Sweet Home hockey finally solves Will East
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville East’s Spencer Barrett (14) watches his shot fire between Sweet Home’s Mike Campise and Matt Stewart on goalie Derek Mohney during the Panthers’ 4-2 Division II win Thursday on the Amherst Pepsi Center Olympic Rink.

All week Alex Esposito and the Sweet Home hockey team had been hearing they couldn’t beat Williamsville East.

Last Thursday, Esposito scored the game-winning goal as the Panthers shut up their critics, defeating the Flames, 4-2, on the Amherst Pepsi Center’s Olympic Rink.

It’s the first time Sweet Home has beaten East. Coming into the game, East was ranked No. 1 in New York State Division II. Sweet Home was ranked third. The win also placed Sweet Home (6-0) in first place in the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation’s Small School Division. The loss dropped East (5-1) to third place, a point behind Bishop Timon-St. Jude (5-1-1).

“All week all we heard is how they still own us no matter what we’ve done the last couple of years,” said Esposito. “It’s the biggest win I’ve ever been a part of.”

“It proved that we finally belonged,” added Sweet Home coach Dave Gerspach. “It’s been hard to knock off these Williamsville schools. They’ve been beating us the five years I’ve been coaching (at Sweet Home) and to knock one of them off finally in a big game means a lot to the program.”

Williamsville East’s Eric Charlton pursues Sweet Home’s Ryan Marko. Marko finished with a goal and two assists. Photos by Joe Eberle

Esposito one-timed in a pass from linemate Ryan Marko on the power play at the 9:59 mark of the third. It’s a set a play they’ve been doing for three years, said Esposito.

“It makes me more excited every time it happens,” he added. “They left a gap where I know when to break and he knows where to put it.”

“They were charging the gap in the middle because our usual power play is to get it up to Paul (Campise) but they were charging the gap so I waited until they bit, looked his way, hit the wide open lane to Al and he buried it.”

Esposito returned the favor almost seven minutes later, setting up Marko with 3:50 remaining.

“It’s like a psychic connection,” said Marko. “He already knows I’m there and every time it happens, it goes right on my stick.”

Sweet Home used East first period penalties to jump out to a 2-0 first period lead and take early momentum. Marko fed Paul Campise in the slot who beat East goalie Jay Hall (21 saves) glove side for a power-play goal at the 12:30 mark. Paul Campise set up Mike Campise nine minutes later. East had all five first period penalties. The Flames finished with 18 infractions to Sweet Home’s 10.

East showed the heart of a champion in the second, tying the game at 2-2. Eric Charlton beat screened Panthers goaltender Derek Mohney (23 saves) to his right on a 5 on 3. Jamie Turchiarelli was credited with the assist.

Colin Lucey followed with a one-timer from Chris Fabozzi and Andrew Ross. A third East goal from Lucey was disallowed because of a high stick.

But too many penalties down the stretch became too much for East to overcome.

“I didn’t think it was our best effort,” said East coach Mike Torrillo. “We didn’t come out and play our game to start then we got into some penalty trouble and once we settled down in the second, we played well. But we did things that are not characteristic of how we’ve played all year long as far as penalties go.”

“They capitalized on a few of our chances and we missed a few of ours,” he added. “Give credit to their goalie and those guys who scored when they had to.”

Sweet Home beat Amherst, 5-0, on Saturday while East defeated New Hartford, 4-1, and lost to Batavia, 3-2, in the Batavia Tournament. Game write-ups will appear in the January 3 edition.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com