Plum grads gather for annual alumni hockey game

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, January 11, 2018 | 8:04 PM

A tradition spanning two decades continued Dec. 29 as more than 30 Plum High School graduates and Mustang ice hockey alumni gathered at Pittsburgh Ice Arena in New Kensington for the annual Plum alumni hockey game.

Even organizer Dom Borriello, president of the Plum High School hockey organization, said the alumni game has evolved into a more competitive outing in recent years with many of the younger alumni having continued their playing careers at the college level. The players return home for the holiday break in game and playing shape.

“A core group of guys stay connected and want to come back year in and year out,” Borriello said.

“There are always an influx of younger players with each graduating class.”

Eleven players graduated from last year's Penguins Cup Class AA championship team that went on to finish as the state runner-up.

Several of those players, including Anthony Borriello, Nolan Puhala, Dillon Joyce, Max Mastermonico, Elliot Peterman, Ryan Mascaro and Ryan Loebig, were in attendance and played in the game.

Puhala, Joyce, Mastermonico, Mascaro and 2016 Plum graduate Nathan Puhala play for Robert Morris' club hockey organization.

Loebig is a member of Pitt's Division I team, and Anthony Borriello is on the Division III club team at Pitt-Johnstown.

“It's really nice to have them get together and share memories of their time playing at Plum,” Dom Borriello said.

Dom Borriello said that when the players came out of the locker room for the game, the teams gradually split into groups with the older alumni on one side against the younger alumni group.

The more tenured group picked up a 10-5 victory.

“It was another fun event,” Dom Borriello said.

Many of the older alumni, he added, have put together a more senior edition of the alumni game that also takes place over the holiday break at Center Ice Arena in Delmont.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Plum