2016-17 Hockey Season

Columbus district winner is now 0-14 all-time in state semifinal games. Maybe they'll change that donut one of these decades.
 
http://www.thisweeknews.com/sports/20170311/hockey-liberty-falls-in-state-semifinal

Hockey: Liberty falls in state semifinal
By JARROD ULREY
THISWEEKSPORTS.COM


During the final minute of both the first and second periods of its state semifinal March 11 at Nationwide Arena, the Olentangy Liberty High School hockey team gave up a goal to Toledo St. Francis.

With the momentum in their favor, the Knights scored five goals in the third period en route to an 8-2 win over the Patriots.

St. Francis improved to 26-6 and advanced to face Hunting Valley University School or Cleveland St. Ignatius in the state final March 12 at Nationwide Arena, while Liberty finished 31-8-1.

The Patriots also lost in state semifinals in 2011 and '13.

"Those are the toughest goals to give up at the end of the first period and the end of the second period," Liberty coach Jack Hoogeveen said. "That's momentum for them."

St. Francis, which won state titles in 2011 and '15 and was a state semifinalist last season, took a 1-0 lead with 9 minutes, 45 seconds left in the first period on a goal by Nick Daly.

Liberty tied the game at 1 on a goal by Jimmy Bursinger with 49.8 seconds left in the opening period, but the Knights made it 2-1 on an unassisted goal by Kevin Hack with 11.1 seconds left.

Liberty again tied the game just 38 seconds into the second period as Ron Ambrosia scored off an assist from Craig Lutwen.

The Patriots had a flurry of scoring chances with about three minutes left in the period but weren't able to convert, and the Knights took a 3-2 lead with 37.4 seconds left in the period on a rebound goal by Warren Natyshak.

"It's pretty deflating," Bursinger said. "You've got all the momentum and they have that response."

In the third period, St. Francis had a pair of short-handed goals and Hack completed a hack trick by scoring the final two goals.
 
Final Ignatius 5, SF 1. Two straight years the Cats have won both state soccer and hockey titles. I repeat what I said last year: Ignatius coming to be known as a soccer aand hockey school and not a football school.
 
Final Ignatius 5, SF 1. Two straight years the Cats have won both state soccer and hockey titles. I repeat what I said last year: Ignatius coming to be known as a soccer aand hockey school and not a football school.

Well, I guess when we win all these state titles in hockey and soccer, it's hard to dispute that comment. But our football team lost the state title game in OT. It's more like an embarrassment of riches.
 
Hockey and soccer both have excellent developmental programs. Look for these results to continue.
 
I think this season proved more than anything that there needs to be a separate division in Hockey. I don't know if the solution is the private schools having there own divison, or if it should be just two divison of big and small schools. I think private schools having there own divison would be the most fair, but wouldn't be something OHSAA would do. A school with 2-5 teams full of 20 kids each shouldn't be playing against a school that only has a team with 9-18 kids

I can also say that OHSAA does a horrible job promoting hockey, and that they do a horrible job organizing the state tournament. They need to make things more exciting and fun at the tournaments to help grow interest in the sport
 
I think this season proved more than anything that there needs to be a separate division in Hockey. I don't know if the solution is the private schools having there own divison, or if it should be just two divison of big and small schools. I think private schools having there own divison would be the most fair, but wouldn't be something OHSAA would do. A school with 2-5 teams full of 20 kids each shouldn't be playing against a school that only has a team with 9-18 kids

I can also say that OHSAA does a horrible job promoting hockey, and that they do a horrible job organizing the state tournament. They need to make things more exciting and fun at the tournaments to help grow interest in the sport

Columbus big publics are getting close to the big 4 (Ignatius, Ed's, TSF, US).

What are the OHSAA's great failings? It's a relatively minor sport. Some of the regional finals are pretty well attended.
 
Top