The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
University School heads to state
KENT >> None of the previous heroes of Hunting Valley this deep in the postseason has a tale quite like Henry Thomas.
Coming into the Kent District final March 1 against Gilmour, the senior forward hadn’t scored a goal all winter.
He even had one waved off during a game in November.
After an instant classic before a packed house at Kent State, though, the only waving Thomas was doing was to a myriad of well-wishers, grateful he instantly immersed himself in US lore.
Thomas’ goal at the 1-minute, 32-second mark of overtime gave University a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Lancers.
University (19-15-2) will take on Dublin Jerome or Olentangy Liberty in a state semifinal on March 8 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus at a time to be determined.
Thomas determined the fortune for the Preppers with a moment he and the Hunting Valley faithful won’t soon forget.
He snapped a wrister from the between the circles, fistpumped on one knee and initiated a wild celebration that likely continued north out of Kent deep into the night.
“I really just came down, and I see John Pape coming around the net,” Thomas said. “It’s just what I’ve been doing in practice — ripping. So I’m thankful it went in.
“I looked for (US goaltender Critter Coughlin), but at that point, everyone was all over me. But I got to hug Critter at the end, though.”
It was a tense dogfight as expected, and one which Preppers coach Andy Gerow was pleased to see his peaking squad master when it mattered.
US is now 60-5 all-time at the Kent District with 12 district titles since its inception in 2003.
“A couple of these guys have been here for four years, and it really showed tonight,” Gerow said.
“I thought throughout the district tournament here, our guys haven’t flinched. (Gilmour) scored that one early in the third period, and we just got right back to work.
“That’s kind of our motto. No matter what the game is, we’re even-keel. We play our game, no matter if we’re up five or down five. We just kept chipping away, and Henry Thomas stepped up and made a big play.”
US took a 1-0 lead out of the opening period.
The Preppers got their breakthrough at 11:31, when George Brinn did well with a snappy wrister from between the circles.
The second period was rather nondescript early but picked up with special teams activity.
through at 11:31, when George Brinn did well with a snappy wrister from between the circles.
The second period was rather nondescript early but picked up with special teams activity.
US goaltender Critter Coughlin logged two big saves, one on Justin Evans for the Lancers (31-5-2) at 6:33 and a quality pad stop on Charlie Valenti at 8:12.
US had a 5-on-3 power
play for 35 seconds late in the period.
But a Brinn wrister from the perimeter was stymied by a nice pad stop by Lancers goaltender Toby Herlong.
“When we started the game off, I knew the defense were looking pretty solid coming out of the gate,” Coughlin said. “So I knew we were going to stick with them for most of the game. And I think we proved that quite handily.”
In the third, the specialteams theme carried over. The Preppers went on the power play after a headcontact
penalty.
But at 1:45 of the third, Lancers senior Evan Enrich skated in from the left side and shelved a wrister to make it a 1-1 game.
It remained that way until Thomas became a hero of Hunting Valley.
Gilmour coach John Malloy was proud of his team’s mettle, trying to clinch its third frozen four all-time and first since 2011.
“We had some early years where we did well, and some dark years,” Malloy said. “As I told one of our seniors, who’s been here for four years. I said, ‘You’ve
seen the whole gamut of things, winning four games and tournaments where we didn’t score a goal, to winning the Cleveland Cup and being here in the district final.’
“I think we were a good enough team to get all the way down and challenge for the state. The most disappointing thing is I think it was an upset, clear and simple. But that happens. We escaped two earlier, and we just didn’t escape this one.”
But US found the escape hatch just in time to find their way to Columbus once