Cool On Ice
SOUTHPOINTE — Get in, then win.
The Armstrong Arrows' 12-under Major White Division hockey team did exactly that in winning the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League championship recently at the Printscape Arena.
The 14-player team, based out of Belmont Areba in Kittanning, featured players from Butler, Karns City and Sarver, along with Kittanning and Lower Burrell.
The Arrows play in a 10-team division with the top four squads making the playoffs.
“We were the No. 4 seed, the last to get in, but the top four teams in our league were pretty clear,” Arrows coach Steve Scheftic said. “These kids deserved to be there.”
The Armstrong Arrows have two teams in each age division, ranging from 8-under up to 18-under. Teams are slotted into 10-team divisions based on skill level.
“The PAHL does a good job of that,” Scheftic said of slotting the teams. “We were in the second tier in terms of experience level.”
The Arrows knocked off top-seeded Southpointe 2-1 in the semifinals. Zachary Bowser of Sarver scored the game-winning goal while his team was playing short-handed.
Taking on the Erie Lyons in the championship game, the Arrows came away with a 6-4 victory. Bowser scored three goals in that game with Butler resident Conor Bradrick adding one.
Callie Guntrum of Karns City, Madyson Kirsch of and Rowan Wible of Sarver, M. Liam Mason of Butler are also on the team.
Dan Wible was an assistant coach.
The Arrows finished with a 9-6-5 record this season.
“Everybody played well in the tournament,” Scheftic said. “Our goalie “Rexton Hough (Kittanning) made some big saves and our defense did a good job of limiting the opposition.”
Wible, Guntrum and Kirsch were the three girls on the team.
“Callie and Rowan will likely move up to the U-14 girls team next year,” Scheftic said. “We didn't have enough girls at the U-12 level for them to have their own team. Madyson has another year with our U-12 team.
“About half the team will be 12 next season and eligible to return. There are so many youth hockey organizations in this region, though, you're never sure where some of these kids may decide to go.”
Other players on the team include Ryan Burkett and Adam Scheftic of Lower Burrell, Thomas Luffey, Jonas Miller, Aiden Morando, Jason Rollo and Zachary Zandarski of Kittanning.
Two 16-under Armstrrong Arrow teams won PAHL titles this season as well.
“Armstrong has a pretty strong program overall,” Scheftic said. “It usually wins about three league titles a year.”
The PAHL pulls in teams from as far away as Erie, Morgantown and State College, along with numerous teams from the Pittsburgh area.
