Central Bucks South won its fourth straight SHSHL Varsity AA title on Wednesday night, and Hatboro-Horsham captured the Varsity A Title. Photos provided courtesy of Dara N King Photography. Check back for photo galleries.
By Ben Reese
HATFIELD -- You would think that, after three straight Suburban High School Hockey League championships, winning would lose some of its luster.
Well, that wouldn't hold true for Central Bucks South because the Titans not only had won three straight crowns, they added a fourth on Thursday night at Ice World, defeating Pennridge 8-3 to return the trophy to their trophy case.
"It's kind of surreal," said South’s Joe DeLaurentis. "Every year we have such a great team and then come and win an SHSHL title.
"It's just been awesome. I'm on such a great team in such a great program. I'm just excited for the Flyers Cup now."
That's where South will be going. The Titans, seeded No. 1, will play 16th-seeded Boyertown on Tuesday, March 6, at 8:15 p.m. at Revolution Ice.
"We work really hard," DeLaurentis said. "We back each other up. Throughout the year, we've been getting better and better."
If the Titans are getting better, their opponents in the Flyers Cup and on the state level had better look out. In Thursday’s win, they looked like a well-oiled machine.
Every pass was crisp. Every part of their game was clicking.
"Every little part of it fundamentally, they are strong," said Pennridge coach Tom Coyne. "No bad shifts, no bad changes, no bad turnovers. Good puck location, good support.
"They play the whole 200 feet (of the rink). We didn't play the whole 200 feet. That's the difference. We went like 170."
The precision play was just what South coach Shaun McGinty ordered.
"I was worried from last night," he said of the Titans’ 6-3 win over North Penn in the semifinals. "What I saw was kind of sloppy.
"Tonight I let the guys have it. I came in with a more positive mindset. I challenged the boys as individuals. Tonight was a challenge to each individual to give 100 percent to the team."
Whatever he said before the game must have worked. The Titans came out roaring in the first period and scored three times while allowing no goals.
DeLaurentis scored the first goal of the game with seven minutes elapsed in the stanza. That was followed by goals from Matt Stoll and Tyler Boylan.
Pennridge managed to cut into that lead early in the second period. Pat McGinley fired a puck off the catching glove of South goalie Tim White for the first Ram score.
However, South got that one back and two more. DeLaurentis scored two of those and Nick Morelli got the other before McGinley scored late in the period for Pennridge.
Colin Abbonizio scored twice in the third for the Titans and Nick Eissler tallied the Rams' third goal.
This win, while important, is just another step for CB South.
"We consider it four seasons," McGinty said. "You've got your regular season, your playoffs, your Flyers Cup and your states.
"We try to take that same thing shift by shift, period by period. Regular season is over. This is a short season (the playoffs); get past this. Now everyone is equal, zero to zero."
The win meant a little bit more for DeLaurentis, who has had two brothers play for the Titans. He now has four SHSHL titles, more than either brother.
"I'm the only one to win four SHSHL titles," he said with a smile. "I can rub it in their faces a little bit."
CB South 8, Pennridge 3
Pennridge 0 2 1 – 3
CB South 3 3 2 – 8
First period: 1, Joe DeLaurentis CBS (Dominic Patrone) 7:00; 2, Matt Stoll CBS (unassisted) 9:09; 3, Tyler Boylan CBS (Colin Abbonizio) 11:45.
Second period: 4, Pat McGinley P (Mikael Mastropaolo, Matt Guinette) 3:50; 5, DeLaurenteis CBS (Reis Braccio) 5:27; 6, Nick Morelli CBS (Matt Milanesi) 8:48; 7, DeLaurentis CBS (Frank Carter, Braccio) 5:49 PP; 8, McGinley P (Michael Walker, Michael Eissler) 12:59.
Third period: 9, Abbonizio CBS (Boylan, Dominic Liberta) 4:36; 10, Nick Eissler P (McGinley, M. Eissler) 7:26; 11, Abbonizio CBS (Stoll, James Schuler) 12:43.
Shots: P 24, CBS 35. Saves: Luke Stranick (P) 27, Tim White (CBS) 21.
Hatboro-Horsham 7, Lower Moreland 4
Not getting an invitation to the Flyers Cup doesn't mean anything to Hatboro-Horsham. The Hatters have grabbed themselves a title, taking the Class A SHSHL crown.
Jake Mueller scored five goals and assisted on one more to lead the Hatters to the victory over the Lions. It was made even more impressive since Hatboro-Horsham was the fourth seed in the four-team playoffs.
"This is a big win for the boys," Nate Reilly, the team captain, said. "We worked – for the seniors - all four years. For the freshmen, this is what we're here for. This is a big win.
"I think this is more important to the boys than the Flyers Cup. We wanted this more. The Flyers Cup wasn't really on our minds. This is all we thought of for the past week."
Hatter coach Gianni LaFratta couldn't stop smiling.
"For the boys, this means everything," he said. "We have five seniors graduating and they played with everything they had.
"Every single kid earned that game. Everyone made contributions it was a team effort. This is what they wanted and they got it. They never gave up."
The game was touch and go through the first period. Coleman Peppelman opened the scoring in the first period for the Lions and Reilly came right back on the power play for the Hatters.
Things changed rapidly in the second period. Mueller scored with only 55 seconds gone to give the Hatters the lead and then added two more goals, one of them short-handed. Campbell Manin tried to keep up for Lower Moreland.
Hatboro tallied three times in the third including two by Mueller. The Lions scored twice but couldn't get enough going.
While the Hatters won't be going to the Flyers Cup, the Lions have been invited and are the 11th seed and will play No. 6 Strath Haven on Monday.
Hatboro-Horsham 7, Lower Moreland 4
Hatboro-Horsham 1 3 3 – 7
Lower Moreland 1 1 2 – 4
First period: 1, Coleman Peppelman LM (Campbell Manin) 0:45; 2, Nate Reilly HH (Dylan McClure) 3:09 PP.
Second period: 3, Jake Mueller HH (McClure) 0:55; 4, Manin LM (unassisted) 4:36; 5, Mueller HH (Reilly) 7:34 SH; 6, Mueller HH (McClure) 14:48.
Third period: 7, Peppelman LM (Manin) 4:19; 8, McClure HH (Reilly, Mueller) 10:37 PP; 9, Mueller HH (unassisted) 11:04; 10, Manin LM (Peppelman) 11:11; 11, Mueller HH (unassisted) 15:22 EN.
Shots: HH 23, LM 39. Saves: Ryan Bell (HH) 35, John Duesler (LM) 16.
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