PA state hockey championship: Seneca Valley downs Holy Ghost Prep for 2nd title in a row
For the second straight season, Seneca Valley has won the Pennsylvania state hockey crown in Class 3A, never trailing and dispatching Holy Ghost Prep 7-2 Saturday night in West Chester.
Coincidentally, it was the same score and result as last year’s matchup between the two powers on the same stage.
“Experience matters, and it’s definitely something we leaned on going into playoffs,” Raiders coach Tyler Mesisca said before going to enjoy pizza and celebrate with his players at the team’s hotel. “We’ve been there before. We’ve been on these types of stages. These guys are experienced. ... In a stage as big as that, and in game of that magnitude, I think experience goes a long way.”
Cooper Hoehn got PIHL Class 3A Penguins Cup champion Seneca Valley started this time, opening the scoring with 8:32 to play in the first period.
“It’s so much easier to play with the lead than chasing the lead,” Mesisca said. “I think that’s something we talk about, just having a good start, just keeping the game simple early on, not trying to overdo it.”
The Firebirds leveled the scoreboard nearly four minutes later on a power play goal, but Braden Morin pushed the Raiders back ahead less than two minutes into the second period.
Hoehn and Morin both netted two more to post hat tricks, and John Sroka III scored as well to vault the Raiders to a 7-1 lead.
“They’re two that kind of feed off each other a little bit. When one gets going, the other gets going,” Mesisca said.
Seneca Valley finishes the season without having suffered a regulation loss.
“We knew we had an uphill climb all season long, with a little bit of a target on our back,” Mesisca said. “But they (rose) up to it. Just watching them come together this year and how close they all are with each other, it’s kinda bittersweet to be honest, because we know this is the end of it.”
