Sunday the West Virginia High School Hockey Championship wrapped up in Wheeling to concluding a weekend of hockey of festivities. This tournament was so much more than high school hockey. Seeing youth hockey teams, middle school programs, and even some play from the Lightningbirds, Wheeling’s new armature women’s program. It was an absolutely action backed and fun weekend.
The main focus of the weekend was the high school tournament and it saw the crowing of new state champs this year with the Morgantown Mohawks taking the crown. They looked fantastic on the ice through the two games that they played at Wesbanco arena.
They first handled Wheeling Central on Saturday. You can read the recap of day 2 here and find the action from that game.
Sunday Morgantown faced off against the Wheeling Park Patriots, who had a stellar weekend themselves winning two games on Saturday in dramatic fashion both in overtime. Again, you can find the recap of day 2 here.
The championship game proved to be a slug fest and both goalies and defenses made their presence known with a scoreless first period. Each team trying to feel out the other team and probing for weaknesses. The goalies themselves making a few key saves each in the period.
The second period saw the action heat up both physically and with the scoring itself. 58 Nico Kourtsis opened the scoring up early in the second assisted by 96 Anthony DiBartlolmeo giving the Mohawks a 1-0 lead.
20 seconds later Morgantown lights the light again, this time its 6 Jakob Scheffen-Krause assisted by 18 Weston White. This hands the Mohawks a 2-0 and starts to put some pressure on the Patriots.
The third goal in the period was again in Morgantown’s favor. This time coming from the team’s MVP on the day and the weekend, 10 Geno Valenti. You know a player is good when you learn their name after watching them in a game or two. He has great speed and stick skills, but what really seemed to separated Valenti is his hockey IQ. He was very aware on the ice and knew game situations.
The goals did come in a flurry in the second period. Park however was not going to let go down without a fight. Team MVP for this game was 12 Landon Szazynski. He put Park on the board with 6:50 to go in the second making the score know 3-1 in Morgantown’s favor. The goal was assisted by 25 Luke Simonetti and 17 Kaden Schnarr. You need to read about Szazynski’s heroics on day 2 in the day 2 article here. He had a fantastic weekend.
This brought Park back to life a bit and the crowd responded as well. Helping give Park a re-energized spirt to finish out the second period 3-1.
The third period was a lot like the first with strong physical hockey going on and the goalies continuing with their great play. Park’s 29 Noah Britton, the tournament MVP, and Morgantown’s 29 Hayden Derk stood tall in net turning away shot after shot.
Finally, with 4:25 to go in the game Morgantown scores one more time again from a Valenti goal, this time unassisted giving the Mohawks a commanding late lead of 4-1.
Park pulled their goalie to give a last-ditch effort, put in the end it was not in the cards for the Patriots. The game concluded with Morgantown capturing the championship with a 4-1 victory.
Congratulations, goes out to the players, coaches, and fans of the Morgantown team on a well-deserved tile.
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