By Scott Huff
The Suburban High School Hockey League American Division is without question that most hotly contested race in all of the SHSHL.There is just a single point that separates the top three teams in the division – Hatboro-Horsham (6-2-1, 13 points), Lansdale Catholic (6-3-0, 12), and Upper Dublin (6-3-0, 12).
On Friday, Lansdale Catholic and Hatboro-Horsham will face off at the Bucks County Sports Ice Center at 7:20 pm with first place on the line.
“This is without doubt our biggest game of the season,” said Lansdale Catholic head coach Mark DiDonato. “The standings are all lumped up there at the top, and we really need to win this game.
“The last time we played them it was a really tight game,” added DiDonato in reference to the 5-3 Crusader win earlier this year. “That was a real nice win, and then we fell off and lost some tough games.”
In the victory over the Hatters, Anthony Valerio scored the final two goals of the game to spark the Crusaders. Nick Sette, Pat Longhitano, and Brendan Curtis all scored single goals.
Hatboro-Horsham had a two-goal outing from Manny Billiones. Kelsey Koelzer scored the third goal for HH.
“To be honest, we didn’t expect that hard a game from them the first time,” said Hatboro-Horsham head coach Tricia Silvestri. “We were caught a little off guard, and that won’t happen this time.
“Our goal as a team is to win the (SHSHL American) division for the first time since 2000 – when I played on the team as a freshman,” added Silvestri. “We are going to have a fight on our hands, though, with both Lansdale Catholic and Upper Dublin.”
Lansdale Catholic enters the SHSHL version of the Friday Night Fights with a potent offense led by the second leading scorer in the division – Nick Sette. Sette has scored 17 goals and dealt out 18 assists for 35 points.
Other high scoring Crusaders include Curtis (7-20-27) and Valerio (14-10-24).
Hatboro-Horsham enters the fray with a more balanced offense. The Hatters have four players with similar scoring outputs. Koelzer (14-9-23), Tim Boyle (14-9-23), Billones (11-12-23), and Patrick Durkin (9-13-22) are the featured scorers.
“Kelsey (Koelzer) has had a great season,” said Silvestri. “She is only a sophomore, and her skill level is amazing. She makes things happen.”
“(Goaltender) Ben Mills has been standing tall in the nets for us,” said DiDonato. “And we have played well in front of him.
“Our goal is to get to the Flyers Cup,” added DiDonato. “We’re looking to winning the division in order to get that invitation.”
The Hatters are looking for that same invite.
SHSHL ‘Class AA’
Central Bucks East (SHSHL Continental) and William Tennent (SHSHL National) are safely in the upcoming SHSHL playoffs. However, both the Patriots and Panthers want to end the season strong and get ready for the challenge of the playoffs.
“We are still working on three important things to get ready for the playoffs,” said Central Bucks East head coach Ken Latchum. “First, we need to take the body better. Second, we need to dump the puck more effectively. And third, we have to forecheck much better.”
CB East will most likely capture first place in the SHSHL Continental, but the Patriots have their collective sights on much bigger prize.
“We need to be able to compete with teams like Council Rock South,” said Latchum. “We lost to them the last time (4-3), and I thought we just gave them too much respect in the first period.”
William Tennent will not win a divisional title, but there is a very short line of teams that want to face the Panthers.
Eric HorroX is without doubt the best goaltender in the entire SHSHL, and goaltending is critical come playoff time.
“Eric is the clear cut best goalie in the league, and it’s great to have him on our team,” said William Tennent head coach Nick D’Aurizio. “We do not have a team that puts the puck in the net, and we need Eric if we are going to compete with the top teams in the league.
“We tend to play ‘up’ against the better teams in the league,” added the coach. “And in the playoffs, those are the teams you’re going to play.”
Stay tuned.
“If” the SHSHL playoff began today
Class AA
(1) Council Rock South (13-0-1, 27) vs. (8) Neshaminy (4-6-4,12)
(2) Central Bucks East (12-3-0, 24) vs. (7) Council Rock North (5-7-2, 12)
(3) North Penn (7-4-3, 17) vs. (6) William Tennent (6-6-2, 14)
(4) Pennsbury (8-6-1, 17) vs. (5) Central Bucks South (7-5-2, 16)
Class A
(1) Hatboro-Horsham (6-2-1, 13) vs. (4) Wissahickon (4-5-0, 8)
(2) Upper Dublin (6-3-0, 12) vs. (3) Lansdale Catholic (6-3-0, 12)
“On Ice” This Week in the SHSHL
Thursday – January 20, 2011
Council Rock South vs. Council Rock North @ Bucks County Ice Center – 7 pm
Pennsbury vs. William Tennent @ Grundy Ice Rink – 7:15 pm
Friday – January 21, 2011
North Penn vs. Neshaminy @ Hatfield Ice – 9:00 pm
Hatboro-Horsham vs. Lansdale Catholic @ Bucks County Ice – 7:20 pm
**
SHSHL National Conference ‘Fab Four’
1. Ken McCormick {Pennsbury} – [39-27-66]
2. Patrick Grilli {CR South} – [34-24-58]
3. Mike Hlatky {Pennsbury} – [15-28-43]
4. DJ Bell {Neshaminy} – [23-18-41]
SHSHL Continental Conference ‘Fab Four’
1. Jim McKelvie {North Penn} – [17-22-39]
2. Tom Schloendorn {CB East} – [12-22-34]
3. Austin Cinalli {CB East} – [16-12-28]
4. Matt Brown {Pennridge} – [14-13-27]
SHSHL American Conference ‘Fab Four’
1. Brian Markman {Upper Dublin} – [31-15-46]
2. Nick Sette {Lansdale Catholic} – [17-18-35]
3. Samuel Etskovitz {Upper Dublin} – [17-16-33]
4. Tyler Peskin {Upper Dublin} – [13-17-30]
Suburban One Sports.com **Great Eight**
1. Council Rock South Golden Hawks
2. Central Bucks East Patriots
3. North Penn Knights
4. Pennsbury Falcons
5. Central Bucks South Titans
6. William Tennent Panthers
7. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
8. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals
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