Central Region

Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships

2014 Penguins Cup AAA Finals – Peters Twp 4 Bethel Park 2

Pennsylvania Championship History – Peters Twp won the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 2002,2003 and 2005 in Class AA and advanced to the Finals in 2004. Bethel Park won the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005 and adavcned to the Finals in 1983 and 2012 as the 2nd winningest Class AAA program along with 2014 Flyers Cup Champions LaSalle with 5 Pennsylvania AAA Crowns in Pennsylvania History behind Meadville with 7 and 8 Overall.

Consol Energy Center - Pittsburgh

Rick Tingle has built a hockey program at Peters Twp in Washington County of Southwestern Pennsylvania in a community with many accomplishments with sprawling Ranches including a rare 17 Million Estate (According to Zillow) and where Hockey is making its mark on the landscape of the State of Pennsylvania. With 3 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in tow in 2002, 2003 and 2005, the Indians moved on to their 4th straight Penguins Cup, previously falling to Canevin in 2011, Bethel Park in 2012 and North Allegheny in 2013 and looking for a historic Pennsylvania first in Class AAA.

If any coach had the luxury that Peters has they want to consider starting a Quad A [that’s AAAA] Division in Pennsylvania. Since the Penguins Cup AAA and Pennsylvania AAA High School Championship are so personal, it should honor on of the great personalities and coach of the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships Bethel Park’s Jim McVay, who runs more than a Hockey Program in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Mort as he is affectionately known to by many runs an institution of Learning, Health, Education, History and sometimes just sometimes a little extra to achieve Competitive Greatness. This Class Program of Pennsylvania Hockey has captured five Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in Class AAA in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005 and has been to the Finals 7 Times including 1983 and 2012.

The Hawks have endured a great season including a Quarter Final Appearance in the Prestigious National Invitational Scholastic Showcase Governor’s Cup, won by Flyers Cup Semi-Finalists Holy Ghost Prep and won the 2013 Director’s Cup Pa Hockey Scholastic Showcase over Canevin in December and plays the Penguins Cup in honor of a terrific young man Kenny Lehmann, who coached in the program and was a member of the 2005 Pennsylvania High School Hockey AAA Champions and 2007 National Champions at the Chicago Showcase for Team Pittsburgh led by Coach McVay. Bethel Park and Peters Twp will compete in the 5th Annual USA Hockey National Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska in April. These two programs and renditions of teams for 2013-2014 have been ranked 1-2 all season in Class AAA and the Regular Season Division title came down to the final day of the Season with BP edging PT for its first Division title in 6 years.

For coach McVay this is window dressing for the ultimate prize which is a prestigious 6th Pennsylvania title for the School and Community. The Championship game on Western Pa’s biggest stage and biggest prize was scoreless through one period as PT’s Brian Baker stopped 10 and BP’s Tre Lowe turned aside 6. Peters would strike first as Jonathon Dagnal beat Lowe high to the glove at 13:59 of the 2nd and Alex Alavi scored on a rebound at 6:38. BP’s Jake Worcester broke the ice on a PP with 1:08 left to cut the lead to 2-1.

On to the 3rd and anyone knows that the T’s are crossed and I’s are always dotted and the BP Coach challenged and sent this one into a frenzy as it was discovered that Brian Bakers mask did not conform to USA Hockey Standards and the goal of every program is to be competitive but do it safely. Whether or not you need five officials on the ice and on the scene, is really not necessary because the two officials with armbands had everything under control, which resulted in laughter of at least five people in the building including myself, a few who know better and the coach who pulled it off.

With a 2-1 hockey game, coach Tingle was not so amused and his assistants went to work one taking Coach Rick for a walk and another one, who has seen similar occurrences in the Middle of the game (2005 Penguins Cup AA Semi-Final between PT and CM) left to re-group and re-focus the Indians of Peters Twp and goaltender Baker, who along with his teammates now faced the first of 5 on 3’s with 16 and change left and a lethal well schooled Bethel Park power play to challenge their opportunity for their first Penguins Cup title in Class AAA.

If anyone who has ever witnessed the Movie ‘the Greatest Game ever played’ you will notice that the story that took place 101 years ago and involves a young caddie turned Amateur Golfer Francis Quimet, who qualified for the US Open in 1913 and challenged England’s legendary Champions Harry Vardon and Ted Ray who tied at the end of 72 holes and played an 18 hole playoff. The 1913 U.S. Open that takes place at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, the familiar course located across the street from his home.

Against all odds, with ten-year-old Eddie Lowery, playing hookey from school to caddy for him, he manages to beat the British champions Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, considered the world's best golfers, in an 18-hole playoff, following their three-way tie after the regulation 72 holes, and becomes the first amateur to ever win the U.S. Open. His extraordinary feat even wins over his father. Prize Winning Author Grantland Rice documents the story and it becomes stuff of Legendary lore.

Ok so it’s just the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship and Penguins Cup on the line, but coach McVay has Championship Greatness and he is Ted Ray in this story and he’s and they (Bethel Park) are gonna give it all they got and roll the dice as he did in 2002 at Rostraver, with the infamous stick measure that helped Bethel gain a 5 on 3 and beat Malvern Prep in overtime (remember Kevin Z ? you were standing next to Grantland Rice that day ?) . Plus coach McVay got a little rest for # 11, # 21, # 3, # 24 and the rest of the Hawks. Brilliant move by the Master of Mort IMHO (In my humble opinion) and he was all in again.

To further the story young Francis (Coach Tingle) and his caddies Eddie Lowry (the combination of Coach Attanucci and coach Ryan Tingle) would not be deterred and had their eyes on the prize.

Peter’s refocused and killed off the 5 on 3 and held a slim 2-1 lead with still 14 minutes to go. Bethel out shot Peters 1-9 in the 3rd Period on the strength of two 5 on 3 power plays and pulled goaltender, but Baker was on his game, Carter Ekberg and Josef Kittleberger were a fortress and Adam Alavi, Jon Dagnal and Matt Amelio did the rest as Dagnal gave a little sigh with a backhand goal with 4:09 to go and a 3-1 lead.

Don’t relax Coach Tingle because after a timeout Bethel scored as Jake Worcester beat Baker on a rebound with 22 seconds left. Oh boy, did Mort learn something from Kevin Quinn in the Class A Semis in a win over Freeport? Well it was not enough this time as Dagnal completed the hat trick to make it a final 4-2 for the Red and White. A Pennsylvania first as Peters Township Hockey moves on to play LaSalle 8 Time Flyers Cup and 5 Time Pennsylvania Champions, who had a little over time magic for another first timer St Joseph’s and will meet in a showdown at Pegula in less than a week. The 2nd chapter is about to be written as Harry Vardon awaits and Coach Rick with his derby cap and lil assistants will be there too. Can’t wait for another classic matchup in Pennsylvania Hockey’s version of ‘the Greatest Game every played’ more than 100 years removed in 2014.

Congratulations to Peters Twp Indians and Good Luck in the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships this Saturday 3/22/14 at Pegula Ice Arena.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette – 2014 Penguins Cup AAA Article

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/hsother/2014/03/18/Peters-Township-holds-on-to-win-Penguins-Cup/stories/201403180122

Pittsburgh Tribune Review – 2014 Penguins Cup AAA Article

http://triblive.com/sports/hssports/hockey/5771304-74/peters-township-bethel#axzz2wNtyReds Peters Township Pointstreak Website http://pihlptindians.pointstreaksites.com/view/pihlptindians#.Uyk8W_ldXJd