PIHL Notebook – Class A Preview

By: Bruce Markey
Monday, October 19, 2015 | 1:51 PM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook” as we continue our comprehensive preview of the 2015-16 high school hockey season. Today we take a look at the teams vying for the Class A championship.

Things are immediately intriguing here knowing there will be a new champion for the first time since 2007 given Quaker Valley and Mars now occupy Class AA. The alignment is also quite a bit simpler than it was last season. Gone is the Tier 1 and Tier 2 setup. In its place we now have a simple 16-team, two-conference setup with the top five teams from the East and West making the postseason, which is the same format Class AA is using this season.

But who will jump up and claim the top spot in the 2015 Penguins Cup bracket? Will it be South Park or Franklin Regional, teams that put up great numbers in Tier 2? What about Kiski Area and Sewickely Academy, returning to varsity competition after extended absences to rebuild at the junior varsity and middle school level? Why not West Allegheny, coming down from Class AA? Or it could be former powers like Serra Catholic and Bishop McCort rising back to prominence with the throne now vacant of its two most recent kings? We will find out in the months ahead.

(Teams listed in order of 2014-15 point percentages)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

South Park Eagles

2014-15 Regular Season: 16-6-0, 32 PTS, 163 GF, 86 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in First Round

2014-15 Three Stars: Kirk Zandier (25 G, 7 PP, 1 GW, 29 A); Tyler Gerhold (31 G, 6 PP, 2 SH, 4 GW, 19 A); Tanner Orr (17 G, 3 PP, 2 GW, 31 A)

Sewickley Academy Panthers

2014-15 Regular Season: 14-1-1, 29 PTS, 91 GF, 30 GA (Middle School)

2014-15 Playoffs: N/A

2014-15 Three Stars: Matthew Hajdukiewicz (16 G, 5 PP, 3 GW, 13 A); Andrew Beck (12 G, 2 PP, 1 SH, 3 GW, 11 A); Mason Mossberger (13-1-1, 2.00 GAA, 0.862 SV%, 3 SO)

Montour Spartans

2014-15 Regular Season: 13-9-0, 26 PTS, 90 GF, 75 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2014-15 Three Stars: Brandon Eisel (15 G, 1 PP, 4 GW, 9 A); Michael Tracy (9 G, 1 PP, 5 GW, 15 A); Jake Muzik (13-9-0, 3.18 GAA, 0.884 SV%, 1 SO)

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

2014-15 Regular Season: 13-9-0, 26 PTS, 102 GF, 107 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2014-15 Three Stars: Tommy Kimmick (34 G, 9 PP, 1 SH, 7 GW, 11 A); Brady Parkinson (10 G, 1 SH, 19 A); Dominic Tamburi (9 G, 3 PP, 2 GW, 19 A)

Wheeling Central Catholic Maroon Knights

2014-15 Regular Season: 12-6-2, 26 PTS, 86 GF, 100 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in First Round

2014-15 Three Stars: X

South Fayette Lions

2014-15 Regular Season: 8-14-0, 16 PTS, 88 GF, 144 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in First Round

2014-15 Three Stars: Jordan Timmons (31 G, 3 PP, 1 SH, 3 GW, 12 A); Spencer Barber (17 G, 4 PP, 1 SH, 3 GW, 19 A); John Lipovich (15 G, 6 PP, 17 A)

West Allegheny Indians

2014-15 Regular Season: 7-10-2, 16 PTS, 57 GF, 66 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in First Round

2014-15 Three Stars: Ryan Rohm (11 G, 2 PP, 2 SH, 1 GW, 13 A); Jared Mielnicki (7 G, 1 PP, 1 GW, 6 A); Anthony Dominick (7-9-2, 3.47 GAA, 0.885 SV%, 1 SO)

Wheeling Park Patriots

2014-15 Regular Season: 3-18-1, 7 PTS, 80 GF, 185 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2014-15 Three Stars: Hunter Pavelich (23 G, 7 PP, 2 GW, 13 A); Austin Curnes (8 G, 4 PP, 12 A)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Franklin Regional Panthers

2014-15 Regular Season: 16-6-0, 32 PTS, 120 GF, 93 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2014-15 Three Stars: Zach Bearley (21 G, 4 PP, 18 A); Jamie Mauro (11 G, 3 PP, 3 GW, 17 A); Dakota McIntyre (14 G, 4 PP, 1 SH, 2 GW, 10 A)

Kiski Area Cavaliers

2014-15 Regular Season: 15-3-0, 30 PTS, 106 GF, 20 GA (Junior Varsity)

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in JV Quarterfinals

2014-15 Three Stars: Nicholas Hurley (24 G, 2 PP, 4 GW, 11 A); Jimmy Ayres (16 G, 3 SH, 3 GW, 15 A); Alex Ferraro (14-3-0, 1.20 GAA, 0.917 SV%, 4 SO)

Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers

2014-15 Regular Season: 13-9-0, 26 PTS, 95 GF, 76 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in First Round

2014-15 Three Stars: Connor Bunn (31 G, 12 PP, 6 GW, 15 A); Anthony Formica (15 G, 3 PP, 1 SH, 2 GW, 22 A); John Bradley (13-9-0, 3.37 GAA, 0.892 SV%, 3 SO)

Freeport Yellowjackets

2014-15 Regular Season: 12-8-2, 26 PTS, 106 GF, 79 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2014-15 Three Stars: Hunter Kepple (23 G, 5 PP, 1 SH, 3 GW, 20 A); Robert Reichenbaugh (12 G, 3 PP, 2 SH, 30 A); Stone Haberstroh (24 G, 3 SH, 5 GW, 17 A)

Serra Catholic Eagles

2014-15 Regular Season: 10-12-0, 20 PTS, 105 GF, 96 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2014-15 Three Stars: Thomas Werner (27 G, 9 PP, 1 SH, 3 GW, 16 A); William Purdue (9 G, 2 PP, 25 A); Jonathan Henschel (11 G, 6 PP, 16 A)

Westmont-Hilltop Hilltoppers

2014-15 Regular Season: 8-13-0, 16 PTS, 99 GF, 120 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals

2014-15 Three Stars: Stephen DeMarco (22 G, 5 PP, 3 SH, 3 GW, 26 A); Adam McQuillan (20 G, 4 PP, 1 GW, 16 A); Michael Lamison (12 G, 4 PP, 19 A)

Greensburg-Salem Golden Lions

2014-15 Regular Season: 5-17-0, 10 PTS, 118 GF, 162 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2014-15 Three Stars: Vincent DeFazio (30 G, 4 PP, 1 SH, 1 GW, 21 A); Cole Bier (19 G, 4 PP, 1 GW, 22 A); Ryan Collette (20 G, 3 PP, 1 GW, 15 A)

Gateway Gators

2014-15 Regular Season: 2-20-0, 4 PTS, 49 GF, 184 GA

2014-15 Playoffs: Did not qualify

2014-15 Three Stars: Ryan Taylor (16 G, 6 PP, 1 GW, 13 A); Matthew Doman (10 G, 1 PP, 6 A); Tanner Davis (2 G, 1 PP, 10 A)

This completes the hat trick on our PIHL season preview, but we have one more left in us. So, check back next week for a look inside Division 2. Your home for the 2016 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!