In front of a packed house at BCI, Council Rock South defeated Council Rock North 4-2 to earn the coveted Rock Trophy for the third successive season.
By Scott Huff
Warminster - Council Rock North captain Mark MacDonald left the Bucks County Ice Sports Center rink with a slight smile on his face after his Indians (3-3-1, 7) dropped a 4-2 decision to unbeaten rival Council Rock South (7-0-0, 14). The victory gave Rock South the coveted Rock Trophy for the third successive season.
“Where else can play a game and your best friends boo you,” said MacDonald looking toward the capacity crowd at the BCI rink. “I have so many friends at South, and to play in this game is the greatest feeling. We were focused and prepared to play the game, but I guess it came down to who wanted it a little bit more.
“Council Rock South is the best in the league, and we proved tonight that we could run with them,” added MacDonald as the Indians dominated the second period and closed to within 3-2 at the conclusion of the period. “If we can play them that close, we can compete with all the other teams in the league.”
“To be able to beat North is an awesome feeling,” said Council Rock South captain Dan Ufberg. “It is always a little more exciting when we play them, especially tonight in front of a crowd like this. We lost this game when I was a freshmen, and we have been lucky enough to win it the last three years.”
Council Rock South got the scoreboard very quickly as Kyle Walter found the back of the net on an assist from Tom Kopania. The Golden Hawks added to the lead later in the period when Nick Keck scored the first of his two goals. The period ended with Rock South up 2-0 and firing 10 shots on goal to just two by the Indians.
“After we got that lead, we laid back a little too much,” said Council Rock South head coach Joe Houk. “After we got that third goal to go up 3-0 (Keck scored an unassisted goal) North began to take control of the game. Sometimes it is tough to play with a two or three goal lead, and we have to be able to continue to play hard.”
North – which outshot the Hawks 8-5 in the second period – scored a pair of goals in the second stanza to make the game competitive. Harrison Pitts scored the first Indian goal of the game at the seven-minute mark, and Alec Greenhalgh brought Rock North to within a goal on his unassisted goal late in the period.
“The next goal was the big one in the game,” said MacDonald. “They were able to get it, and that turned out to be the back breaker for us.”
Rock South gave itself some breathing room when Jared Hershman scored at the 13:26 mark on assists from Tom Kozier and Paul Cloud.
Neither team would score the rest of the way as goaltenders Justin Houk (CR South) and Hayden Richards (CR North) kept the puck out of the net for their respective teams.
“Council Rock North is a very good team, and they gave us a good test tonight,” said Coach Houk. “Honestly, we love to play in games that are contested because it makes us a better team. And to be able to play this game in front of this big crowd is exciting for the kids, heck, it’s exciting for me. At 7-0 we have a lot to prove to people, and we showed some good things tonight.”
“If we were one team – one school – we would be a powerhouse,” said MacDonald. “But then we wouldn’t have games like tonight, and I would miss that a lot.”
Even when your best friends boo you.
Score By Periods
Council Rock South Golden Hawks 2 1 1 - 4
Council Rock North Indians 0 2 0 – 2
First Period Scoring:
CR South – Kyle Walter (Tom Kopania) – 14:52
CR South – Nick Keck (Kopania & Dan Ufberg) – 9:03
Second Period Scoring:
CR South – Keck (unassisted) – 12:14
CR North – Harrison Pitts (Alec Greenhalgh & Mike Shander) – 7:00
CR North – Greenhalgh (unassisted) – 1:18
Third Period Scoring:
CR South – Jared Hershman (Tom Kozier & Paul Cloud) – 13:26
Shots On Goal
Council Rock South – 23
Council Rock North – 16
Goaltenders
CR South – Justin Houk – 14 saves
CR North – Hayden Richards – 19 saves
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