First, we will start with the middle school game to kick off the West Virginia State Hockey Championship weekend. The Wheeling Park Middle School Program led by Coach Grant Van Laar made quick work of the Charleston Chiefs Hockey Club. Up early and never really looking back the Wheeling Park team cruised to a 7-1 victory with Rowan Parker getting named MVP for the Patriots.
Now, for the main event tonight. Defending State Champs Wheeling Central, and this year’s 3 seed, took on the 6th seeded Charleston Chiefs and the action was a plenty. However, it wasn’t so much early on as each team scores 1 in the first period to a pretty much uneventful first period.
Not long into the second the Chiefs go up quickly with a goal by Michael Lao assisted by Sidney Crabtree. A mere 15 seconds later Bailey Carper added another goal to give the Chiefs a quick 3-1 lead in the second.
Later in the second Central’s Peyton Hildebrand gets his second of the night to bring the knights back within 1, Chiefs still up 3-2.
Charleston appears to put a close one in, but the refs rule it a no goal. The clang of the puck filled the arena and in truth I didn’t see clear evidence of it going in myself. The ruling did draw some ire from the crowd with one fan getting the boot inferring that the refs might have vision problems.
Central made quick work of the off balanced Chiefs going right down the ice putting the puck in the back of the net. The goal was scored by Landon Jaquay. Mr. Jaquay was not done by any means. 5 seconds later Jaquay puts another goal in, now giving the Maroon Knights a 4-3 lead.
Charleston puts the next 2 goals in with Mace and Lao scoring respectively giving the lead back to the Chiefs 5-4. That is how the second period ended.
Less than one minute into the third Wheeling Central’s Aden Cooey scores to tie it at 5-5. Cooey doesn’t rest putting in another goal after his first getting his second on the night and handing the lead back to the Maroon Knights 6-5.
You know Charleston wasn’t going to let the stand with Bailey Carper scoring yet again tonight to tie the game yet again at 6-6.
That’s when another sports reporter and I started to discuss how many overtimes we might see on the evening with about 3 or so minutes left in the game.
However, Central’s Ethyn Taylor decided overtime wasn’t happening tonight putting in back-to-back goals to put Central into a commanding lead late in the game 8-6. This forced the Chiefs to pull their goalie and try to claw their way back into the game late. That’s when Central’s Hildebrand seals it for the Maroon Knights with an empty net goal and handing Central the 9-6 victory in the opening High School game of the weekend.
Cooey ends up Central’s MVP with 2 goals and 2 assists. Bailey Carper gets the MVP nod for the Chiefs.
Speaking to Wheeling Central’s Head Coach P.J. Ratcliffe after the game he stated, “I’m not too pleased with how the defense played, but happy we scored a few more goals than they did.”
If this is any indication of how this weekend is going to go, I cannot wait to see the rest. Tomorrow’s actions starts bright and early with an exhibition game between the U8 Nailers and the U10 Jr. Birds.
Followed by the 4th seeded Martinsburg Vipers taking on the 5th seeded Wheeling Park Patriots at 11:15 am. Complete schedule below.
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