North, Sweet Home hockey need to run the table
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

The Williamsville North and Sweet Home hockey teams were the large and small school representatives for the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation last year. The only way each team can make it to the state playoffs this season is if they win the Federation large and small school titles.

North (8-4-2, 15-6-2) and Sweet Home (11-8-4, 7-3-3) each lost games that eliminated them from state playoff contention through having the most state qualifying points in the regular season.

The Spartans fell, 5-1 to Kenmore West, last Thursday, on the Amherst Pepsi Center Olympic Rink while Sweet Home was blanked 3-0 by Kenmore East on Saturday on the Olympic Rink.

If Federation private schools win the large and small school Federation titles, then Lancaster and Kenmore East would represent Section VI in the large and small school state playoffs.

If North does not make it to states, it would mark the first time since Section VI teams could qualify seven years ago that they wouldn't go.

North had beaten Kenmore West, 2-1, earlier in the season and had won its last three state qualifying games so it came to a shock to Spartan coach Bob Rosen how poorly his team played.

"They outplayed us, outshot us (33-22) and outworked us," said Rosen. "Things kind of unraveled on us and when it went south, it went South in a hurry. We just did not answer. It was probably one of the worst losses we've had in the last 12 years."

Kenmore West scored once in the first period, Jared Passman, from Todd Schneggenburger, and three times in the second, including power-play goals by Robert Whelan (Kyle Whipple, Passman) and Pat Fisher (Passman, Whelan) and an even strength goal by Ben Johnston (Joe Coyne, Whelan), to head into the third period ahead, 4-0.

Michael Boice made it 5-0 from Anthony Sorrentino and Cameron Boice at 9:42 of the third.

Josh Liddle scored North's only goal, from Nick Angelo, at 2:36.

Sweet Home outshot Kenmore East, 29-24, including 15-8 in the third period, and still lost.

"I liked our effort," said Sweet Home coach Dave Gerspach. "We just could not put the puck in the net."

Kenmore East took a 1-0 lead at 13:46 of the first period when a shot from Ryan Patterson hit one of the Sweet Home defenseman and went into the top corner of the net. Jacob Kirbis assisted on the play.

The score stayed 1-0 until the third period when Mark Arnone whacked the puck out of the air and scored at 12:20 on the power play from Brett Rogers and Frank Briandi. Dan Medvin rounded out the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 6:30 mark. Gerspach said his team gave up a bad giveaway and Medvin went top corner to score.

The Panthers rebounded with a 2-0 victory over St. Francis on Sunday afternoon at Buffalo State Sports Arena.

"It was definitely the best game we've played at Buffalo State," said Gerspach.

Ryan Marko scored from Chris Covel and James Cardinale at 7:58 of the second. Covel scored an empty-net goal from Marko with four seconds remaining in the game.

Sweet Home outshot St. Francis, 27-14, including 8-1 in the first period.

Panther goalie Rob Castiglia recorded his fifth shutout, breaking the school record of four set by Derek Mohney.

North and Sweet Home will compete in the quarterfinals of the Federation playoffs this week. North, the third seed in the large school Federation playoffs, gets another crack at Kenmore West, seeded sixth, at 9 p.m. on Friday on the Amherst Pepsi Center Feature Rink.

"We've got to win three games and we're certainly capable of doing it," said Rosen. "They've got a pretty good attitude going in. Hopefully, our senior leaders can pull us back together."

Sweet Home's first round opponent in the Fed small school tournament is yet-to-be determined. The Panthers faced St. Francis on Tuesday but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press.

If Sweet Home wins or ties, they face Niagara Falls because Williamsville East will have one more point thanks to a 1-1 tie with St. Francis and a 1-0 forfeit win over the Red Raiders.

St. Francis hockey had to forfeit five games because one of their Fed players competed for the school's prep team during a Fed game.

If Sweet Home loses, they could meet St. Francis again. Sweet Home will either play at 9 p.m. on Thursday on the Feature Rink or 7 p.m. on Friday on the Feature Rink.