High School Ice Hockey: No Clear Cut Favorite for Hockey Crown Tuesday, January 1, 2002 By Mike Costantino SJSports Staff Writer As the SJHSIHL enjoys its holiday break and teams prepare for the stretch run to battle for positioning, for the first time in a couple of years there is no clear cut dominant team that you can say should win it all. Bunched at the top of the division are Cherokee, Clearview and Washington Township with usually no more than two points separating these teams. Township, last years champ, lost some key players and leaders and hasn't established a number one goalie. Clearview, won the title two years ago and could be the slight favorite if they play disciplined hockey and avoid the retaliatory penalties. Cherokee has a number of key players from the JV championship team of a few years ago including goaltender Chris Sabol and has surprised several people and have the ingredients to compete. Eastern and Cinnaminson while hovering around the five hundred mark have both won key games against the leading three and have solid goaltending but lack scoring depth. However in the playoffs, defense and goaltending win championships and they could both a surprise in the playoffs. It should be an interesting and exciting two months of hockey. The first key match-up of the New Year will be at the Skate Zone on January 7th as Township will meet Cherokee at 7:45PM. Happy Holidays!

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