High School Ice Hockey:
Gori, Poletis Pace Township Attack

Friday, January 7, 2000

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Joe Gori had four goals and an assist, and Derek Poletis added two goals as Washington Township defeated Cinnaminson 8-2 in a SJHSIHL game played on Friday night at Hollydell. Tom Wood scored his first of two goals to give Cinnaminson the early 1-0 lead, as he converted on the power play with John Oliver and Bill DeVoce assisting. Township would tie the game at 1-1 with just over five minutes left in the period. After a good play by Dan Frantantoro to keep the puck in, Eric Marano made a great pass on the tape to Gori, who banged home his first of four.

This game was up for grabs, as Cinnaminson played a solid game and made Township work harder than they expected. The game was actually decided by two separate outbursts, each no longer than a minute. The first outburst occurred with Cinnaminson on the power play. Township forward Bill Verdecchio dumped the puck in, and Gori out-hustled everyone to the puck and scored short-handed to make it 2-1. Thirty-eight seconds later, Mike Schauffele was set-up by Gori. Township had its second short-handed goal and a 3-1 lead. Twenty-two seconds later Gori made it 4-1 on a pass from Steve Brown.

Cinnaminson could not muster much offense and didn't get their first shot on goal of the period until two minutes remained in the period. But they made it count, as Wood scored his second of the game. So, despite being outplayed and out-shot twenty- nine to five, it was only 4-2 heading into the last period. The game was still in doubt until Township scored four goals in the span of one minute, with Poletis scoring his two between one by Buddy Anderson. Fittingly Gori closed out the scoring to make the final 8-2.