Hun School, St. Joseph’s Prep Reach Purple Puck Finals

The Prep Division of the Purple Puck Tournament will feature an All-APAC final. The Hun School rallied from a 3-2 deficit following the first 25-minute period to score a 6-3 win over Paul VI in a Thursday morning semifinal.

The Raiders scored four goals in the second half in a span of 16:38 to pull away to the win.

Zachary Vallee scored twice for Hun School. Devin Espada, Conor Mulligan, Anders Van Raalte and Andrew Darst also scored goals.

The Raiders will face St. Joseph’s Prep in Monday afternoon’s final. Cole Gargon, Bradan Fisher, and Noah Stuhl all scored goals in the second half as the Hawks shut out Jesuit Dallas 3-0. Declan Geary recorded the shutout in goal.

The championship game will be a rematch of an APAC game 19 days ago that saw Hun School (8-3) defeat St. Joseph’s Prep (10-4) 2-1 in overtime.

Hun School 6 Paul VI 3

Paul VI 3 0—3

Hun School 2 4—6

First-half goals: Caden DeVellii (PVI) unassisted, 2:42; Zachary Vallee (HS) from Conor Mulligan and Ezra Broomer, 14:31; Braiden Galaida (PVI) from Nathan Cogbill, 15:45; Devin Espada (HS) from Lyca Jean and Jacob Kelly-LePage, 22:32 (pp); Tommy Ernst (PVI) from Morgan Shaw, 24:17

Second-half goals: Anders Van Raalte (HS) from Nathaniel Trawinski and Justin Bibeau, 6:15; Mullugan (HS) from LePage and Andrew Darst, 16:10; Darst (HS) from Bibeau, 18:50; Vallee (HS) from Broomer, 22:53 (pp)

Shots: Paul VI 28, Hun School 32; Saves: Matthew Cogbill (PVI) 26, Elliott Trottier (HS) 25

St. Joseph’s Prep 3 Jesuit Dallas 0

Jesuit Dallas 0 0—0

St. Joseph’s Prep 0 3—3

Second-half goals: Cole Gargon (SJP) frim Ben Kurson and Jake Ely, 3:10 Bradan Fisher (SJP) from Adan Charrafi, 7:01; Noah Stuhl (SJP) from James Fratantuono and Michael Castelli, 12:29;

Shots: JD 10, SJP 29 Saves: Bennett Ortegon (JD) 25, Declan Geary (SJP) 10

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 31^st 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

St. Joseph’s Prep at Purple Puck Tournament

St. Joseph’s Prep 2 Gonzaga 1

St. Joseph’s Prep has advanced to the Prep Division championship game at the Purple Pucj tournament. Jai Perry-Pereira’s goal 6:28 into the second half gave the Hawks the semifinal win over Gonzaga Sunday morning in Springfield, Va.

St. Joseph’s Prep will face St. Ignatius from Cleveland in the championship game later this afternoon.

Gonzaga Prep 1 0—1

St. Joseph’s Prep 1 1—2

First-half goals: Bradan Fisher (SJP) from Noah Stuhl, 4:20; Matt Shay (G) from William Veneri, 21:53

Second-half goals: Jai Perry-Pareira (SJP) from Adam Charafi, 6:28

Shots: Gonzaga 27, St. Joseph’s Prep 23; Saves: Claude Engle-Kes 21, Declan Geary (SJP) 22

St. Ignatius 3 St. Joseph’s Prep 2

St. Ignatius built a 2-0 first-half lead and went on to a 3-2 win over St. Joseph’s Prep Saturday afternoon at the Purple Puck Tournament in Springfield, Va.

Nolan Ignacio scored twice for St. Ignatius, including the game winner 4:45 into the second half. Frankie Ely and Bradan Fisher scored goals for the Hawks.

St. Ignatius 2 1—3

St. Joseph’s Prep 0 2—2

First-half goals: Kyle Rucinski (SI) from Aiden White and Patrick Rose, 10:54 (pp); Nolan Ignacio (SI) from Adam Ruyf and Gavin Marziani, 12:33 (pp)

Second-half goals: Frankie Ely (SJP) from Noah Stuhl, :16 (pp) Ignacio (SI) from Sam Elwell and Cade Bradley, 4:45; Bradan Fisher (SJP) from Ben Kursen, 16:11

Shots: St. Joseph’s Prep 27, St. Ignatius 20; Saves: Declan Geary (SJP) 17, Dominic Filizetti (SI) 25

St. Joseph’s Prep 4 Archbishop Spalding 0

Four different players scored goals as St. Joseph’s Prep bested Archbishop Spalding Saturday morning at the Purple Puck Tournament in Springfield, Va.

Frankie Ely and Michael Washlick scored goals in the opening 25-miute half while Cole Gargon and Caden Kelly found the back of the net after intermission. Declan Geary stopped 19 shots in the shutout win.

St. Joseph’s Prep 2 2–4

Archbishop Spalding 0 0—0

First-half goals: Frankie Ely (SJP) from Michael Castelli, 1:57; Michael Washlick (SJP) from Jai Perry-Pereira and Aiden Quinn, 19:12

Second-half goals: Cole Gargon (SJP) from Ely and Caden Kelly, 10:34 (pp); Kelly (SJP) from Adam Charaffi, 15;48

Shots: St. Joseph’s Prep 28, Archbishop Spalding 19; Saves: Declan Geary (SJP) 19, Liam Brennan (AS) 24

Loyola 6 St. Joseph’s Prep 3

Ronan Marilley’s goal with 6:03 remaining in the second half was the game winner as Loyola from Montreal bested St. Joseph’s Prep 6-3 Friday afternoon in the opening round of the Purple Puck tournament in Springfield, Va.

The loss was the first for the Hawks in seven games, since a season-opening loss to La Salle.

Gino Giordani scored two empty-net goals in the final half minute to extend Loyola’s lead. Cole Sullivan, Cole Gargon, and Caden Kelly scored for the Hawks.

Alessio Servello gave Loyola the lead 6:18 into the first of two 25-miniute halves. Sullivan tied the game for the Hawks less than a minute later. Evan Harding put Loyola in front once more with 10:33 left in the half before Gorgon tied the game with 8:33 remaining.

Ryan Ghoche gave Loyola a 3-2 advantage with a power-play goal 5;28 into the second half. Kelly tied the game for the last time with 15:17 remaining but the Hawks could not score again.

The Hawks will be back in action Saturday, facing Archbishop Spalding from Annapolis, MD. and St. Ignatius from Cleveland. The tournament concludes on Sunday.

Loyola 2-4—6

St. Joseph’s Prep 2 1—3

First-half goals: Alessio Servello (L) from Ryan Ghoche and Jacob Bachour, 6:18; Cole Sullivan (SJP) from Noah Stuhl, 7:07; Evan Harding (L) from Gino Giardani and Mario Mignacca, 14:27; Cole Gargon (SJP) from Adam Charaffi and John Wagner, 16:03

Second-half goals: Ghoche (L) from Alex Gervaso, 5:28 (pp); Caden Kelly (HGP) from Aiden Quinn and Stuhl, 9:43; Ronan Marilley (L) from Servello, 18:57; Giordani (L) unassisted, 24:25 (en); Giordani (L) from Luca Duchesne, 24:34 (en)

Shots: Loyola 32, St. Joseph’s Prep 31; Saves: Vincent Parillo (L) 28, Declan Geary (SJP) 26

St. Joseph’s Prep Hoping for a 3-Peat at Purple Puck Tournament

The Purple Puck Tournament has been a fixture on the St. Joseph’s Prep schedule for well over a decade. This year, the Hawks will make the trip to Washington D.C. as the two-time defending champion of the Prep Division.

They’ll open tournament play on Friday against Loyola High School from Montreal, On Saturday, they’ll face Archbishop Spalding from Annapolis, Md. and St. Ignatius.

The tournament field also includes Paul VI from Ashburn, Va. from and Gonzaga College High School, the tournament host.

St. Joseph’s Prep coach David Giacomin says the trip offers his team a number of benefits.

“It’s a time to get away from [the Philadelphia area],” he said. “and play some different teams. They get to stay and room together. So, it’s more of a bonding issue for us. Usually the tighter a team is going own the home stretch, the better you’re going to play.”

Giacomin says the Hawks will be tested against elite competition.

“I think this year is going to be a lot stronger than it was last year and the year before,” he said. “This year they have Loyola in Quebec, which we played probably seen or eight years ago and it was a very tough game. they also have St. Ignatius out of Cleveland who has won the state championship there something like 12 years in a row.

So, it’s going to be more of a challenge for is on the ice but one that we look forward to.”

Giacomin said one purpose of the trip is to build team chemistry that will been something to build on come the postseason.

“Hopefully, down the stretch the kids are fresh and enjoy being around each other a little bit more,” he said, “and play their best hockey come the end of the season.”

St. Joseph’s Prep 4 Gonzaga (2) 1

Four different players scored goals as St. Joseph’s Prep opened defense of its Purple Puck tournament title with a 4-1 win over Gonzaga College High’s second team Wednesday afternoon in Washington, D.C.

Brayden Collins and Michael Castelli scored for the Hawks in the first of two 25-minute periods before Jackson Marlais answered for the hosts.

John Lynch and Tristan Winata added second-period goals.

Declan Geary and Jacob Aranda split time in goal.

The Hawks (6-2) will complete round-robin play on Thursday with games against Archbishop Spalding and Gonzaga’s number-one team.

St. Joseph’s Prep 2 2 —4

Gonzaga 1 0 —1

First-period goals: Brayden Collins (SJP) from Shane O’Neill, 2:27; Michael Castelli (SJP) from Collins, 20:13; Jackson Marlais (G) from Brendan Beane and Brendan Rosello, 23:42

Second-period goals: John Lynch (SJP) from Castelli, 2:07 (pp); Tristan Winata (SP) from Lynch, 6:34 (pp)

Shots: St. Joseph’s Prep 42, Gonzaga 19; Saves: Declan Geary (SJP) 9 and Jacob Aranda 10, Claude Engle-Kis, (G) 38