|
|
|
 |
| |
| July 22, 2004
By Irish #19
Day Six: Junior Gladiators are On Top of Bantam Gold
|  Squirt and Pee Wee Gold Begin to Roll to Conclusion and Platinum Starts and Stops, and Basically Ties into Confusion.
Flash Flash Flash
At the Woodfield Suites last night, at 1apm, in a disgusting effort to keep the Tour USA 87 and Tour International players awake, a fire alarm was set off that emptied the hotel in the midst of a Thunderstorm. Fire trucks, paramedics, the police and a Budweiser beer truck all headed to the scene. Irish # 19 was seen telling the police he suspected the OC Blades and giving them Ken Gibo’s personal cell number. Very few pajamas were seen so late at night, which led one to believe there were actually no curfews.
While others ran for their lives, and pandemonium reigned, Jim Taveggia of the Tour Bordercats was seen running through the flames, wet towel over his head. I wondered who was left behind… He suddenly reappeared with … the Bordercat jerseys. Rest easy boys. It does not matter the danger, the Bordercats will make sure that his players have their jerseys…
Back to the regular scheduled programming.
Today:
Junior Platinum continues.
Bantam Gold is at the finish line.
Squirt and Pee Wee head towards the finish line.
Bantam Gold Final:
As I said yesterday, if the Jr. Gladiators came out and played like they did yesterday, they would win it. They did, and they won it all.
The final game was anyone’s after the first period, when the two teams went into the second period of play 0-0. Then, after a few minutes, the Gladitors started a consistent barrage of shots, resulting in the gwg by Mark Orlando, assisted by Bobby McLaughlin.
Additional goals would come from Dane Houser (unassisted), and John Donohue, assisted by Eric Keene.
Others on the Jr. Gladiators are: Donnie Mariotti, Sean Sullivan, James Schaeffer, and Goalie Brian Scott.
The Grizzlies would get on the board in the second, scoring by Michael Inge, assisted by Rich Carelli, but it wasn’t enough.
Top Scorer was Todd Chesire with a ppg of 2.25.
Brian Scott of the Junior Gladiators took top goalie honors with a .915 gaa.
Pee Wee Gold:
This is a huge division.
In playoffs, Phantoms Black play the Panthers; Sharks play the Warriors; Coyotes face the Wings; TMD 90 D2 will go against the Jokers; Local Boyz will play the Mavericks. Skeleton Crew takes on the local Bounty Hunters. Roller Rebels play the Wild Alpine. Finally, Oakville plays the Breakaway Blades.
Squirt Gold:
The Snake Eyes have taken the first seed and now await the winners of the play off rounds. The Hystyk Eagles take Seed number Dos.
Those in play offs are: TMD 92 v. Primal Black, Phantoms v. Storm, Bordercats 92 v. Snipers, AMB Black v. AMB Yellow. Red Army will face TMD 92.
More Skills Results:
Squirt Gold skills results:
Fastest Skater – Niko Power, The Red Army
Top Goaltender – Matt Bartels, AMB Yellow
Sniper – Thomas Buckely, VS Hyper Roadrunners
Pee Wee Gold skills results:
Fastest Skater – Maztt Deutschmann, Local Boys
Top Goaltender – Darrell Newsome, Wild Alpine
Sniper – Geoff Abrahams
High School Final:
We did not have enough time to report on the High School Final yesterday, so I wanted to give you more details.
Oakville squared off against Parkway in an all Missouri final, with Oakville the favored team after their exciting come from behind win against Marina.
Parkway South went up early with a goal by Joe McGuire, with an assist by Bryan West at the 10:55 of the first. The game settled down until the close of the first period when Dave Dedman slammed one home with a minute forty-seven left in the first half, extending the lead to 2-0.
However, less than a minute later, Oakville shaved it to one, when Dan Langreider picked up a Zack Reiss pass and slammed it home.
At the end of one, the shots were near even, 8 for Parkway and 9 for Oakville.
The second half started, and both teams went half way, nip and tuck, until Parkway got it’s final goal to put them back up by 2, 3-1.
The final results were:
Gold – Parkway South Patriots
Silver – Oakville
Bronze – Temecula Valley High School
Top Goalie was: Jake Menzel, Parkway South Patriots, .918 gaa
Tops scorer was: Brad Ellis, Marina High School, 2.4 avg ppg
Junior Platinum:
Platinum Junior Day 1 Wrap up:
After the first day, as I reported, very little earthquakes except for those not as smart as I am (Oh, stop complaining, I am just joking). Only bumps in the road came to the Rattlers, who dropped a 4-0 to the Buffalo Wings and and bump-a-roo to Pa Ma, who need mom and dad after they lost to the Triumph. But its early and I see both teams rebounding. Both have schedules that will allow for it. The Mudcats and Bordercats played a potential final out of the chute, and tied to a standing room only crowd past midnight – one of the biggest crowds thus far in the tournament.
The Habs also drew before playing the Stallions tomorrow and so they should get two wins, if they do not go undefeated, but neither game today is an easy go for one of the favorites here in Cincinnati. If I was a betting man, I would say the Habs will move on as one of the top four seeds.
Not so, however, with the Detroit Stars and Mudcats who drew preliminary purgatory and the Mudcats needs wins today to stay in the hunt for the second round. A team that should have secured one of the top rankings will face the Detroit Stars and Hurricanes today before finishing up play with the Buffalo Wings tomorrow. The Mudcats could be eliminated and it’s a darn shame because their schedule places them against all potential semi or finalists except for the Hurricanes. The Cats may get too beat up to do anything after the preliminaries, even if they get that far. We will see. Sometimes that which does not kill you, makes you stronger.
The Detroit Stars won yesterday easily, but they now face the Mudcats and Buffalo Wings today before going into the game against the Hurricanes. They are in a better position to make the cut than the Mudcats, but if they lose two today, we are still looking at two semi-finalists possibly falling early and out. More likely? The Mudcats – they have a point for their tie and face two strong teams they need to get past just to qualify for the next round. If they go 1-2-1 its next year for this season’s TPC Champs. (I mean, How would you like to play Bordercats (semi finalist last year), Stars (multiple champions), and the Wings (who just knocked off the defending Champs) to start your week?) Stars could go into tomorrow 1-2, but more likely 2-1 or even 3-0 and safe for the next round.
Likewise with Pa Ma. Their first game loss against the Triumph now has all the pressure imagined on them as they go into games against Snipers and Truck. Truck they should beat, Snipers a maybe, that sets them up for a final day showdown with Dry Ice. They should be thanking the hockey Gods right now, because they should overcome their first game fiasco. Jerry, Walkin (aka: Joaquin), Massey and the Kranstinator should get the job done 3-1 into the playoffs.
Rattlers will face K-Tek and Primal, giving them a two game boost into their final game against the Bordercats. On paper, they should get two or more wins and advance. Look for them to go 2-2 and make the cut.
The surprise team thus far has been the Triumph. Who would have thought a bunch of people who say eh and a couple California transplants could wreak havoc against the Mighty PaMa? Well, they did, but now they face Stallions and the Habs. The Habs game should be a classic, but I see them going into tomorrow against Team Tour 2-1. Also, a bit of a sleeper remains a solid Buffalo Wings team that has the benefit of not being focused on and just dispatched the defending Champs 4-0. They play the Hurricanes and Stars, and could go into tomorrow either 2-1 or 3-0 and looking for a top seeding into playoffs.
So, what does this all mean? It means that you should make sure you get all the soap out of your jock strap before sweating into it. Bad rash may follow. But it also means that I think all but one of the top teams should survive, and perhaps all top teams, but the re-seeding will be so mixed up and jumbled that the play offs will have some early match ups that should be exciting.
Now that I have rambled, lets see how it all plays out. I am off to the rink to watch the games for today…
Junior Platinum Games Thumbnails – Key Match ups:
Habs v. Tour St Louis – 2-2 Tie
Snipers v. PaMa Psychos – 5-5 Tie
Rattlers v. K Tek – 5-5 Tie
Stars v. Mudcats – 5-3 Stars, however this game was a 3-3 tie until a penalty was called in the last two minutes of play and the Stars went up with a ppg. Goal five was a gimme. Near tie as well here and if the boys had decided the game, a probable tie.
Habs v. Triumph – 5-2 Habs – but the Triumph is slowed ONLY after they lose their player for a game suspension.
Bordercats v. K Tek – 4-3 Bordercats
Stars v. Buffalo Wings – 2-2 Tie.
Home home on the Range…
I didn’t do so well, because everyone kept tying! That is how close it is.
The evening has just completed and to be honest, we are nowhere near figuring out where we will end up with a final 8. Detroit Mission Stars, Habs, Snipers and Buffalo Wings look like they have four of the spots. Pa Ma, Mudcats, Triumph, and Rattlers are fighting for four spots. Anyone of the top 8 could take it all.
Who is playing the best right now? No one and everyone, and I will be at the tote board after all is said and done to see who made it and who bit it, and that is, as they say, that.
Tomorrow:
Bantam Platinum starts.
Lets see, OC 88 are the favorites along with the Tour 87s.
Since Platin
|
Site
Credits |
|
|
|
