Sweet Home hockey sets higher goals
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home's Derek Mohney is a returning All-New York State Second Team goalie. Mohney was the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation's top goalie last season. Also in on the play is Williamsville South's Greg Reed. Photo by Joe Eberle

Three years ago, Sweet Home was the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation's punching bag at 0-23-1.

This season, they want it all.

"Last year, our goals might have been to make a run and try to qualify for the New York State playoffs and win a Federation playoff game or two," said Sweet Home coach Dave Gerspach. "This year, our goals are to make the state tournament and win the Federation championship."

Sweet Home might have an easier road to the state playoffs than in years past. The Panthers, 15-9-2 last season, moved from a Federation large school to small school, making Williamsville East, ranked fourth in the state at the end of the 2005-06 season, a potential roadblock to states.

"Our goal is to get to the state tournament and do that, we have to win more state qualifying games than Williamsville East," said Gerspach.

If Sweet Home is to ever achieve these goals, this is the year. Gerspach only lost five seniors from last year's team and only one of them, Kyle McMahon, saw significant playing time. He returns 12 players on the 21-man roster with at least three years of varsity experience, the league's top two scorers, senior forward Alex Esposito (23 goals, 13 assists, 36 points) and junior forward Ryan Marko (17 goals, 17 assists, 34 points), and top goalie in junior Derek Mohney (2.31 goals against average, .917 save percentage, three shutouts, 10-5-1 league record).

On offense, Gerspach said he is looking for Esposito, a Federation White Division First Team all-star, and Marko, to be better than last year.

"Both fly up and down the ice, and are extremely fast and skilled players," said Gerspach.

"The big thing for Al is that he played Major 'AAA' for Amherst in the fall and that's helped him open up and see the ice a little better... Ryan continues to improve and get better. He's really a complete player."

Senior Dan Martino, the team's only captain, replaces McMahon as center with Esposito and Marko.

"Dan is a solid two-way player where those guys can take chances and he will back them up," said Gerspach.

Other forward lines as of this writing are junior James Cardinale centering junior Mike Campise and sophomore Ryan Gutt as a solid second scoring line, three-year players senior Anthony Manzella centering seniors Andrew Montanez and Corey Sykes and junior Mike Cefalu centering junior Rich Beaudet and sophomore Chris Covel. Covel will play on the Marko-Esposito line when Martino is not on the ice.

Mohney, a All-New York State Second Team and Federation All-League goalie, brings a great work ethic, Gerspach said.

"He's never satisfied, which helps our entire team," said Gerspach. "If a goal is scored on him in practice, he takes it personal."

Seniors Paul Campise (White Division Second Team), Matt Stewart (6-foot-3, 205-pounds, White Division Honorable Mention), juniors Justin Reich and Daryn Cavalier and sophomore JV call-up Dominic Puntillo comprise the Sweet Home defense.

Campise and Stewart have a ton of varsity experience (Campise - three years, Stewart - four) and will log a lot of ice time.

"I think Paul's the best defenseman in the league," said Gerspach. "He can do everything. He never gets beat, is super smart on the ice, has great skills, and is the QB of all our power plays... Matt's a big strong kid who can move the puck and hit."

Reich is back for his third year and is all-around defenseman, Cavalier brings a hard work ethic and Puntillo is a smart player who get the puck up the ice, said Gerspach.

Sweet Home's schedule includes non-league games with Section III's Liverpool and Oswego, ranked fifth and eighth in New York State Division I. Other non-league games are with Section V's Churchville-Chili, Section III's Baldwinsville and Section IV's Ithaca.

Sweet Home 2006-07 Schedule 12-7 Ken. East................................ 9 p.m. (Feature) 12-9 Sweet Home.............................. 5 p.m. (Olympic) 12-15 Ithaca .................................. 8 p.m. (Olympic) 12-17 St. Francis ............................. 1 p.m. (Olympic) 12-21 East ..................................... 7 p.m. (Olympic) 12-23 Amherst .............................. 3 p.m. (Olympic) 1-5 at Oswego Tourn vs. Oswego.................... TBA 1-6 at Oswego Tourn. ........................................ TBA 1-11 Bishop Timon-St. Jude......... 7 p.m. (Feature) 1-13 Ken. East.............................. 3 p.m. (Olympic) 1-14 St. Francis..... 5 p.m. (Buffalo State College) 1-18 East ......................................... 9 p.m. (Feature) 1-20 Amherst ................................ 5 p.m. (Olympic) 1-21 Bishop Timon-St. Jude. 5 p.m. (Buffalo State College) 1-26 Churchville-Chili ................... 8 p.m. (Feature) 1-27 Orchard Park.............................. 3 p.m. (Olympic) 2-1 St. Joe's................................... 7 p.m. (Olympic) 2-3 Frontier.................................. 2 p.m. (Hamburg) 2-8 Ken. West ............................... 9 p.m. (Olympic) 2-9 Baldwinsville ............ 5 p.m. (Lysander Arena) 2-10 Liverpool .. 1:45 p.m. (Syracuse Fairgrounds) *All games are played at the Amherst Pepsi Center unless otherwise noted.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com