North Catholic taking worst-to-first to a whole new level

It’s rare when a high school team goes from worst-to-first to win a championship.

Rare. But it happens. North Catholic has done something even more extraordinary this year. The Trojans hockey program went from not having a team competing at the varsity level for nearly two decades to winning its division with more than a month left to play in the regular season.

Not only that, but North Catholic was also the first team in any classification to clinch a division title.

“It’s been amazing and it’s funny because I had a conversation with the team,” North Catholic coach Jonathan Hoffman said. “When we started training camp back in August, we thought we’d be competitive and we thought that we’d be good, but we never saw ourselves sitting at the top of our division halfway through the season and solidifying our spot in the playoffs.”

North Catholic, which has already clinched the Class 1A Northwest Division, played last year in PIHL Junior Varsity Tier 3, won its division with a 13-2-1 regular-season mark and lost to Indiana in the Pool D playoff semifinals. It was after the Trojans were eliminated that they found out they would move up and play in Class 1A this season.

“I was in the loop so I knew it was happening, but when we officially became varsity at the end of last year, it was a good feeling,” North Catholic senior goaltender Chris McFayden said. “As a senior, you want to be as high as you can be and be on the top team for whatever team you’re on because it’s your last year of high school. It’s a good send -off for all the seniors.”

It didn’t make it any easier when they stepped onto the ice against Sewickley Academy on Oct. 1 in their season opener.

“Well, it was a bit nervewracking because I’ve never played on a varsity hockey team before,” junior forward Quinten Shaffer said. “Being the first varsity team, we didn’t know what the competition was going to be like. The adrenaline was rushing and we just wanted to go out there and play hockey.” That they did. North Catholic won its opener — against a divisional opponent no less — with a 7-4 victory and immediately took control of its destiny. That win ignited a season-opening six-game winning streak, the first of which came against division foes Sewickley Academy, Blackhawk and Beaver.

In addition, the Trojans also posted a win against a

South Park squad that is in a battle with Thomas Jefferson for first place in the Southwest Division.

They have already completed their division schedule and swept all three teams for a 6-0-0 mark. Their only regulation loss prior to the all-star break came against perennial Penguins Cup contender Bishop McCort.

“It’s been a fun ride and it’s a testimony to the kids and all the work they put in to help us be successful and get to where we are,” Hoffman said. “I think the biggest moment came in our win [Jan. 16] against Greensburg Salem where all the guys were battling for each other and not just doing it for themselves, but the guys next to them.”

That camaraderie helped North Catholic to have one of the top defenses in the classification at the time it clinched. Through 13 games, the Trojans were second to

South Park (1.33) in goals per game allowed with 1.77.

“It’s great because I trust each and every one of them,” said McFayden, who was selected to play in the PIHL Class 1A all-star game. “We have great lines all the way down to the fourth line and there’s nobody on the team I wouldn’t feel comfortable with in front of me on the ice.”

Though North Catholic has played stout defense, its offense isn’t a slouch either as the team averages more than 4.50 goals per game. Junior forwards Shaffer and Dominic Dezort were also selected to the all-star game and, though both are doubledigit goal scorers, they have done their damage on different lines.

“It’s fun because it’s been going very well,” Shaffer said. “I think it’s been an honor to be one of the better players on this team and being put out there in the key moments. We really want to go far and win the Pens Cup this year.”

Still, clinching a division title and a home playoff game is one thing. Parlaying that into the school’s first Penguins Cup title since 1995 will be a greater task.

Then again, the Trojans have more than a month to use their final few games as a postseason practice run. And with matchups still to come against division-leaders Indiana and Thomas Jefferson, North Catholic will get a test down the stretch.

“We’re upping the competitive level in our practices the last couple of weeks and making sure that we’re doing everything we can toward the end,” Hoffman said. “But we also know that other teams are playing for their playoff lives and playoff spots, so no games are going to be easy for us.”