Moeller High School 1997-98 Hockey Articles

Moeller wins 7 straight-ga111es

By Ed Paff Hockey Cincinnati contributor

The Moeller Varsity Hockey team, undefeated in it's last seven games, completed a three game sweep the weekend of Jan. 30-31.

The Crusaders outscored their opponents 21-6 and improved their league record to 7 wins, 2 loses and I tie.

Moeller started the weekend facing off with league rival Sycamore.

The Crusaders were too much for the Aves and easily won the game by a score of 8-1.

On Saturday Moeller hosted Kettering Fairmont in a non-league match-up. The Crusaders were able to hold them off and come away with a big win, 7 to 4.

Mason came to play Moeller in the final game of the weekend on Sunday. The event was special for the Crusaders as the

last home game for the seniors. Moeller I never let the Comets in the game and ' walked away with the win by a score of 6- ' 1. i The week before, Moeller went unde- · feated this weekend in three crucial league match-ups.

In the first game at Centerville, the Crusaders battled to a 3-3 tie with the Elks.

Centerville had won all seven of their previous ·league games until this game with Moeller.

The second game the next morning had the Crusaders hosting Worthington i Kilborne out of Golumbus. Moeller domi- ; nated the game and went on to win by a i score of 6- I .

On Sunday the Crusaders traveled to' Troy to take on the Trojans in the third and final league game of the weekend. Moeller shut out Troy, 2-0.

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State championships begin this weekend t

The state tournament starts on February I 2 with the first three rounds held at Hobart Arena in Troy.

The fourth round and final four will be held at Tam-0-Shanter in Sylvania starting February 26 and finishing March 7.

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Can Moeller's Crusaders ,maintain its supremacy?

Pokupec's crew finished ·No. 2 in state polls in '96-97

'BY TIM PENNINGTON I

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HOCKEY CINCINNATI EDITOR

· Moeller High School's varsity hockey team would like to do in its sport what its brethren on the football field has done with theirs-dominate.

After posting a 30-5-1 record ~ast season, the Crusaders are the favorites to ,repeat as champions of the Southwest Ohio 'Hockey League.

1 The Crusaders and teams from 'Sycamore, Centerville, Beavercreek, Troy, Upper Arlington and Talawanda high schools will begin play in mid-November. . "I think we lean be just as i good as last sea' son," Moeller coach Andy :Pokupec said.

1 "We may not Andy Pokupec beat teams as bad as we did last season, but I think we still have what it takes."

The Crusaders won the SOHL last season, but was knocked out of the state playoffs by Centerville in a mild upset.

The Crusaders return only four seniors from last year's team, although none saw . that much playing time.

"I think Moeller has a good team, but I think the league race is as wide open as it's i ever been," said Sycamore coach Tom · Robbins. "There are a lot of good teams, I and we are one of them. Moeller will have its hands full."

Forward Cam Walton should be the Crusader's best returning pl,ay~r. Also back \ are seniors Ed Paff, John 0 Bnen and John Clement.

Moeller lost playmakers John Riehle j and Shawn Sadler to graduation. Riehle is

Great ·Falls, Mon., playing junior hockey, and Sadler is playing with Miami University's club team.

The Crusaders were also hurt by the loss of Mark Guenther, who decided to play with the Dayton Blue Hawks travelling team.

"We know this is a rebuilding year for us," Walton said. "But that just makes it more of a challenge to us. We did it before, and I think we can do it again."

Pokupec said without Riehle, Sadler and Guenther for his team to depend on, his team should be more solid of a team.

"We'll be deeper, and overall I think more. evenly balanced," he said. ''The kids loved having those three guys on the team, but we must depend on others now to pull us through. I think we have a lot of components to_ put a-good season together. " Sycamore, which finished below .500 last season, should rebuild from its recent slump, Robbins said.

"We should have a very good team this season," he said. "We had a lot of freshmen and sophomores playing last year, and now they're a year older and much better." _,Brothers Eric and Brian Ryckman should be the defensive catalysts for the A via tors, along with center Matt Kriston and right wing Brett Constable .

"I think the league is- up for grabs," Robbins said. "And we have a good shot at it. At least we got high hopes for this season."

Beavercreek is the newest team in the SOHL this season, and Mason has begun a junior-varsity programs which someda_Y soon it hopes will have a full-fledged varsitY schedule.

• And parents at Lakota have fonned a bantam team, with expectations that it will join SOHL several years down the road.

Moeller coach Andy Pokupec, above, shouts encouragement to his team· during the state tournament last season. Pokupec is relying on returning seniors such as Cam Walton, below. and bottom right, to help Moeller improve on last season's record-breaking year. Moeller will need outstanding goalie like it did from the graduated Greg Zi~ler, bottom left, if it wants .. to suc~eed. , . . ' . .

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