In the brightest of spotlights, a troupe of young hockey players blossomed into maturity and did so with dramatic suddenness.

Holy Ghost Prep erupted for four goals in the first period Tuesday night and went on to post a 5-1 win over Father Judge in a Class AAA Flyers Cup quarterfinal in front of a full house at Grundy Arena.

The fourth-seeded Firebirds (12-13) will face top seed and defending champion La Salle in a semifinal that is scheduled for March 14. Fifth-seeded Judge, which won the Catholic League title, closes with a 15-4-2.

A.J. Prete scored twice for the Firebirds. Fittingly enough, his goals were the first and last of the evening. Prete reflected on how things came together Tuesday night after a regular season that was filled with ups and downs, including a loss to the Crusaders.

“We came into this game with a chip on our shoulder,” he said. “We got on them early, that was out plan and we got the job done. Couldn’t be happier.”

Prete’s first goal came just 65 seconds after the opening faceoff; he beat Judge goaltender Aidan Childs from just inside the right circle.

The Firebirds really got control of the game in the closing minutes of the first frame when Jake McCaw’s power-play goal was followed by Joseph Kaufmann’s even-strength goal two-and a-half minutes later and Joe Spadaccino’s shorthanded effort just 33 seconds after that.

With 2:49 left in the opening session, Holy Ghost Prep had a four-goal advantage.

Prete said he and his teammates were determined to get off to a fast start.

“We knew what they were going to come with,” he said. “We knew they were going to try to bully us around a little bit with physicality. We just kind of reversed it on them.”

The second period saw the Crusaders do their best to assert themselves physically. But they managed just one goal, Owen Myers’ power-play effort at the 7:55 mark.

Neither team shied away from them physical side of the game. Referees Terrence Johnson and Laura White called 12 minor penalties and found a balance that allowed for physical play while still maintaining order.

“All the credit in the world to Father Judge,” said Holy Ghost Prep coach John Ritchie. “They’re a very, very tough team with a lot of seniors. They play a very heavy game but I was how our guys, giving up a little bit of size and a little bit of strength, I was happy how they executed. It seemed to come together tonight”

Prete added an insurance goal for the Firebirds with 2:20 left in the game.

Ice chips—The other Class AAA Flyers Cup semifinal will match second seed Malvern Prep and third seed St. Joseph’s Prep.

WE STAND CORRECTED—In our original post, we stated that no APAC team in the conference’s six-year history had ever lost. Flyers Cup game to a non-conference foe. In fact, Father Judge defeated Malvern Prep in the quarterfinals in 2020.

Father Judge won a Class AA Flyers Cup and a state championship in 1993 and a Class AAA Flyers Cup in 2000 as a member of the Lower Bucks County League.

We regret the error.

Father Judge 0 1 0—1

Holy Ghost Prep 4 0 1—5

First-period goals: A.J. Prete (HGP) from Caine Bickel and Anthony Valeriote, 1:05; Jake McCaw (HGP) from Matthew Cholaj and Brian Kinniry, 11:00 (pp); Joseph Kaufmann (HGP) unassisted, 13:33; Joe Spadaccino (HGP) from Mike Holt, 14:11 (sh)

Second-period goal: Owen Myers (FJ) unassisted, 7:55 (pp)

Third-period goal: Prete (HGP) from Bickel, 13:50

Shots: Father Judge 24, Holy Ghost Prep 30; Saves: Aidan Childs (FJ) 25, Jack Unger (HGP) 23