Saint Ignatius Leads Pack as Intensity Rises in High School Hockey. Cleveland area teams battle for the Division I Baron Cup. Action in Baron Cup I begins on Wednesday.For the 42nd time, the puck will drop to begin Baron Cup action on Wednesday evening. The Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League heads the tournament before the OHSAA State Tournament begins. Saint Ignatius comes in as the defending Baron Cup Champion, as they begin their defense on Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm at Brooklyn Ice Arena. Can’t make it? Every Wildcat hockey game from here to as far as the Wildcat advance will be broadcasted on the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network.
I bring you a look at each of the eight teams in Baron Cup play.
1. Saint Ignatius (24-5-3)- 1st Place, Red North West
The Wildcats have won a record four consecutive division championships in the GCHSHL. Senior captain Miles McQuinn has been the most valuable player for the Wildcats, but he hasn’t just played for himself. Along with assistant captains Alex McNulty and Joe Malone, the Wildcat veterans have stepped up greatly to bring the younger guys up and comfortable. “The underclassmen, who had so many questions to answer at the beginning of the season, have played a major key in how we have performed,” said McQuinn. The Wildcat got off to an outstanding start to their season, as they have won the Miami (OH) Tournament, the Meadville (PA) Tournament, and the Purple Puck (Washington, D.C.) Tournament. They also took second locally in the Padua Christmas Tournament.
2. Hudson- (15-12-2) T-3rd Place, Red North East
The Hudson Explorers have had their highs and lows in the 2012-2013 season, but they are more than happy to be a late insertion into the Baron Cup as St. Edward was forced to drop out due to scheduling issues. The Explorers started the season well, as they just fell short in the Rocky River Classic to the Pirates in the championship game. Goalie Grayson Kotseas stands in front for the Explorers and Bo Lori and John Calabro are the two mainstays that challenge teams offensively with crisp passing and frequent shooting. Last year, Hudson was knocked out in the first round by Saint Ignatius.
3. Shaker Heights (20-6-0)- T-2nd Place, Red North West
The Red Raiders got off to a red hot start to the season by breezing through the Bruce Anderson Memorial Tournament, and they won their own tournament over the holiday break. Shaker Heights also dominated the Walsh Jesuit Invitational, but the Red Raiders have had some tough losses in this late season. Saint Ignatius won the outright Red North West when Shaker Heights was worn down defensively and shut out 4-0 on 1/26. In their regular season finale, Shaker could not muster any offense and was clipped in a shutout by University School 1-0. In goal, Eric Sterin has stepped up in net for the Red Raiders. Senior defenseman Jonathan Greenburg has been a consistent stopper as a defender as well for the Red Raiders. On the attack, Shaker Heights is led by seniors Connor Siwak, John Longman, Joey Yoder, and Jacob Schick, who have all contributed on the offensive end. The Red Raiders lost in the championship last year.
4. University School (19-10-3)- 4th Place, Red North West
The Preppers of University School had an excellent moment at the St. John’s Jesuit Invitational in January, when they were flawless throughout the weekend, as they knocked off the host team in the title game, 2-1. They ended the season sharply, with a 5-3 win over St. Edward on 1/31 and a big shutout win over Shaker Heights 1-0 on the 2nd of February. They went 5-4-1 in league play, but have improved as the season has gone on. Alex Silver has been solid in net for the Preppers as U.S. has had strong offense from Eddie Gable and Sam Strang. The Preppers reached the semifinals, but fell short of Shaker Heights last year.
5. Lake Catholic- (14-12-2) 5th Place, Red North West
A team that has had some convincing outings and some outings to scratch your head at, Lake Catholic can always draw surprises in Baron Cup play. Last year, they took down St. Edward in the first round before being knocked out by Saint Ignatius. The Cougars have some strong showings, including 1-1 tie against Saint Ignatius on December 19th. On 1/23, the Cougars fought past University School 3-2. They went 4-5-1 in league play and 10-7-1 in non-league. Junior goalie Liam Conway has had many highlights. Head coach Ryan O’Kicki has been looking for more offensive production throughout the whole season. The power play has been the main issue for the Cougars.6. Walsh Jesuit- (21-9-2) T-1st Place, Red North East
From the very beginning of the season, the Walsh Jesuit Warriors were looked upon as a team that had quite a bit of potential. “They are one of the more hard-hitting teams we play,” said Saint Ignatius captain Miles McQuinn. He went on, “They do not just hit to hit. They hit for the puck.” That came after the Warriors edged Saint Ignatius 3-2 on November 30. The Warriors have gone 7-2-1 in their league play and have given strong showings at their own invitational and the Cornfield Cup. They have had their struggles at times, but this is still a team that has been fun to watch. Coach Pat McKendry has stressed one word all year – effort. Junior keeper Jamie Studer is very stocky and the Warriors are led by senior Lucas Matson. The Warriors were bumped in the first round last year in the Baron Cup.
7. Holy Name (21-9-2) T-1st Place, Red North East
Going 7-2-1 in league play, the Holy Name Green Wave will have a re-match of their last regular season game in the first round against Hudson. The Green Wave finished their regular season by beating the Explorers 2-0. Holy Name ha had some intriguing moments throughout the season, including a 4-3 overtime win over solid Sylvania Northview at the Walsh Jesuit Invitational (1/19). Last year, the Green Wave did not qualify in the Baron Cup.8. Rocky River (23-6-1) T-3rd Place, Red North East
The Pirates have many interesting occurrences this year, such as wins over Sylvania Northview (4-3) on 1/18 at the Walsh Jesuit Invitational and Walsh Jesuit (4-2) in their regular season finale. They beat Hudson three times and tied the Explorers once in the regular season. In league play, the ship sailed at a record of 6-3-1. The Pirates went 23-6-1 and look to hang in there as the underdog against the #1 seeded-Saint Ignatius Wildcats. Brandon DeLano, Kyle Kopechek, and Eric Sperli have all been strong for the Pirates in the winter of 2012-2013.
Let the games begin!
For more on the schedule, go to ignatius.edu/hockey. The hockey season is only just getting started.
Tweet @JohnFanta13 and @SIHSSports when you need a Baron Cup update or have any questions. All Baron Cup games are on live video on the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network.
