High School Ice Hockey:
Eastern Whips Cherokee

Monday, February 14, 2000

By Jack Anderson
SJSports Special Correspondent

Defending League Champion Eastern pounded their way into the semifinals for the 5th straight year and romped Cherokee by an 11 to 4 score. Cherokee kept it close in the first period on goals by Tim Edwards and Steve Boianelli. The score was tied going into the second period 2-2. Eastern took control in the second period, however, and scored 3 straight goals before Edwards scored again to make the score 6 to 3 heading into the third.

Eastern scored five more unanswered goals in a five minute span early in the third period. This all but shut the door on the Cherokee season as Eastern coasted to a win, and a date with Clearview in the Semifinals. The Vikings goal scorers were Joe Jurkofski, Ryan Janiszewski, and Adam Esfahani with a goal apiece: Mike Cianfrani tallied a pair while Mike Becker scored four.

Cinnaminson Upsets Shawnee

Cinnaminson continued to drive toward their first semi final appearance, with a convincing win over 4 seed Shawnee. The Pirates kept Shawnee in their own end for most of the night. Cinnaminson got three first period goals before Mike Codani's goal gave Shawnee some life early in the second period to make it 3 to 1. Cinnaminson came right back with three more before Chris Jennings, Casey Sherman and Alan Dennison scored three straight Shawnee goals and bought Shawnee to within 2. Cinnaminson's Anthony Mottola slammed the door with his second goal of the night with 10 minutes left to snuff the Shawnee rally and Cinnaminson cruised to an 8 to 4 win.

Tom Wood and Bill DeVece continued to pace the Cinnaminson offense as they have done all year, with Wood scoring 2 goals and an assist, and DeVece scoring a hat trick and an assist. John Oliver also netted a goal in the win in addition to Mottola's pair.

Township Too Much For Rancocas

Number 12 seed Rancocas Valley, coming off an upset win over Lenape, were not in awe of Township's undefeated season and gamely fought off a consistent attack by the Minutemen. Rancocas goaltender Jim Lunquist made 11 first period saves but Township's Joe Gori was able to crack one through halfway through the opening period. Township seemed frustrated at their inability to get some breathing room until defenseman Buddy Anderson scored a pair of goals within the last minute of the first period. Eric Preuss gave Rancocas a lift early in the second period, scoring on the power play, and bringing them to within 2 goals. This is where the score stayed for the rest of the second period and most of the third. Township spent most of the evening killing off the 11 short-handed situations they were handed.

Despite being out shot 36 to 11, Rancocas hung in there until Anderson popped in an empty net goal for the hat trick, and a 4 -1 Township win. Captain Derek Poletis had two assists for Township, who will open up the Semifinals against Cinnaminson Friday at Hollydell.

Clearview Survives Scare

It took 3 periods and overtime to do it, but Clearview advanced to the Semifinals with a stunning win over a very game Cherry Hill East squad. Details will follow, but Johnny Meenan's game tying and game winning point blasts saved Clearview from elimination and preserved a much anticipated Semifinal match up with rival Eastern. This series will open up Friday at Hollydell.