Upper St. Clair Hockey: Welcome

 



Freshman Team Wins Championship!!

The Freshman Team won the Tier 1 playoff championship by beating Bishop Canevin 4 -3.  The win completes a perfect regular season and playoff run finishing with a 19 - 0 record.
2009 Tier 1 Champions

Mission Complete: Jr Varsity Wins Championship!!

The JV team won the Tier I JV Playoff Championship last night with a 4-3 win over the Bishop Canevin Crusaders.
The Panthers trailed early, but rallied late in the first period off a Taylor Horrocks shot that beat the crusaders goalie. Matt Mendelson and Rob Markwell assisted on the goal.
The second period remained tied at 1 until the Crusaders got a lucky bounce and got the go ahead goal late in the second to make it 2-1.
In the third Taylor Horrocks got his second to tie the game at 2. Mendelson and Markwell got the assists again. Shortly after the Panther tied it, the Panthers got a goal off a rebound from Alex Bishop. Markwell and Mendelson added helpers for their 3rd points of the night.  But just as quickly as the Panthers took the lead, the Crusaders responded with some drama of their own and tied the game at 3. With just over 2 minutes left the Panthers were summoned to the penalty box, only to have the Crusaders take a penalty themselves with only .36 seconds remaining the the Panthers penalty.   The Panthers now on the power play went to work deep in the corners. Matt Mendelson picked the Crusaders defensemen's pocket, skated around the net and passed the puck out front to Rob Markwell who buried the puck in the net with only 6 seconds remaining. Then from there all it took was a face of win and a dump into the neutral zone and the Panthers prevail 4-3.
It was quite the playoff run, the Panthers knocked off the 1, 2, 3 seeds in the tournament and all of which were undefeated.
Thank you to all the players and parents for the hard work. It was a great season and I would not change a thing. The players worked hard from September to the end of March and believed that the could climb the mountain. Enjoy the victory and get ready to defend our title next year.
-Coach Ray
2009 Jr Varsity Division Champions

Sad End to a Sensational Year: Seneca Valley 4 USC 3 (OT)

Although the Upper St. Clair Varsity Hockey team lost a heartbreaking overtime game in the PIHL playoffs, the defeat can, in no way, overshadow or diminish the tremendous accomplishments from the group of fine young men.  Consider: the Panthers had 15 victories, won the section title and earned the trip to the semi-finals of the PIHL playoffs at the Mellon Arena.  This team advanced farther than any team in recent USC hockey history.  All this during a season that was thought by some to be a "rebuilding" year. 

SV scored the game winner with 2:41 remaining in the overtime period deflating the Panther hopes to advance in the tournament. There was however, much drama and excitement that preceded the crushing goal.  Zach Feldman ignited the Panthers with a slap shot from the left point just 1:38 into the contest  Tim Graulty provided the assist that enabled the Feldman goal.    Next, SV scored two goals within a span of 1:12 to seize the lead at 2-1.  The score remained through the end of the first period.

Senior assistant captain, Theo Schnieders, converted a cross the slot pass from linemate Justin Selep midway through the second period to knot the score at 2.

Late in the second, Selep gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead when, with hands as sure as a diamond-cutter's, pulled the puck out of the SV goalie's pads then snapped a top-shelf wrist shot into the net. Schnieders and James Kline earned assists on the play. The lead held through the ice-cut intermission and midway through the third when SV scored to again tie the game.  Each team had multiple opportunities to score during the remainder of the period and in overtime until the hockey gods decided to smile Seneca Valley's way.

Matt Wregget kept the Panthers in the game stopping a remarkable 41 shots.  Wregget was outstanding throughout the season having earned the # 1 ranking among AAA PIHL goaltenders.  Speaking of rankings, with his assist, (inclusive of playoff points) James Kline's led all scorers in the PIHL with a stunning total of 56 points.

Debts of gratitude are owed to first year USC coach Larry Marks and assistants Stephan Getzik and Tom Pandolfo.  Results don't always mirror effort but in this case they certainly do.  This was a tremendous year that was only possible due to their tremendous leadership.  Thank you.

Thank you also to the parents, supporters, volunteers and fans of Panther Hockey.  In particular, thanks to the parents of the seniors.  You have served ably as the backbone of the USC organization.  For some, this is your first senior hockey player, others you have served the organization for years.  In either case the old adage holds true: the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.  Fortunately for those of us who call you our friends and more importantly, to your sons, the trees are all straight, strong, deep-rooted and true.  Again, thank you.

Finally, thank you to the players.  I'm sure I can speak for all parents when I say we are proud of you beyond words.  You were resilient,  you were determined, you were dedicated and, most of all, you were a loyal close-knit band of brothers.  You provided us with the vicarious thrills of watching you compete at a high and successful level.  To the seniors--Captain Eric Surma, Assistant Captains Theo Schnieders and Bryan Esherick, James DiGangi, Tim Graulty, Steven Trombetta, Jacob Chockran and Dylan Livingston--while we will miss you, we will certainly remember you.  You were the leaders of one of the most-successful USC hockey teams.  We look forward to learning of and sharing in your future accomplishments.

I leave you with a quote from Teddy Roosevelt:

"It is not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who actually strive to do the deeds; who know great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

You were in the arena--cherish the memory.

--Joe Selep