Jerome can’t generate shots in semifi nal loss
Trent Belli’s goal midway through the second period infused much-needed life into the Dublin Jerome hockey team and its 1,000-plus supporters at Nationwide Arena.
Four minutes later, the moment slipped away.
Bain Kurtz’s breakaway goal, his third of four scores, with 2:19 left in the second period gave Cleveland St. Ignatius a three-goal lead and slammed shut the slightly ajar door for Jerome as the two-time defending champion Wildcats defeated the Celtics 6-1 in a state semifinal Friday.
Kurtz’s goal followed a series of chances for Jerome, in which Belli rifled a slap shot on net from a three-on-one break and a power-play shot by Evan Shea ricocheted off the post.
“For (St. Ignatius) to score a couple minutes after we get our first, it’s a back-breaker,” Jerome coach Pat Murphy said. “We did have some chances to get it to 3-2, but that’s a tough team to score against to begin with.”
It was more challenging with the Wildcats (29-9-1) limiting the Celtics to just five shots on goal through two periods. Jerome (29-73) got one shot on goal in the first period and had just one over the final seven minutes of the second.
“We just didn’t shoot the puck enough, there weren’t many rebounds, and we tried to move the puck too much,” Belli said.
St. Ignatius, which had 35 shots to Jerome’s 16, took advantage with quick counterattacks on what few possessions Jerome created.
Kurtz snapped a high wrist shot for a 1-0 lead, made it 2-0 midway through the second on an unassisted backhand, and just over a minute later, Eric Lile completed a two-on-one break for a 3-0 lead.
“We knew they were going to try to pounce on us coming into the second. (But) the more aggressive they got, it opened up the ice and stretched things out,” said Kurtz, who tied a state semifinal record for most goals in a game, last accomplished in 1992.
“We had five shots on goal after two periods and made some mistakes defensively we never make,” Murphy said. “If you’re not at your best against those guys, you see what happens — you take a beating.”
Jerome had a couple of chances in the third, as Chris Posacki’s powerplay deflection on a JP Weaver shot floated wide and Weaver nearly scored on a breakaway. But St. Ignatius scored two goals 34 seconds apart late in the period, including Kurtz’s fourth, to put out Jerome’s final spark.
“We never let them get started. Even in their own zone, it was hard for them to break out,” St. Ignatius coach Pat O’Rourke said.
The Wildcats face Toledo St. Francis at 2 p.m. Saturday in a rematch of last year’s final, a 5-1 win for St. Ignatius.
—Jerome hockey coach Pat Murphy
Brody Pavlica broke a 1-1 tie with 7:11 remaining, and Toledo St. Francis (26-6-1) downed Hunting Valley University School (24-8-3) in the first semifinal. Ben Mitchell scored a tying, power-play goal late in the second period, then added an empty-net goal with four seconds left. The Knights outshot University School 44-20, including 36-12 the final two periods.