benefit the Donate Life and the Gift of Life Foundation in his memory. There will be an assortment of gift basket raffles and a Chuck-a-Duck fund raiser.,

Patrick Gannon will be recognized prior to game time along with Phil Oseredzuk, a former Neshaminy player who was killed in a kayaking accident last May at age 16. His jersey will be retired before the game and will thereafter be displayed at Grundy Arena.

SHSHL Update 12-2-19

SHSHL Standings Through Friday 11-29

Class AA W L OTW OTL/T Pts

Neshaminy (4-1-0-0) 3 0 0 0 6

C.B. East (3-0-1-1)) 1 0 0 1 3

C.B. South (4-0-0-1) 2 0 0 0 2

C.B. West (4-0-0-1)) 2 0 0 0 2

North Penn (2-2-0-0) 1 0 0 0 2

Pennsbury (3-1-0-0) 1 1 0 0 2

C.R. South (1-3-0-0) 0 0 0 0 0

Quakertown (0-2-0-0) 0 0 0 0 0

William Tennent (1-2-0-0) 0 1 0 0 0

Abington (1-3-0-0) 0 1 0 0 0

Council Rock North (1-4-0-0) 0 2 0 0 0

Pennridge (2-2-0-0) 0 2 0 0 0

Souderton (0-4-0-0) 0 2 0 0 0

Class A W L OTW OTL/T Pts

Plymouth Whitemarsh (4-1-0-0) 1 0 0 0 2

Wissahickon (2-2-0-0) 1 0 0 0 2

Hatboro-Horsham (5-0-0-0) 0 0 0 0 0

Lower Moreland (0-4-0-0) 0 1 0 0 0

Truman (0-5-0-0) 0 1 0 0 0

Standings are calculated as follows

2 points for a win whether in regulation or OT

1 point for a tie or overtime loss

If a game is tied at the end of regulation there will be five minutes of three-on-three overtime, similar to the NHL.

If the game is still tied it will be recorded as a tie game.

The shootout will not be used

Scoring

Class AA G A Pts

Jake Lang (CBW) 17 12 29

Chris Trefz (CBW) 7 18 25

Robert Seewagen (Nesh) 11 9 20

Joey DeMatteo (Nesh) 8 4 12

Phil McIntyre (CBE) 4 8 12

Sean Gorman (CBE) 11 1 12

Bogden Biredenko (CBE) 9 2 11

Colin Abbonizio (CBS) 6 4 10

Mason McKeever (WT) 7 3 10

Keith Orlando (CBW) 4 6 10

Class A G A Pos

Seth Lerner (HH) 8 6 14

Alex Howieson (HH) 7 7 14

Aidan Keogh (PW) 8 5 13

Jake Weikel (PW) 6 6 12

Luke Weikel (PW) 5 7 12

Dean Keller (PW) 4 7 11

Colin Franzoni (PW) 4 4 8

Tank Elsabbagh (HH) 5 2 7

James McCoy (HH) 3 4 7

Logan Wesrerfer (PW) 2 5 7

Faith Family and Football is the story of the life and career of longtime Lansdale Catholic football coach Jim Algeo and his wife Mickey, who passed away on November 16. The story is told through the eyes of the author, their daughter Bridget. It captures the essence of a man who was passionate about football, but more passionate about his faith and his family, and having a positive impact on the lives of the young men who played for him than he was about winning any football game.

If you’re any kind of a high school sports fan, you will find this book thoroughly enjoyable. You can order on line at Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble

Goals Against

Class AA MP GA GAA

Mason Moyer (CBS) 240 7 1.40

Brian Nelson (Nesh) 210 8 1.83

Jimmy Sweeney (CRS) 128 5 1.88

Jake Coddington (CBW) 243 10 1.97

Chris McIntyre (CBE) 197 11 2.67

Class A MP GA GAA

Kolton Galie (PW) 96 3 1.50

Ben Yuter (PW) 144 8 2.67

Joe Gambimo (HH) 192 12 3.00

Chris Shea (Wiss) 192 26 6.50

Save Percentage

Class AA MP Shots GA Sv Pct.

Mason Moyer (CBS) 240 129 7 .946

Chris McIntyre (CBE) 197 148 11 .926

Jimmy Sweeney 128 60 55 .917

Austin Stout (Q) 96 118 10 .915

Jake Coddington (CBW) 243 100 10 .900

Class A MP Shots GA. Sv Pct

Joe Gambino (HH)) 192 150 12 .926

Ben Yuter (PW) 144 67 8 .881

Kolton Galie (PW) 96 24 3 .875

Goaltenders must play a minimum of 96 minutes to be listed

High School Hockey as Much a Part of Thanksgiving as Turkey

The Suburban High School Hockey League’s schedule of Thanksgiving Eve games may be the league’s most enduring tradition. By any measure, it’s a highlight of the season, an occasion for alumni to reconnect with former teammates and for today’s players to connect with the history of their respective clubs. Many of matchups are traditional rivalries.

There are four SHSHL doubleheaders on the schedule Wednesday night. In addition, two Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference teams will see action.

The schedule

Neshaminy vs. Pennsbury 7:20 at Grundy Arena

Truman vs. Upper Dublin 9:00 at Grundy Arena

William Tennent vs. Archbishop Wood 7:00 at Bucks County Ice Sports Center

Hatboro-Horsham vs Moreland/NHS 9:00 at Bucks County Ice Sports Center

C.B. East vs. C.B. West 7:00 at Revolution Ice Gardens

C.R. North vs. C.R. South 9:00 at Revolution Ice Gardens

Central Bucks South vs. North Penn 7:00 at Hatfield Ice

Pennridge vs. Souderton 9:00 at Hatfield Ice

Malvern Prep vs. Cardinal O’Hara 6:45 at Skatium

Holy Ghost Prep vs. Father Judge 7:00 at Flyers Skate Zone NE

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St. Joseph’s Prep 3, Holy Ghost Prep 2

BRISTOL—St. Joseph’s Prep is making a habit of doing the little things right. The latest example was on display Friday night as the Hawks edged Holy Ghost Prep 3-2 in front of a large an energetic audience at Grundy Arena.

Austin Amato, Connor Burman, and Jimmy Craig all scored for the Hawks, who improved to 3-1 overall and 3-0-0-1 in the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference. The only blemish on the Hawks’ record is a shootout loss to La Salle and they took a point on that occasion. It has been an impressive start for a young team.

“We’ve got a lot of stuff to improve on,” said Prep coach David Giacomin, “but the one thing you can’t take away from them is the effort. When they start hustling and they get in your face, they create turnovers, they create anxiety for the opposition. That part of the game we’ve done really well.”

Amato and Burman scored off turnovers to give the Hawks a 2-0 first-period lead. Burman, a junior, credits his team’s work ethic for its fast start.

“It’s the hard work,” he said. “It’s the chemistry. “Everybody wants to be here. Everybody wants to win. We’ve just a really good group this year, it’s all coming together.”

Giacomin said Burman played a solid three periods Friday night. “When that kid is moving he sees the ice so well,” he said. “He’s low to the ground, he’s hard to push off the puck. When he puts together three periods like he did tonight, people notice him.”

Evan Mudrick scored a power-play goal for the Firebirds (2-2, 1-2 in the APAC) 3:48 into the second period to make it a one-goal game for a time but Craig answered with his own power-play goal at 14:57.

That goal proved to be the game winner because Michael Roman found the back of the net for the Firebirds 6:37 into the third frame when he beat Hawk netminder Andrew Custer.

Holy Ghost Prep couldn’t come up with the equalizer. But Gump Whiteside, the Firebirds’ coach took an abundance of positives out of the evening.

“I like how our boys responded in the third period,” he said. “It was unfortunate, we kind of had a slow start there, but I really liked how our guts responded. We’re a young team. We’re going to be good. We’re just working through a couple things right now but I really liked how we responded in the third.”

St. Joseph’s Prep sits atop the APAC standings with a 3-0-1 mark (10 points) but the balance among the four schools through the first weeks of the season has been striking to say the least.

“The league has so much parity,” Giacomin said.”Every game is going to be exciting I think this year.”

Whiteside sees things the same way. “It’s great competition every night,” he said. “Great sportsmanship every night. We battle, we compete hard, we want to get that ’W’ but it’s been great.”

St. Joseph’s Prep 2 1 0—3
Holy Ghost Prep 0 1 1—2
First-period goals: Austin Amato (HGP) from Paulo Colavita, 2:13; Connor Burman (SJP) from Jimmy Craig, 15:12
Second-period goals: Evan Mudrick (HGP) from Byron Hartley, 3:48 (pp); Craig (HGP) from MIchael Urbani, 14:03 (pp)
Third-period goal: Michael Roman (HGP) unassisted, 6:37
Shots: St. Joseph’s Prep 19, Holy Ghost Prep 22; Saves: Andrew Custer (SJP) 20, Sean Joyce (HGP) 15