Weekend wrap up, Ohio High School Hockey Rankings 1-14-2013

IN the Captial confernce the next date of importance is Feb 1st.  Olentangy Orange,  and Liberty will face each other for the 2nd time this season.  The first was the "The Thrilla, at the Chilla"  I am confident this meeting will be no less exciting.  Both teams took care of business this weekend and are the clear leaders.

In Cleveland on Saturday Hudson took control of their desteniy, in a manner of speaking.  As they beat Walsh 1-0 on their home ice.  Hudson needs to keep winning to stay in the hunt, and win they did again on Sunday.   Holly Name was beaten by Hudson, in a game that helps Hudson stay in the picture, with a 3-1 to final.  Shaker left Strongsville looking to rename to property of Shaker as the Red Raiders clobbered them 11-2, where the two goals had to been scored between periods with the Raiders in the locker room.  The Raiders also downed St. Eds on 4-3 on the 11th.  St. Ignatius beat Lake Catholic, 1-0 .   Big games ahead:  1-26 St. Ignatius at Red Raiders 4:45pm. 1-30 Walsh at Rocky River 815pm to round out the remaining big games in Clevelands regular season

In Toledo, the defending state champion Wildcats, beat St. Johns 1-0.   The Wildcats then beat Findlay 4-2 the next evening.   The Titans have one remaining league game against St. Francis on the 26th.  The Knights are back in the dark ages this year and look to finish dead last in league play.  The Wildcats play an improving BG squad on the 26th, then play Findlay, St Francis and Bedford on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of Feb to close out the season.  We all can give praise that the insane playoff is again gone, again failed and hopefully buried in the desert.  All signs point to Northwest Ohio winning a 3rd straight.  The only question being, Titans or Wildcats?

This weeks Rankings for 1-14-2013
1. Toledo St. Johns
2. Shaker Heights Red Raiders
3. Walsh Jesuit
4. Olentangy Orange

5. Sylvania Northview Wildcats
6. St. Ignatius Wildcats
7. Hudson
8. Olentangy Liberty

Again the top 4 are the likely State contenders.
The Pure rankings if we had a quality play off system where the best four teams would make states is quite different.  Using a modle that gives league champions home ice in the play offs then disburses 2nd, 3rd, and 4th each indvidually to seperate districts.
the picure that returns is
1. Toledo St. Johns
2. Sylvania Northview
3. St Ignatius
4. Walsh
or
1. Toledo St. Johns
2. Sylvania Northview
3. Hudson
4. Walsh
or
1. Toledo St. Johns
2. Sylvania Northview
3. Rocky River
4. Shaker
or
1. Toledo St. Johns
2. Shaker
3. Walsh
4. Sylvania Northview

Power Rankings for top 8
1. Toledo St. Johns
2. Sylvania Northview
3. Shaker Heights
4. Walsh Jesuit
5. Hudson
6. St. Ignatius
7. Rocky River
8. University School

Friday night 1-11-13 action

The story from the Northwest Ohio  Red Division is the rematch between the St. Johns Titans and the Northview Wildcats.  As you read in last weeks posting, the Titan beheaded the Wildcats in a comanding 4-0 shut out win.  This weekend is a different tail. 

The Titans came out on fire in the first period and dominated the pace, the play and out shot the Wildcats quite handily.   They did not find the twine, neither did the Wildcats.  I will also point out that both teams, in both games and honestly threw this whole season have had no physical presences what so ever.  This may well be in part to the god awful officiating, where the stripes call contact to the head on ever hit.  Understandably, that is a dangerous play.  But in all but two of those calls I have witnessed has their been any.  Contact to the head is NOT when the player being checked, has his snap forward into the should of the checker.  It IS if a checker leads and makes first contact to the head, period.  A check from behind, is NOT when a player turns at the last moment, but when we see hit like Shaker heights put on a BGHS player.  This is reportedly his second offense, and should be eliminated from all future contest.  Off my little rant,  now and back on track, it is clear that both the Wildcats and Titan struggle in the physical game, and when tested physically have struggled.

Dew,  the Sylvania Northview goalie played well enough last night to garner a shut out, but the better goalie was in the SJJ net.  Having shut down numerous quality chances by himself!  Top D lastnight for me was # 20 Junior Baily Bregitiam for the Wildcats.  He has a great frame, good mobility, speed, and puck possesion.  Best I figure at this point both of these teams will be far and a way defensivily set for next year with stables of quality JR D men.  Both have sound vetran goalies to return.  A fair amount of Forwards.  What seems to be eluding the Wildcats this year, is a natural goal scorer.  They just strugle even presented with quality chances, and rarely have numbers getting to the net.  St Johns has goal scorers, and always gets numbers at the net.

while in no way was it an  impressive, nor dominating win for the Wildcats and their armada of coaches.  It was in fact a win.  Thus setting the stage for the North West playoffs.  That snap shot should look like this
1.St. Johns                   2.Sylvania Northview
3. Findlay                    4. BGHS
There will of course be the obligatory, dangerous and unacceptable mess of these teams having to face the likes of Springfield, Freemont, etc..   It is ridiculous, considering the large and honestly insurmountable gap with in the state between the elite teams and none.  The States coaches need to say enough is enough and end this madness.  Two TITLES befitting two clearly identifiable levels of play need to be established.  Is it going to take a serious, and potentially life threatening injury to bring upon this change?

Shaker and St. Eds played a nice tilt last-night, a win that really commemorates the rise of the Red Raiders.   The Riaders goals came off the tape of Joey Yoder, Connor Siwik,  Jacob Shick, and John Longman.  The 4-3 win and 28 shots on net is a great step forward in finalizing the look we will see from Cleveland in the playoffs.   What is the danger for Raiders moving forward?  Still working on establishing that winning culture, that takes more than two good seasons.  Defensiveily the Raiders D play soft, with two much gap and indecision in the offensive zone, which lead to giving up quality chances, on Eric Sterner who tightens up in the big games having only a .86 Save percentage and 3.25 GAA.  For Shaker to not only reach the State Finals, but make it out of districts he is going to have get better, and the team in front of him will have to sacrifice some bodies, as their numbers on blocked shots are not good enough.

Tonight's Walsh and Hudson game will be effects as Hudson and Walsh both need this win for the same reason.  To establish themselves.  It is going to a fun one to watch.

Capital play last night found Orange idle in league play.  Liberty however ripped Coffman a new one, I am guessing the Coffman players all are now inked with a property of Liberty tattoo.  The 5-1 rout makes it clear, no one in the Capital conference and hang either team.  Orange is playing St. Charles tonight, and Orange can not afford to let up, and needs to dismantle them.

Ohio High School Hockey Rankings Jan 7 2013

There was a substantial amount of action over the weekend.  Still to come tonight is a tilt between Toledo St. Francis and Bowling Green.   St. Johns knocked off the Sylvania Wildcats, Olentangy Orange toppled Olentangy Liberty in the "Thrilla at the Chilla",  on the 4th Rocky River and Hudson play to a tie, then Rocky River Falls to Holy Name 4-3.  St. Ignatius Downs US 2-1.....So just where does that set the new stage?

Jan 7th 2013
1. Toledo St. Johns 8-0 in NW Ohio League hosting Sylvania Northview Jan 11th
2. Cleveland St. Ignatius  hosting Lake Catholic on the 12th and  at Shaker on the 26th
3. Walsh Jesuit - at Mentor on the 11th, and at Hudson on the 12th
4. Olentangy Orange -hosting Worthington on the 11th and at St. Charles on the 12th.  Time to move up to Red guys.
5. Sylvania Northview at Toledo St Johns Jan 11, hosting Findlay Jan 12
6. Rocky River- at Padua Jan 13th,  at Mentor Jan 25
7. Shaker Heights Big battle with St Ed's on Jan 11 then hosting Strongsville on the 13th
8 Olentangy Liberty- At Dublin Coffman Jan 11th then at Dublin Jerome Jan 12 to tough games.
* Holy Name is nearly cracked in here, on a three game win streak and ever so close. They play Padua on Jan 11 and Hudson on Jan 13.

History and how things are stacking up. 
2011-2012 Northview Wildcats Championship team 32-1-3 Goals For 167 Goals Against 49
2010-2011 Toledo St Francis Knights Championship Team 34-4-1 Goals For 208 Goals Against 82*
2009-2010 Cleveland St. Ignatius Championship Team 30-7-3  Goals For 157 Goals Against 68

Toledo St. Johns 19-5-0          Goals For 116 Goals against 39
Sylvania Northview 14-5-0    Goals For 97 Goals Against 39,
Cleveland St. Ignatius 13-6-3 Goals For 74 Goals Against 45
Shaker heights  13-4-0           Goals For 80 Goals Against 25
Olentangy Orange 14-5-0       Goals For 91 GOals Against 40
Olentangy Liberty 13+3-5       Goals For 93 Goals Against 37



Rankings  1-2-2013
1. Toledo St Johns averaging 5.27 GF/Game and 1.31 GA/game
2.Shaker Heights Consistency and no winning culture established are concerns
3. Rocky River 
4 Olentangy Liberty It is my firm belief that this will come down to a battle between Orange and Liberty
5. Sylvania Northview -every indication at this juncture that this years State Champion will again be from North West Ohio, in a battle between Toledo St Johns and Northview.  
6. Walsh Jesuit some key wins bump them up to crack in to the rankings by .023 .
7. St. Edwards
8. Olentangy Orange

Titans slay Wildcats

The 2010-2011 State Champion Northview Wildcats were slayed by the Titans.

The beheading took place at Tamoshanter and while in the early going it was dominated by the Wildcats.  Lots of pressure and good quality chances, but no one would finish.  Not even in a 5 on 3 situation.  The game eeked over to the Titans ever so steadily.  They wore on the Wildcats. Then on a PP the goals started coming.  Then with their heads laying softly upon the alter, the Titans beheaded the reigning district and state champion Wildcats with a commanding 4-0 win.

The Olentangy battle....round one

The the Thrilla at the Chilla,
The battle between leading Capital confrence favorites goes to my favorite and defending Confrence Champions.  Olentangy Orange won last night over the Olentangy Liberty.  It had to go to over time, because these teams are so evenly matched.  Final 2-1

Ohio High School Hockey Rankings

Starting off the 2013 year this is how the landscape is shaping up. 1-2-2013
our last ranking
Dec 19 2012

1. Sylvania Northview
2. Shaker Heights
3. Rocky River
4. Olentangy Liberty
5. St. Johns Jesuit
6. St. Edwards
7. Walsh
8. Olentangy Orange   





This week  1-2-2013
1. Toledo St Johns averaging 5.27 GF/Game and 1.31 GA/game
2.Shaker Heights Consistancy and no winning culture established are concerns
3. Rocky River 
4 Olentangy Liberty It is my firm belief that this will come down to a battle between Orange and Liberty
5. Sylvania Northview -every indication at this juncture that this years State Champion will again be from North West Ohio, in a battle between Toledo St Johns and Northview.  
6. Walsh Jesuit some key wins bump them up to crack in to the rankings by .023 .
7. St. Edwards
8. Olentangy Orange




Big Games
1-4-2013 Olentangy Orange and Olentangy Liberty * southern showdown
 1-5-2013 Northview and St. John* This season has the similar appearance to the St Francis 2010-2011 Title when the only team to up end the high octain St Francis Knights was Sylvania Northview.  Northview beat the Knights twice in Regular season play, but failed to seal the deal in districts.
1-5-2013 Holly Name and Rocky River
1-5-2013 St Ignatius and U. School
1-11-2013 Shaker and St Edwards* Does Shaker have what it takes to have the winning culture and consistency to make it to states?  A win over a rebuilding St. Eds is a good start, a loss and its not likely from this point forward in the season.
* denotes games with likely impact to State Picture

The arduous path

This is the path less taken, for it is the most arduous.  The rocky, slippery, steep path and there is no turning back.  You have but one of three out comes.  1. You quit.  2. The game is taken away from you.  3. You succeed.
The road to NCAA hockey is just that simple.  You leave your family, your life long friends and maybe your lover.  'Normal" life is on hold.  Your buddies will be at college parties, telling tales of chasing skirts, the poker game and job prospects.  You will be working out, putting in extra reps, trying to not grip your stick to tightly seeking that elusive point, or save, that catches the eye of the watchers. All the while knowing that today, this game, this shift is one of the last.  Your time is limited in this world.  YOU have an expiration date, and day of reckoning ahead. That dreaded day your phone has not rung and or you turn 21 and the game passes you by.
Your goal?  Having your phone ring and learning that you, have just been offered a place among one of 132 D1 & D3 NCAA teams.  One player of 3300.  A last man standing of sorts.  The last of the 1%ers.  You live by one rule.  You must to survive.  You must live in the moment.  Turn a deaf ear to the people who wonder and ask why, as it is to hard to repeatedly explain your dream, your ambition.  Moment to moment, no stopping, no time to look back, and no second chances.  The game of men is upon you.  Each striving for the same prize, and only a handful each season are asked to come play NCAA hockey.
more to come.......