High School Ice Hockey:
Township Remains Unbeaten, With Help From Buddy

Friday, November 5, 1999

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Buddy Anderson had two goals and three assists to help Washington Township skate by Lenape 7-3, in a varsity game played on Friday night at the Coliseum. Playing with a number of J.V. players in their lineup, as well as missing their starting goalie, Township generated fifty shots on goal. If not for the outstanding play of Indian's goalie Sean Sheehan, they would have scored a lot more.

Anderson opened the scoring three minutes into the game on a nice feed from Chris Andrews and Joby Passanante. Midway through the period Billy Verdecchio scored at the tail end of a 2 to 1. Anderson held the puck and when the defensemen committed, he slid it across to Verdecchio whom converted and it was 2-0. With just under a minute remaining, Anderson flew into the zone and fed Passanante who lit the light. The period ended with Township ahead 3-0.

When Verdecchio scored his second goal in the first fifty seconds of the middle stanza, the lead grew to 4-0. This young Lenape team could have folded, but you could sense if they could generate some offense and get the puck on net, good things would happen.

Finally Greg Bagnoli scored with Tony Fluder and Jon Bianco assisting and the Indians had life. Less than two minutes later Tom Lizzio cut the lead to 4-2 as he was set up by Ken McClure. Back in the game and with Sheehan playing strong, the Indians kept the pressure on and at the three-minute mark, Fluder tallied and it was 4-3 heading into the third period.

Township however would increase their lead as Joe Pelle scored to make it 5-3. Forty seconds later Anderson notched his second goal on a feed from Derek Poletis and that sealed the game at 6-3. Eric Marano ended the scoring for Township in the last minute and, with the 7-3 win, the Minutemen remain unbeaten.