‘No-name’ Seneca Valley ready for state final
opportunities when we get them in the offensive zone.”
Johnson has been the Seneca Valley probably driving force for Seneca Valley isn’t the first team in the throughout its run to the PIHL anyone would look at state finals. During the regular as a potential state champion. season he was 10-5 with two shutouts and a leagueleading
There are no flashy scorers. 1.72 goals-against average No one true go-to guy. and a .930 save percentage. No great set-up man who feeds the puck with precision He has been even better in for quick one-timers the postseason with a 3-0 and easy goals. record, a 1.67 GAA and a .938 Not a one. save percentage. In fact, during the regular Though there are similarities season, not one Raiders between the two teams, player was in the top 20 in those numbers will be scoring in Class 3A. Michael tested. Spokane was the leading Like Seneca Valley, St. goal scorer with 10 while a Joseph’s Prep is making its defenseman, Hunterfirst state finals appearance. Mueller, led the team with 10 Both teams had to knock off assists and 16 points. a 2017 state finalist in their That’s not how they win. respective finals with the When it comes to offense, Raiders defeating state Seneca Valley is loaded with champion Peters Township opportunists who pounce on in the Penguins Cup title loose pucks and score garbage game and the Hawks ousting goals from in tight to Holy Ghost Prep for the Flyers the goaltender. Everyone is Cup. Both teams even relatively interchangeable won by 4-2 scores. because they all play a similar That’s where the similarities style of hockey. end.
Flip it to the other side of St. Joseph’s Prep has been the ice, however, and it becomes putting the puck in the back readily apparent why of the net with regularity in the Raiders will play St. the playoffs. The Hawks are Joseph’s Prep at 4 p.m. averaging 6.67 goals per Saturday at the Ice Line in game in the playoffs thanks West Chester for the Pennsylvania in large part to its top line, Cup title. And it all which features Marc starts with goaltender Logan Colavita who notched two of Johnson. his eight postseason goals
“Defense is a team game against Holy Ghost Prep including and the forwards have as the game-winner much credit for that as the late in the third period. defensemen and Logan just Colavita has at least two gives us an opportunity to goals in each of the team’s win any time,” Seneca Valley three postseason games. coach Anthony Raco “We’re going to go home said. “We’re just blessed to and be a guru on film and try have a talented goalie like to figure them out,” Raco him and guys that are willing said. to fight for blocking shots and getting pucks out and making the most of the
Class 2A
If there was the potential for an 11-10 overtime hockey game in the state finals this year, it would be in Class 2A.
Flyers Cup champion Downingtown East is the defending state champion and beat Plum, 3-1, in the finals a year ago. But that Mustangs team didn’t have the kind of firepower Armstrong brings to the table for this year’s goround.
During the regular season, the River Hawks had the top three scorers in the classification in Zachary Kutch (24 goals, 33 assists, 57 points), Jace Rearic (27-26-53) and Nicholas Benvenuti (1723-40). That might be enough for some teams but in the Penguins Cup playoffs, Easton Hooks leads the team with seven goals and 12 points, while Giovanni Romeo has a hat trick as part of his four goals, which is second on the team.
Their 24 goals in the playoffs are three times as many as any other team in the PIHL and have the momentum of coming off their first championship game win in 27 years.
Downingtown East is almost as explosive.
In their four playoff games, the Cougars scored 21 goals with Justin Cohn and Alex Fox leading the way with three apiece. Luca Pisani has three goals and eight points and is tied with Cohn for the team lead with five assists.
Class 1A
There are only two schools in Class 1A that have ever won four consecutive state hockeychampionships.
West Chester Bayard Rustin has the chance to be the first to make it five in a row. To do that, the Golden Knights will have to get past the only other team to do it, Bishop McCort, which won its four from 1994-97.
It has been a long time since the Crimson Crushers have made it to the finals and the last time they were in the state championship, they suffered their only loss to Penncrest in 2005. Prior to that, Bishop McCort was 5-0 in the Pennsylvania Cup.
Bayard Rustin will also be seeking its sixth state title. The Golden Knights and Crimson Crushers are the only teams that have won five in Class 1A.
Meadville holds the overall record with eight titles, seven in Class 3A and one in Class 2A and won five in a row from 1992-96.