Bombers bask in big Red North weekend

There was a significant difference between the weekend that opened January and the one that closed it for Kenston.

One may have been the low-water mark in what has been a banner campaign for the Bombers.

The other may have been the high-water mark in a banner campaign.

In a 24-hour span, Kenston defeated Shaker Heights, 5-4, in overtime on Jan. 26 and Mentor, 4-2, on Jan. 27 for two signature victories in Red North play.

The Bombers (24-5-1, 6-3 Red North) entered their trip to Thornton Park to take on the league-leading Red Raiders on a 10-game losing skid against Shaker and had only beaten them once in 11 tries all-time.

Kenston was down, 4-3, in the final minute of the third period, before senior forward John Barto forced overtime with a goal with eight seconds remaining. Barto delivered the gamewinner in the extra session 14 seconds in.

The Bombers hadn’t beaten Shaker since Jan. 10, 2010, prior to this weekend.

Then Jan. 27, Kenston avenged a 4-2 loss to Mentor on Jan. 5, taking a 3-0 lead after two and winning, 4-2. The Bombers got goals from Barto, Ashton Taylor, Valentino Carriero and Mitch Pozwick.

With five goals over the two Red North wins, Barto now has 29 on the season.

Kenston had a 14-game winning streak earlier this season snapped with a rough weekend to open the calendar year with the aforementioned loss to the Cardinals and a 5-2 setback Jan. 6 to Rocky River.

The Bombers close the regular season Feb. 3 at Rocky River. Shaker leads the Red North at 7-1 with 14 points, followed by River (6-2, 12) and Kenston (6-3, 12) as what could be a wide-open Baron Cup I looms.