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High School Ice Hockey:
Four Goal Third Period Propels Clearview and Ends Township Season

Wednesday, March 5, 2003

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer
mcostantino@sjsports.com

Clearview scored four goals in the third period to break open a tight game and defeated Washington Township 9-4 in tournament action at Voorhees. Chris Riggs led the Clearview attack with three goals and four assists and Dave Gooch and Mike Sullivan chipped in with two goals each. Mike Duczkowski led Township with two goals. With Township playing in the AAA league this season, it was the first time the teams had met in a meaningful game and unfortunately for their fans, ice time was not available at Hollydell.

Duczkowski got Township off quickly as his shot from the right circle found the short side and a 1-0 lead. Riggs tied the game at the eight-minute mark as he broke in with Gooch and after Dan Straga came out and made the save, Riggs banged home the rebound to tie the game at 1-1. Jason Pelle’s power play goal put Township up 2-1, but Riggs tied the game on a feed from Bill Dunbar. Dom Fiandra, positioned along side of the net, put Township up 3-2 in the period’s last minute.

Clearview took control in the second period scoring three consecutive power play goals. After Mike Sullivan tied the game midway through the period, Gooch gave Clearview the lead for good as his blast from the point, with Riggs setting the screen in front, found the net and a 4-3 lead. Wyatt Fox made it 5-3 as he converted a pass from Riggs with about three minutes left in the period. Township seem to get some life as Duczkowski deflected a shot by Chris Keyser with twenty seconds left and it looked like the momentum would switch. But goals by Gooch and Riggs less than three minutes into the period put Township up 7-4 and ended any hopes of a Township comeback. Goals by Sullivan and Dunbar closed out the scoring and with the 9-4 win Clearview will play Cherokee on Friday, with the winner facing Eastern for the title.

Photos by Art Redd

©2003 South Jersey Sports Online Inc.