C6 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003
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HIGH SCHOOLS
THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
Moeller moves in on frrst trip to hockey Final Four Crusaders took advantage of new tournament bracket
On the ice
What: Moeller (26-12-1) vs. Thomas Worthington (29-6-0) in district final. 'This is the furthest we've When: 9:20 p.m. Saturday. ~Y Tom Groeschen gone, and it's really the first 171e Cincinnati Enquirer year we've had our own dis- Where: CoreComm Ice Haus, The Moeller ice hockey trict," said Andy Pokupec, Columbus. :earn stands one game away Moeller's seventh-year coach. At stake: A spot in the Ohio rom the program's first Ohio A change in the state tour- high school Anal Four.
:Ugh school Final Four ap:>earance. · Moeller (26-12-1) will face Thomas Worthington (29-&0) n the district final at 9:20p.m. Saturday at CoreComm Ice ffaus, which is the NHL Columbus BlueJackets' practice facility at Nationwide Arena. -------
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nament gives Southwest Ohio teams a better chance of reaching the tournament. Before now, there were playoff brackets out of Cleveland and Toledo. Southwest Ohio teams had to play out of the Toledo bracket, with slim chances of beating the tradi-
tionally stronger programs up north. The new brackets include one a little closer to home, at Troy's Hobart Arena, where Moeller played this year. Moeller took a big step in its first tournament game
Worthington Kilbourne 4-1 in the district semis last week. Moeller, seeded No.2 in the district, will face No. 1 seed Worthington, which is located just north of Columbus. Worthington beat Moeller 5-3 earlier this season. The winner advances to the state tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 1-2. Sophomore goalie Mitchell Hardin leads Moeller onto the . The Cincinnati Enquirer/BRAND! STAFFORD ice and has a strong 1.4 goalsagainst average. Defense is Moeller neshman Ross Thrailkill {left) dives to make a play Moeller's strength, Pokupec in a gar1e against CHCA this season. said, led by defensemen Steve when it ":>eat Findlay 1-0. beaten them before," Poku- Beecraft, Greg Allen, Eric 'That's a northern team, pee said. Scherzinger and Kevin and I d?n't think we'd ever The Crusaders then beat McMullen.
Offensively, forwards Graham Mercurio and John Sueco are among the key players. Beecraft, Allen and Victor Courtemanche are the top scorers. Moeller dedicated its season to injured captain Doug Ruef, a senior forward who hasn't played after breaking a leg during soccer season. Moeller, Sycamore and Talawanda are the only schools with varsity programs in the Cincinnati area. A few other Cincinnati schools have club teams, and some hope to move up to varsity status soon. Moeller plays its home games at Cincinnati Gardens.
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·;.·_Goals: M-Chaney, -~ITn, Courtemanche, _Beecraft.! ccSteffes, Hlcke, Vonderau. Records: Moeller23-H-O, 12-0-0 • ~-WO.~~l:;CenterviUeJ-;4-1 SWOHSHLi f·-·-· - 11 1 '
:· · HOCKEY: Moeller's nin for <state <chi!ini>ionship · ..vas·: ended 'by Thomas· Worthiiig-~ ton 43 in the district finals in' 1 Co1timbus laui'Saturday.The.:· Cardinals .i:mtshot Moeller 56) 16 op 'the' game and went'. up 4-1 inhthiq:.hird period:. · ·':. . ' · The Criisadersfihi'slied 2613-1. - ;).~ .?.-¥ .. tJ s~
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, .• ' ~ · Moellei 4, :ralawanda 0 . Shutout Hardin (30 saves). _Goats: Mercuno, A~ ten, Duncan, Beectaft. Records: MU-4, T2-3.
High school hockey teams Area squads may be added over next few seasons
been the only schools with full- uniforms, equipment, ice time and fledged ice hockey programs, mak- travel. ing it tough for the teams to gain ''We've become pretty good at recognition. fund raising," Pokupec said. "1 think St Xavier is ready for Although there are only 67 Ohio the varsity level and Elder is close," schools fielding ice hockey teams, Moeller coach Andy Pokupec said. the sport is sanctioned by the Ohio By Dave Schutte I).-) C..., 6L"The more t~ams we have in South- High School Athletic Association, Enquirer contributor western Ohio, the better for the which holds a postseason tournasport." ment. This season it will be at NaLocal high school hockey finally Area teams compete in the tionwide Arena in Columbus, with might be catching on. Southwest Ohio High School the semifinals March 1 and the After years of only three area Hockey League, which includes championship game March 2. schools fielding teams, St. Xavier teams from Dayton, Troy and CoMoeller and Thomas Worthingand Elder probably will play at the lumbus. 1f two or more teams join · ton are tied for first place in the varsity level next season. La Salle, the SWOHSHL, a second division SWOHSHL at 6-0. Sycamore is in Mason, Lakota East, Lakota West probably will be formed, cutting eighth place at 2-3 and Talawanda and Fairfield are expected to start down on travel and ·expenses. is ·tied for lOth at 1-4-1. teams in the near future .. The parents of the Moeller and Area players who attend schools In the past nine years, Moeller, Sycamore players contribute be- without ice hockey programs comSycamore and Talawanda have tween $750 and $1.200 to pay for pete on a team sponsored by the
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~ough Saturday, Moel- Miller, as well as John Krzyminski 1erTiwill~dahyost tts annual holiday tour- and Matt Mapierski nament at the Cincinnati Gardens. "Matt and John ar~ kn ~b=r~MUpalper will~lington and "Ski Brothers' and are ex~clle~ ~: C .a so compete. fensive players," Sycanlore coach ku ommg off a 32-6-2 season, Po- John Neeb said "The only 1'1 p~c hasn't expecting his Crusad- lining this seas~n is that w! ;~ ers 0 e so strong because of the young,; g_raduation of six players and posBut. his team's d · , stble season-ending injuries to what's most un'pottanrtetcoorNeelbsn t Duane Crutchfi ld d D a . B t M ll he an oug Ruef. former high school player at Taiau oe er as a 14-6 overall re- wanda · cord behind Victor Courtemanche "I l~ok back at tl fri d I' : John Lewis, Ross Thrielkill, Ke~ made for life la . le at ~al s ve McMullen, Stephen Beecraft, Gra- da" Neeb .,.,;dp "Iymtg awanham Me curl TJ c · ' =u • gave us an opDuncan J~ffJiem'~ ~dy po~ity to stick together and exnibus~. tc a- tpenence the true value of eammates. I want the same thin Off to a 6-10 start, Sycamore re- for these kids." g
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Where: Cincinnati' Gardens
Admission: $10 adult, $5 students (all sessions). Single-day passes: $5 adult, $3 student. Schedule: Today: Afternoon session - Syca-
more vs. Cincinnati AA, noon; Moeller u A vs. pper rlington, 2 p.m. Evening session - Sycamore vs. Upper Arlington, 7 p.m.; Moeller vs. Cincinnati AA , 9 p.m. Friday: Upper Arlington vs. Cincinnatl AA, 11:45 a.m.; Moeller vs. Sycamore, 1:45 p.m. Saturday: Consolation: 8 a.m.; Championship: noon.
BREAKING THE ICE hopes to spur boom in prep hockey ~ycamore
BY NEIL SCHMIDT Enquirer contributor
Lee Crow won't eat crow. So the Sycamore senior hockey player isn't taking his best friend's calls. "Me and Roger (Pryor Jr.) don't talk much right now," Crow said, "because of ' this weekend." Pryor skates for Moeller, which meets Sycamore tonight. Friendship can wait "Once the game's over, we11 say hi and talk," Pryor said. "But not duririg the game." · Such is the nature of the city's newest high school rivalry. Sycamore's second, year program, the only one besides .... Moeller in Hamilton County, is catching up quickly. "Moeller's had a program 12 years (actually 14), but I think we're very much on equal footing," Sycamore coach Tom Robbins said. The Aviators' argument won't fly without an upset soon. So this 8 p.m. meeting at Icelands Sports & Entertainment Complex surely means more to Sycamore. "For a lot of our seniors, this is the only game that counts," Sycamore junior left winger Scott Thomas said. 'They want to beat Moeller before they graduate."· Sycamore went 0-for-3 against Moeller in its 13-12-1 inaugural season. This winter, the Aviators are 14-9-2 against a stiffer schedule, but its lone meeting with Moeller brought a 2-0 loss. "I think it's really a mental thing why we're not beating them," Thomas said. "Based on the teams we've both played, we should be able to." the 40 high school teams in Ohio, ,,_"-'1Of . •.&&.&.•""'-AA..__,UA
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we're establishing ourselves, and I'm really starting to enjoy it" Thomas, who grew up in Chicago and has played since age 5; leads the team with 40 points (25 goals), including a five-goal game against Detroit River Rouge. __, · _Robbins cites the Kristgn b~.:oth~rs, sophomore Matt and junior Mike, as strong two-way players. Crow is his top defenseman. And sophomore goalie Michael Wenter, he says, has played as well as anyone in the state. "We're not quite where we want to be," Robbins said, "but we're getting closer each day." The local rivalry- "It started as soon as we heard they were starting a team," Pryor sayswas born of geography and familiarity. And while both schools must keep short-term goals in check- no league member has won state in the 18-year history- their battles may be : birthing a hockey hotbed. "We've been a part of something growing around the city, not just at our school," Crow · said. "I think it will boom in Cincinnati."
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!just five lie south of Interstate 70-:- Sycamore, Moeller, Truawanda, Centerville and Upper Arlingto6;Those five comprise the Southwest Ohio High School Hockey League. Sycamore stands 4-2 in the league, a halfgame behind co-leaders Moeller and Centerville (both 4-1-1). But wins in its last league gamesvs. Moeller tonight and at Centerville next ,Thursday....:... would deliver a surprise title. i · "Our de.stiny's still in our own hands," Robbins said. · ( 1 · • • . . The coming-out party carrie Dec. 20, when · Sycamore handed defending league champ Centerville its lone league loss. ·. · "When they beat Centerville, who we had already lost to, that shocked us," Pryor said. , It has seemed a stunning ascent to all but the I Aviators. 1
"I thought (success) \vas going to come pretty quick," Thomas said. "I knew some of the players, and the potential talent we had." A group of parents initially approached the school board about starting a team, and nearly 50 students showed up for tryouts last year. l}lat filled varsity and N rosters, and Sycamore smce added a freshman team. Robbins, 39, was already teaching at Sycamore.' The Walnut Hills grad played at Mi~mi University in the late 1970s and had coached local youth teams the past 13 years. He twice served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Deaf team. "Anytime you start something from the ground floor, it's a lot of work," Robbins said.. "Las~ ~~ar \\'~S m~rework than fun. But now
Standings Southwest Ohio High School Hockey League Team · League Overall
Centerville .............. 4-1-11 Moeller ..... ,._ ........... 4-1-1
Sycamore ............ ~ .... 4-2 1 Talawanda ................. 2-3 Upper Arlington ........... : . 0-7
5-6-2 · 12-9-1
4-9-2 8-10-2
4-17-1
Doug Cochran for The Cincinnati Enquirer
Scott Thomas is Sycamore's leading scorer, with 40 points (25 goals.) He's psyched about tonight's matchup against Moeller: "For a lot of our seniors, this is the only game that counts .. -