The ‘second season’ in the Suburban High School Hockey League will commence on Monday, February 24. Six teams will qualify for the playoffs in the National Division (all are Class AA) and three more in the American Division (Class A).
Two National Division first-round games are set for Opening Night, with the third seed taking on the sixth seed and the fourth seed facing the fifth seed. The winners will advance to the semifinals on Wednesday, February 26 to join the top two seeds who will receive first-round byes.
The American Division semifinal, matching the second and third seeds, is also set for Wednesday, February 26th; the finals in both classes are set for the following evening, Thursday, February 27th.
SHSHL Playoff results will not impact the seedings and selections for the Flyers Cup tournament, which will be announced on Sunday, February 23, eight days before the start of the tournament.
Shane Dachowski has been making an impact in the SHSHL for four seasons now. He’s played four seasons of varsity hockey for Pennridge and has been part of two Flyers Cup/state-championship teams.
Last year he was fourth in the National Division (fifth overall) in scoring with 27 regular-season goals and 33 assists for 60 points.
This year, as a senior Dachowski has harrowed his focus. He’s stepped away from AAA-level club hockey to devote his time and energy to the Rams.
“I quit because it was my senior year,” he said. “I figured I’m just going to college for school and stuff and there was no real point in me playing AAA travel hockey.
“I would just be traveling everywhere, every weekend. And I just wanted to chill out this year and hang out with my friends. Travel hockey doesn’t give you a lot of time for that.”
Dachowski notes that the atmosphere at a high-school game can’t be replicated elsewhere.
“It’s the game aspect of high school hockey compared to club,” he said. “Because with high school games you have all your friends from school come. Parents and grandparents come to the games I just think it’s way more exciting.”
Dachowski started playing hockey at age 6, following in the footsteps of his brother Colin, who is 18 months his senior. The brothers were encouraged by their cousin Cole Pluck, who is now a senior at North Penn. Because of the difference in their ages, the Dachowski brothers were high-school teammates for three seasons but were club teammates only once; that was last season.
By the time Shane was 10 his ability was becoming apparent. So was his passion for hockey.
“I just thought it was the most fun I had playing any sport,” he said. “Because I played a lot of sports but hockey was just the most fun for me and it helped that I was not that bad at it.”
Dachowski has always been recognized for his offensive skills. Through January 23 he had accumulated 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points, tops in the National Division.
Anyone who has watched him play will attest to the fact that Dachowski makes little effort to hide his emotions when he’s on the ice. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on the circumstances and has led to his share of trips to the penalty box.
Dachowski point out that his emotions are a big part of who he is aa a hockey player.
“{His emotions} definitely have gotten in my way,” he said but showing emotions and getting some penalties, that’s always been a part of my game. I feel like if that wasn’t part of my game, I wouldn’t produce as much. It’s just the way I play; aggressively. It kind of fuels me I guess.”
Ironically, Dachowski is not outgoing by nature. Now, as a senior and as an elite player, he finds himself cast in a leadership role, one he is still getting comfortable with. But as he has matured as a hockey player he has grown as a person.
Shane Dachowski
Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna calls Dachowski “The most misunderstood player I’ve ever coached.
“He’s learning what it means to be a leader,” Montagna said, “and it’s a work in progress.
“What I’m most proud of with him is he’s never had to be vocal before. Telling guys, especially the young guys that it’s okay. Not big-timing them.
“It’s not easy to be a leader and asking him in his senior year to do something he’s never done, he’s growing into that every single week. That’s really what I’m proud of him for.”
Dachowski understands the responsibilities that come with his stature.
“I would say this year I became a little bit more of a talker,” he said, “because of not having my brother there. Me and him were always known for setting examples but this year I’ve changed and been a little bit more of a talker.”
Dachowski played on state-championship teams as a freshman and again last season. He reflects on how close the players on those teams were with each other.
“Especially a couple years ago it was the closest team I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “All of us grew up playing hockey together and then we moved to the same area.
“It was so awesome because we all hung out every single day and even last year when it was more seniors and everyone who was on the {2022 team} team, we were all still super close. We still do everything together as much as we can.”
But Dachowski’s high-school career is drawing to an end. Four weeks remain in the regular season with the SHSHL playoffs and the Flyers Cup tournament to follow. The occasions he’ll have to put on a Pennridge uniform are becoming few.
Those who have read this far would not be surprised to learn he plans to give it his all in the time he has left.
“My goal obviously is to get deep into the Flyers Cup and provide as much for me team as I can,” Dachowski said, “and just go out there every game like it’s my last because you don’t know when it could be your last game especially being a senior.”
The APAC and the Intercounty League crossed paths Thursday afternoon. In a prelude to a possible Flyers Cup Tournament matchup, Holy Ghost Prep, from the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference, scored a 5-1 decision over Salesianum which was sailing under the Inter County Scholastic Hockey League banner. Ur was the Firebirds’ seventh straight win.
The result of the non-league encounter, which was played at Grundy Arena in Bristol, will be factored into the calculations the Flyers Cup Committee will use to determine the makeup and seedings for its Class AAA field.
It was the second win for the Firebirds (11-3 in less than 24 hours; they defeated St. Joseph’s Prep Wednesday night. On Thursday, they picked up where they left off although two of their big guns Brady and Chase Logue, were away on club duty.
Senior Logan Barnes started things off with a shot from the left point that got the better of Sallies goaltender Ryne Dominick and have the hosts the lead with 4:18 remaining in the opening period. Joe Spadaccino it a 2-0 game just 74 seconds later.
The second period was largely a battle of special teams; there were seven penalties called in the period, but the Firebirds got the better of it despite being two men short for 37 seconds at one point.
Brian Kinniry extended the Firebirds’ lead with 6:47 left in the second frame while the teams were skating four on four. The senior spoke of how the Firebirds bounced back after their win Wednesday night.
“I think we all came together as a team he said. “It was a tough game last night with a different atmosphere but we all pushed through.”
The Sallies (12-2) got on the scoreboard with 10:49 left in the third period when Justin Celentino got the puck past Firebird goaltender Matt Salita from in front of the net. It was 3-1 at that point but William Harmar answered for Holy Ghost Prep less than two minutes later and Joseph Kauffman added an insurance goal with 6:47 left in regulation.
“We were going toe to toe with them in the first period,” said Salesianum coach Brian LeBlanc, “but then in the second period we kind of slowed down a little bit.
“You’d think that a power play and a five-on-three would give you some advantage but we couldn’t even get a shot on goal. It was not whet we had hoped for but I think we learned a lot today.”
The Firebirds have won five straight games since returning from the National Scholastic Invitational tournament in Jamestown, New York. Assistant coach George Mundy says the tournament was a turning point.
“Since we’ve gotten back from New York the team has played really, really well,” he said. “We’re getting contributions from a lot of different players, which is good. We’re getting good goaltending our defense has been solid. So, we’re playing really good hockey right now.”
Salesianum 0 0 1—1
Holy Ghost Prep 2 1 2—5
First-period goals: Logan Barnes (HGP) from Brady Flynn, 12:42; Joe Spadaccino (HGP) from Anthony Valeriote, 13:56
Second-period goal: Brian Kinniry (HGP) from Jack Gavaghan and Nate Romer, 10:13
Third-period goals: Justin Celentino (S) from Braeden Graham and Liam Bell, 6:11; William Harmar (HGP) from Kinniry, 8:00; Joseph Kaufmann (HGP) from John Graff, 10:29
Shots: Salesianum 27, Holy Ghost Prep 38; Saves: Ryne Dominick (S) 33, Matt Salita (HGP) 26
The Flyers Cup Committee has released its first set of rankings for the 2024-25 season., It’s the first major step toward the selection of the field for the Flyers Cup tournament at season’s end. The rankings were determined through a blend of ranking points and observations by committee members.
The La Salle Explorers went about their business one step at a time Wednesday afternoon. The results were impressive, a 6-0 win over The Hun School in an APAC matchup at Hatfield Ice Arena.
Grant LaGreca and Michael Zarzycki scored two goals each as La Salle improved to 5-2 on the season and 3-1 at the midway point in its APAC campaign.
LaGreca, a senior, cited the Explorers’ stick-to-basics approach.
“We’re just trying to focus on playing the right way,” he said. “Focusing on the D-zone, not cheating the game. Just kind of letting the hockey gods reward us with goals and playing good.”
It was LaGreca who got things started when he beat Raider netminder Patrick Donoghue just 45 seconds into the opening period. Zarzycki provided the setup before initiating a three-goal blitz with a shorthanded effort 69 seconds into the second frame. LaGreca followed up with a power-play effort at 4:57 before Zarzycki scored his second goal the game with 1:35 left in the middle period.
Hun School coach Eric Szeker the Raiders (0-2-1, 0-1 in the APAC) was hurt by a slow start.
“We were kind of running in quicksand for a bit there,” he said. “It was only 1-0 after the first. We just couldn’t find our game.
“It is what it is. We’re three games onto the season, we’ve got a young team [there were five underclassmen in the Hun School lineup) so, a lot to learn. We get to play again Friday, so we’re going to reset and look forward to that one.”
Because of school policy and NJSIAA regulations the Raiders start their season later than the other four APAC schools. But Szeker refused to cite scheduling issues as contributing to Wednesday’s result.
“We’ve been on the ice a couple weeks,” he said, “so, we should have a pretty good idea of what we want to do.
“I think of lot of credit goes to La Salle and [Coach Wally Muehlbronner] and what they have going on over there. They’ve got several lined that can play, they have a lot of good defensemen and a good goalie. We just ran into a good team today.”
Muehlbronner himself gave his team high marks.
“I thought we played well,” he said. “We came out hard, moved the puck well, all four lines played well, the D played well.”
LaGreca said efforts like Wednesday’s allow the veterans on the roster to set a standard for their teammates to emulate.
“All the returning seniors just want to show the younger guys and the new guy how to play the game and how to play the right way,” he said. “Because we’ve been there before.
• Jake Rossi earned the shutout in goal with 20 saves.
Hun School 0 0 0—0
La Salle 1 4 1—6
First-period goals: Grant LaGreca (L) from Michael Zarzycki, :45
Second-period goals: Zarzycki (L) unassisted, 1:09 (sh); LaGreca (L) from Zarzycki, 4:57 (pp); Zarzycki (L) from Tristan Mitchell and Declan Kelly, 15:25; Alastair St. Hilaire (L) from Noel Donohue and Luca Staffieri 16:58
Third-period goal: Julian Tarsi (L) from Staffieri and Donohue 10:50
Shots: Hun School 20, La Salle 54; Saves: Patrick Donoghue (HS) 48, Jake Rossi (L) 20
The Flyers Cup Committee has released a list of 54 teams who are eligible for invitations to the 46th annual Flyers Cup Tournament.
The 54 teams will skate in four divisions.
The list of eligible teams is as follows.
Girls (7)
Avon Grove
Conestoga
Downingtown West
Pennridge
Radnor
West Chester East
West Chester Henderson
Class A (19)
Council Rock North
Garnet Valley
Harriton
Hatboro-Horsham
Hershey
Kennett
Marple Newtown
Moorestown
Palmyra
Penncrest
Plymouth Whitemarsh
Radnor
Springfield-Delco
Springfield Montco
Strath Haven
Unionville
WC East
WC Henderson
Wisshickon
Class AA (18)
Abington
Avon Grove
Boyertown
Central Bucks East
Central Bucks South
Central Bucks West
Conestoga
Council Rock South
Downingtown East
Downingtown West
Haverford
Kingsway
Lower Merion
North Penn
Pennridge
Pennsbury
Souderton
Spring-Ford
Class AAA (10)
Devon Prep
Father Judge
Haverford School
Holy Ghost Prep
La Salle
Malvern Prep
Owen J. Roberts
Perkiomen Valley
Salesianum
St. Joseph’s Prep
The size of the Flyer Cup field will be at the committee’s discretion. There are no automatic bids.
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A new era is dawning in the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference this season. Steve Mackell, a longtime coach and administrator, is beginning his first season as the APAC’s commissioner. He replaces Jim Britt, who served as the commissioner in the conference’s first six years of existence.
Mackell played high-school hockey at Cardinal O’Hara and junior hockey with the Quakers before playing for a year at West Chester State.
He began his coaching career alongside Jim McCrossin at Malvern Prep and later served as the Friars’ head coach. He also spent time behind the bench with the Quakers and Junior Flyers before joining Atlantic District player development staff.
“I’ve admired what the APAC mission was about”, Mackell said, “I know the schools, I know a lot of the coaches and the administrators from those schools and was really excited to be offered this opportunity.”
Mackell noted the unique stature that hockey is afforded at the five APAC member schools, Holy Ghost Prep, La Salle, Malvern Prep, St. oseph’s Prep, and Hun School.
“I think the common thread is hockey is recognized as a varsity sport in each of the schools,” he said. It’s run by the administration through the athletic director as well as the coaches.
“To be a varsity sport and have the backing of the school I think is paramount to being successful.”
Mackell points out the APAC’s success on the ice is coupled with a commitment to academic excellence.
“What the APAC has done in the [six] years they’ve been in existence is create a very competitive environment,” he said. “All those schools are academically challenging and I think they draw a lot of the same type student-athletes into the sport. They’ve been able to create a very high level of competitiveness through their individual scheduling at the schools as well as through the APAC scheduling.”
Since the APAC made it’ debut for the 2018-19 season, conference schools have won six consecutive Class AAA Flyers Cups. All told, they’ve won 24, including the last 13 in succession.
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