Locals help North Pittsburgh 16U hockey team persevere
Perseverance — with a capital P.
That's the biggest reason the North Pittsburgh Wildcats 16U hockey team — featuring eight Butler County players — is headed to the USA Hockey-Chipotle Youth Tier II National Championships Thursday through May 3 in Grand Rapids, Mich.
“We've dealt with COVID-19 issues all season,” coach Mark Pittman said. “I've been quarantined six times this year, just myself.
“I coach two teams (in the Wildcats system). We have players from numerous different high school teams. We self-quarantine when there's an issue on either of our teams or with those high school teams for safety reasons.”
That has meant on-again, off-again ice time and an inconsistent game schedule.
“It's been difficult ... really hard with conditioning,” right wing Kyle Grasha of Butler said. “We've just fought our way through it.”
The Wildcats fought their way through the Mid-Am District Pa. state tournament as well, dropping their first game in that tournament.
The team did not lose again, defeating the Arctic Foxes, 3-2, in overtime in the championship game to punch its ticket to Michigan.
“We left ourselves no margin for error,” said Mars resident Max Weaver, a center and Wildcats' team captain. “We've done that all year, though. Our team finds ways to win when we have to.”
The Wildcats are 20-12-1 entering the national tourney. Weaver played for the organization's U14 team that finished second in the Mid-Am District tourney and was denied a national berth.
Many of the same players on last year's team that finished 20-0 in PAHL play, only to bow out in the district tourney, are on this year's team.
“This is a pretty motivated group,” Pittman said.
Left wing Rosario Alessandro, a North Catholic player and Mars resident, scored the winning goal in overtime of the district title game.“That's up there as one of the greatest nights of my life,” Grasha said. “I've never played on a team that's done anything like this.“When that puck went in, the way our bench erupted, I'll never forget that.”Grasha has 14 goals and 10 assists in 32 games with the Wildcats this season. Weaver has eight goals and 16 assists, Alessandro nine goals and six assists.Cale Patten, a goaltender from Knoch, has a 10-7 record, three shutouts and a .912 save percentage for the Wildcats.“Cale starts in most of our big games,” Pittman said. “He's come up with huge saves in championship games. He's a very gutsy goaltender.”Patrick Dolan, a right wing from Seneca Valley who spends some time on defense, has five goals and seven assists. Alex Neff, an alternate captain and defensenan from Seneca Valley, has seven goals and four assists.“Alex is one of the biggest leaders on our team. He does a lot for us,” Weaver said.Jack Smelscer, another defenseman from Seneca Valley, has a goal and three assists while Ryan Mitchell, a defenseman from Mars, has three assists.Mitchell is 6-foot-2 and weighs 230 pounds.“He's one of our bigger kids and he's got great hands,” Pittman said. “He's one of the nicest kids you could ever meet.”There are also players on the Wildcats U16 team from North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, Moon, and Central Catholic.“Almost all of us play for our high school teams, too, so we're used to playing a lot of hockey,” Weaver said. “We have a line of Pine-Richland kids, a line of North Allegheny kids ... guys who are used to playing together.“We're a fast team and we have fun on the ice. We play relaxed because we win or lose as a family. There's no pressure here.”Pittman has been coaching in the North Pittsburgh Wildcats system for 11 years.“I like the way these guys play together,” he said.Grasha agreed.“I think we have a good chance at nationals,” Grasha said. “We're playing our best hockey right now.”
