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Hockey Notebook: Quaker Valley unbeaten, but coach not impressed
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Otto Shaefer and his Quaker Valley teammates will take a 13-0 record into their game against Thomas Jefferson Thursday.
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Quaker Valley hockey coach Kevin Quinn doesn't think about the possibility of his team going undefeated.
"For me, personally, it would mean absolutely nothing," Quinn said. "I've done it before, at least in the regular season.
"Winning the last game is the only thing we're worried about."
Quinn's 2006-07 Quaker Valley team went 19-0-1 in the regular season before being upset by Freeport in the Penguins Cup final.
It's been four years since a team finished the entire PIHL season undefeated, when Latrobe went through the 2008-09 regular season, Penguins Cup and state championship without a loss.
But it's looking as if Quaker Valley may have a shot to do the same this season.
The defending Class A state champion Quakers are 13-0 and have outscored their opponents, 110-12. They have beaten every team by at least three goals.
Quaker Valley does have some tough games still to play against Mars (10-2-1) , Freeport (10-2-1), Kittanning (8-3-1) twice and Thomas Jefferson (9-5-0). Those records were before Thursday night when all four teams were scheduled to play.
Quaker Valley already has notched wins against Mars, Freeport and Thomas Jefferson this season.
If the Quakers are able to get through the season undefeated and win their second consecutive state championship, they would have to be mentioned among the better teams in PIHL history.
"They would have to be ranked among the great teams," PIHL commissioner Ed Sam said.
"There are a few teams that have won four or five straight titles, so [Quaker Valley] still has a ways to go, but they are getting there."
Quinn did admit that an undefeated record to go along with the state title would be a good feat.
"If we win the title and go undefeated, that certainly would be nice," Quinn said. "But the goal is to get the No. 1 seed and win the title."
Quinn then stated that, to him, Quaker Valley isn't undefeated this season because it lost twice in the St. Margaret's Foundation Fall Faceoff preseason tournament.
Canon-McMillan brothers offensive
Canon-McMillan (8-4-2 before Thursday's game) entered Monday's game on a three-game losing streak, but the Tonkovich brothers helped the Big Macs get back in the win column.
Sophomore Austin Tonkovich scored two goals and dished out three assists, while his older brother, senior Anthony Tonkovich, had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 win against Penn-Trafford.
The three points gave Anthony Tonkovich 32 for the season, which tied him for the team lead with Carmen Dalesandro. Austin Tonkovich had 24 points after Monday's game, which was good for third on the team.
Anthony Tonkovich was the second-highest returning scorer from last season in Class AAA after scoring 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists).
Recktenwald surges
Peters Township (9-4-0) senior Trevor Recktenwald took the lead in the PIHL Class AAA scoring race after recording seven points (four goals, three assists) in the team's 10-1 win against Mt. Lebanon Monday.
Recktenwald raised his point total to 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists) after Monday's game and has scored at least one point in every game this season. Monday was the third time this season he scored seven points in a game and he has scored at least four points seven times in the current campaign.
Recktenwald finished last season with 22 goals and 15 assists.
Games of the Week
• Canon-McMillan at Peters Township, 8:30 p.m. Monday, Iceoplex
All four Class AAA Section 1 teams are still in the hunt to win the section title, but the Big Macs (8-4-2) and Indians (9-4-0) were tied atop the standings after Monday's action with 18 points.
• Pine-Richland at Hampton, 9:10 p.m. Monday, Ice Connection
It's the first of two matchups between the Rams (8-3-1) and Talbots (7-3-1 before Thursday's game), the top two teams in Class AA Section 4. The northern Allegheny County neighbors are developing a strong rivalry on the ice.
First Published January 18, 2013 12:00 am
