Council Rock South won its second Class AA Flyers Cup title in as many years. Check out a notebook including additional info about the Golden Hawks' run to the top.
Council Rock South won its second consecutive Class AA Flyers Cup championship on Sunday and its third title in four years. The Golden Hawks have reached the Class AA final in each of the last four years.
While not unprecedented, the Hawks’ success over a four-year period does put them in some pretty elite company.
The last team to sustain such success in the Flyers Cup was Haverford High, which won three consecutive Class AA titles from 2004-05 through 2006-07. Archbishop Carroll won four titles in five years, including three straight championships from 1999-2000 through 2001-02.
But where the Hawks had some tremendous offensive teams in years past (remember Pat Grilli?), this year’s squad took on a much different personality.
“We have guys who grind it out day in and day out,” said sophomore Kyle Walter, who scored two goals in the final. “We may not have the prettiest players, but we get the job done.”
“The first couple titles, we had that top line and each kid had 80 points,” coach Joe Houk said. “When that happens, the other lines tend to get overshadowed. This is the first one we won with our second and third lines. Everybody worked hard for us.”
“No other team has depth like we do,” said senior forward Steve Junod, who was named to the Flyers Cup All-Tournament Team for the second year in a row. “We keep coming one, two, three lines deep, and we keep fighting.”
What may be more impressive about the Hawks’ accomplishment, however, is that Council Rock South High School only came into being in 2002.
South is one of just three SHSHL teams to win a Class AA Flyers Cup title. The other two were Germantown Academy back in 1990-92, and one year later, the SHSHL sent a little school to the Flyers Cup championship. Led by tournament MVP Erik Kratchwell, that school was Council Rock.
PREGAME AT THE HOUK HOUSEHOLD … Justin Houk had every reason to feel intimidated coming into Sunday night’s Flyers Cup Class AA final. Unlike many of his teammates, Houk was a first-year varsity starter … playing his first Flyers Cup final … at the Wells Fargo Center.
“Going onto the ice, you look up and say, ‘Wow,’ but after that you just get ready to play,” Houk said.
Then there’s one more factor that could add to the pressure … Houk’s coach also happens to be his father. It could make for a nervous or intense day leading up to the 7:30 p.m. game.
Apparently, though, pregame at the Houk household was just the opposite.
“We don’t talk about it,” Joe Houk said. “We never talk about it. Today he was sitting on the couch, ‘You getting ready?’ ‘Yeah, I am.’ That’s pretty much it.”
“My dad told me today, told me knew what I had to do tonight,” Justin Houk said. “He didn’t put any pressure on me. He let me do what I wanted, really.”
Well, not everything he wanted …
“He says, ‘Can I go to the Flyers game,’” Joe Houk said. “‘No, you can’t. That’s a disruption. You can’t go down there.’ But he gets in the zone when he gets in the locker room, and we’re proud of him. As a father, I’m proud of him to step up and do what he did.”
That laid-back approach seems to have worked wonders. Justin Houk’s Flyers Cup statistics are nothing short of amazing – a 4-0 record, a 1.25 goals against average, one shutout, selected first star of the Flyers Cup final, named to the All-Tournament team and named Flyers Cup Most Valuable Player.
“I’m so proud of the kid,” Joe Houk said. “He’s such a great athlete, and he was phenomenal tonight.”
RETURNING THE FAVOR … Vinnie Primavera was one of three Council Rock South players who missed last 
Thursday’s 3-0 shutout of Downingtown East in the Flyers Cup semifinal. He and teammates Dan Ufberg and Dan Margolin were on the senior class trip to Florida.
But even though Primavera was a thousand miles away, soaking up the sun and warmth, his heart was back with his teammates on the icy rink.
“I texted all my boys when I was in Florida, wished them all good luck and asked them to win it for me so I could play my last game as a senior,” Primavera said.
The Golden Hawks came through, and Primavera and his teammates – despite getting home at around 2 a.m. Sunday morning – were suited up and ready to play for the Flyers Cup that night.
In his last Flyers Cup game, Primavera scored two goals – the Hawks’ first and an empty net tally at the end – and added an assist for an impressive three-point night as the Hawks hoisted the Flyers Cup for the second straight year.
And for Primavera, his output was also a way to show his teammates how thankful he was to them.
“Those guys pulled through for me on Thursday,” he said. “I hope I pulled through for them tonight.”
HAVING FUN … Every team needs the guy to keep things light in the locker room, to be the class clown.
For Council Rock South, that’s junior forward Mitchell Vaysman. Funny, loud, and always ready to provide a colorful quote, Vaysman is also pretty handy with the stick. He recorded three assists in the Hawks’ Flyers Cup final victory and his goal in last year’s Flyers Cup final held up as the game-winner.
Unfortunately for Vaysman, however, all the Flyers Cup success made him pretty popular on social media following Sunday’s game.
“I feel like a celebrity right now,” Vaysman said. “Everyone’s trying to text me right now. I got Facebook, Twitter, text messages …”
But that’s a small price to pay for the sweet taste of victory … twice.
“As a junior, to win it twice in the row is something special,” Vaysman said. “I’ve had a great run with these boys, they’re like my family.”
In the Flyers Cup semifinal, Vaysman provided one of the more memorable goal celebrations when he dropped to the ice and rowed himself as if in a canoe. Though he was denied the chance to do the same in the Flyers Cup final, Vaysman remains determined … he’ll have one more chance, as a senior. He’s already planning on it.
“I’m already looking ahead to next year,” Vaysman said. “We’re not stopping here, next year we’re going to come out stronger and harder and I will be doing a canoe on that ice.
“We’re going to do this again next year. We’re going to have to work hard and give it everything we have again and the guys just need to listen to me and believe that, because they know I’m always right.”
THE ROAD TO THE TITLE … The Golden Hawks won four games to advance through the bracket and claim the title. Here’s a quick recap of their road to the championship:
Council Rock South 3, Pennsbury 2 (March 8) … The Golden Hawks were less than five minutes away from being eliminated by the 14th-seeded Falcons, but Jared Hershman scored on a rebound to tie the game at 2-2 with 4:25 remaining. With 42 seconds left in the game, Nick Keck netted the game-winner to cap off the comeback.
Goals: Steve Junod, Jared Hershman, Nick Keck.
Saves: Justin Houk, 28.
Council Rock South 4, Boyertown 1 (March 12) … The Hawks came out slow and trailed Boyertown 1-0 after one period, but pounded in three goals in the second period en route to a 4-1 victory. A stellar defensive effort held Boyertown to just three shots in the second period, five in the third, and 17 for the game.
Goals: Steve Junod 2, Mitchell Vaysman, Jared Hershman.
Saves: Jusitn Houk 16.
Council Rock South 3, Downingtown East 0 (March 15) … Despite missing two senior defensemen, Council Rock South was perfect in its own zone. Justin Houk posted the shutout and several players who saw limited time throughout the season (Jacob Wiener, Tyler Eline, Erik Lesser, Spencer Bawcom) played starring roles as the Hawks advanced to their fourth straight Flyers Cup final.
Goals: Nick Keck, Kyle Walter, Mitchell Vaysman.
Saves: Justin Houk 23.
Council Rock South 5, Cherokee 2 (March 18) … On the ice at the Wells Fargo Center, South held their own in the first two periods, then found that extra gear in the third, scoring twice in the first four minutes of the final frame. An empty net goal would seal the Golden Hawks’ third Flyers Cup title in the past four years.
Goals: Vincenzo Primavera 2, Kyle Walter 2, Tom Kozior.
Saves: Justin Houk 18.
AND THEY’RE NOT DONE YET … For the second year in a row, Council Rock South will advance to the state championship game.
The Hawks are looking to become the first eastern team to win the Class AA championship since Archbishop Carroll did so in 2003-04. Council Rock won the state title in 1991-92.
The Penguins Cup is still ongoing, with the Class AA semifinals set for Tuesday. West Allegheny (1) faces Pine-Richland (6) in one semifinal, and Chartiers Valley (2) squares off against Erie Cathedral Prep (4) in the other. The winners of the semifinal games will battle for the Penguins Cup on Saturday at the Consol Energy Center.
On Sunday, the Penguins Cup champion will take on Council Rock South in the Class AA state championship. Times and locations are to be determined.
It will be the Golden Hawks' third state championship game in four years. They’ve lost their first two attempts in the final (first to Latrobe in 2008-09, then to Bishop Canevin last season). They believe their experience in the can help them change their fortunes this time.
“With three trips, I think we have the experience we need. I think we can do it,” said Hawks’ senior captain Dan Ufberg. “We don’t know who we’re playing, but we’ll be ready.”
- Log in to post comments
