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After a dominating run in the postseason to win the NEPA Scholastic Hockey League championship, the Crestwood varsity ice hockey team is ready to take it to another level.
The team has been invited to participate in the 2015 Flyers Cup, an invitational tournament featuring the top high school teams in the eastern part of the state. The winner goes on to face the top team from the Penguins Cup in western Pennsylvania to compete for the overall state title.
Crestwood is the first team from northeastern Pennsylvania to be invited to the tournament, and they are heading there as a confident group.
“We had a close group this year and had a successful season, so we’re optimistic,” said senior Matt Madry, who plays center and is the Crestwood captain. “I’ve been on the team since i was a freshman and this is the best group I’ve seen and right now we’re playing some of our best hockey.”
Crestwood head coach Paul Eyerman said his team’s success this season caught the eye of Flyers Cup officials from the Delaware Valley and Philadelphia, and that led to the invite. During the regular season, Crestwood finished in first place with a 12-1-1 record and they dominated their way through the postseason, outscoring their opponents 28-1 through three rounds to win the championship.
The NEPASHL title was the sixth championship for the Comets, who now get to see how they match up against other top teams in the eastern part of the state.
“It’s a tremendous honor and I’m very proud,” Eyerman said. “The kids are extremely excited, especially are seniors because this is their last opportunity to wear the Crestwood jersey. It’s a great way to finish their senior year.”
And they want to make the most of it.
“A lot of us grew up playing together on the ponds and at the rinks and getting invited to the tournament is a good feeling knowing we’re good enough,” said senior defenseman Austin Orso. “We have good team chemistry and we feel really good about ourselves going into this.”
Eyerman said the teams from the east generally play a more physical style of hockey, while his Crestwood team has built its success on speed and skill. He said they’ve focused on playing a more physical game of late to prepare for the tournament, and the Comets also have a decent track record against teams from the Delaware Valley.
Over the last few years Crestwood has played three games against teams from the Allentown and Reading areas, and they won two.
“That helped us. It gives us a good track record to build from,” Eyerman said.
Crestwood will play in the A division and enters the tournament as the 19th seed. On Monday they’ll travel to the Delaware Valley to take on the Penncrest Lions, a team out of Delaware County. If the Comets win, they’ll advance to play the third seeded high school team from Hershey on March 4.
Eyerman said if the Comets can overtake the physical team from Penncrest, they match up very well against Hershey’s style of play.
Madry admitted that high school hockey is more popular in the southeastern part of the state but that won’t deter Crestwood’s confidence. The more physical style of play also won’t be a problem to adjust to, he said.
“You definitely have to keep your head up a little more so you don’t get lit up, but we’re ready to bring the hitting game as well and be aggressive,” Madry said.
And while the chance to win a state championship is as big as it gets, Madry added he is even more motivated by the fact that one loss means an end to his time as a Crestwood ice hockey player.
“After being involved with this team for so long, it’s overwhelming. Hopefully we’ll be able to do a little damage in this tournament to keep the dream going,” Madry said. “I’m just going to have a good time, play my game and hope for a good result.”