High School Ice Hockey:
Archbishop Ryan Doubles Cherry Hill East 8-4

Saturday, September 12, 1998

By Forrest Robleto
SJSports Staff Writer

Archbishop Ryan's Rawle and Cherry Hill East's Vurgassen had matching hat tricks but it was Archbishop Ryan's 5 unanswered goals in the second period that made the difference. Cherry Hill opened the scoring with 4:48 remaining in the first period Vurgassen from Gunther, but it wouldn't be until the third period that Cherry Hill would score again.

Gunther who assisted on the first goal also made the first trip to the penalty box for slashing at 3:55 of the first period. Rawle who scored the hat trick for Ryan went in for holding 49 seconds later. Cherry Hill outshot Ryan 8-6 and the period ended with the score 1 to 0 for Cherry Hill. It would be the only time Cherry Hill would lead in shots or goals all night.

With the exception of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for Cherry Hill's Basara with 2 seconds left, everything on the scoresheet in the second period belonged to Archbishop Ryan. Ryan had two penalties and four goals, one of them shorthanded. At 14:21 in the second period, Ryan had a flurry of shots and with the goaltender Kennan down and the puck loose, Ryan couldn't throw it into the empty net. Eleven seconds later with Cherry Hill still trying to recover, a goal by Ryan's McLaughlin, assisted by Ladislaw and Rawle, tied the score. At 11:01 Ryan's Mimmo scored from Berkery to make it 2-1.

With 7:40 left in the second period Cherry Hill's Robleto hit the post, it was as close as Cherry Hill would get to scoring in the period. At 6:59 Ryan's Berkery went off for interference. With three seconds left in the penalty at 5:02 Ryan's Stock scored shorthanded from Steffvery. With 3:29 left in the second period, Rawle from Ryan scored his first of the night, with an assist from McLaughlin in another barrage of shots. Pelvin made it 5-1 for Ryan with 9 seconds left in the second period. Unhappiness ensued and Ryan's Berkery and Cherry Hill's Basara were both called for unsportsmanlike conduct on offsetting penalties which would carry over to the third period. Vurgassen, who scored the first goal of the game for Cherry Hill had to go to the locker room several times in the second period. He returned in the third period to score two more goals.

Archbishop Ryan switched goaltenders for the third period with Hill taking over for McCrory. Rawle and Vurgassen both of whom had hat tricks each had unassisted goals in the top of the third period. Rawle's for Ryan at 12:43 and Vurgassen for Cherry Hill at 10:48. Lupow for Cherry Hill got a double minor for roughing and with 35 second left in the second penalty, Rawle got a power play goal assisted by Hardwock. This was Rawle's third and final goal of the night to make it 7-2 Archbishop Ryan.

At 6:53 of the third period Stinzane scored with an assist from Kelley to make the score 8-2 and put it pretty much out of reach. Robleto fed Vurgassen a long pass just short of the redline which Vurgassen took in on a breakaway and scored to make it 8-3. Kennan Cherry Hill's goalie didn't see eye to eye with Ryan's Harwock and they were both called for roughing. Twenty seven second later Ryan's Gasperi went off for hooking and on the ensuing power play Gunther scored with an assist from ever hustling Galasso.

Although this was an away game for Archbishop Ryan they had a good crowd of fans who found reason to applaud for the good play of both teams. It was as refreshing as it was unusual. Ralph Tripoletti, Archbishop Ryan's coach said, "they came out and support us all the time. ... we have a really good organization."

This was the first game for Archbishop Ryan and the second for Cherry Hill. Cherry Hill won their first scrimmage 5-3.

Photos by Forrest Robleto