2018 All-Area Teams (Delco)

April 9, 2018

All-Delco Hockey: Mature McCanney grew into the Player of Year

Player of the Year

After Cardinal O’Hara defeated Father Judge, 3-2, in overtime to win the PCL championship, Crusaders coach William Connors gave Liam McCanney, who had scored the winning goal, one of those compliments reserved for the top performers in scholastic athletics. He congratulated McCanney on a great career.

“He said, ‘I’m glad you’re gone now so we don’t have to worry about you next year,’” recalled
McCanney.

That’s a sentiment shared by hockey teams all over the greater Philadelphia area. Every night McCanney stepped on the ice, he was among the fastest skaters. He also packed the hardest wrist shot and possessed enough finesse to turn defensemen and goaltenders inside out. And at a stout 5-10, 180 pounds — so stout, in fact, that he ripped both of his No. 91 Lions sweaters down the sides so they’d fit better — he eagerly threw his weight around. It was all in the name of victory.

“Whenever I put the helmet on and the jersey on, I always have fire under my skates,” McCanney said. “I always want to win. No one’s beating me. That’s who I am.” That competitiveness fueled O’Hara to a second consecutive PCL crown and the program’s first appearance in the Flyers Cup AAA semifinals since 2012. McCanney was brilliant in the postseason run.

He had a goal and an assist as the Lions upset La Salle in the quarterfinals, 3-2, and followed up with a hat-trick and five-point effort against defending-champion Holy Ghost Prep in a 6-5 defeat. By his own admission, it was the best game he played in an O’Hara uniform.

“I felt like that could’ve been my last game,” McCanney said. “I had to do everything I could for that team.”

McCanney finished his senior campaign with 39 goals and 68 points in just 18 games. He is the 2018 Daily Times Player of the Year.

McCanney is joined on the All-Delco team by two of his Lions teammates, junior forward John Paul Ahearn and fellow senior captain Justin Boornazian, one of two defensemen on the team along with Haverford High’s Dante Gattone. Michael Giampapa of Ridley, the 2017 Player of the Year, returns to the First Team for the third consecutive year after a 78-point season. Strath Haven junior center Mike Irey and Archbishop Carroll senior goaltender Jacob George complete the squad. The All-Delco teams and player of the year are selected by the Daily Times with input from area coaches.

Like anyone who toes the line in terms of legal physical play, McCanney often crossed it. He was out to prove that he could not only skate with the La Salle’s, Holy Ghost’s and St. Joe’s Prep’s of the world, but that he could beat them, too. The fiery spirit, and a propensity to retaliate, made O’Hara head coach Ed Banes hesitant to give McCanney a leadership role, despite all his talent.

“It was really difficult at first,” McCanney said. “Junior year, I felt like I could’ve been a captain. But I was still young and maturing. Coach really helped a long way in (growing more) mature and making what this team is.”

Banes admitted he and his staff “battled” McCanney throughout 2016-17. But prior to a Flyers Cup tilt with Malvern Prep, he finally gave his star an “A.”

“Basically, it would’ve been easy for me to do it just to do it,” Banes said. “We used it as a challenge to him.” Although the Lions fell 6-1, that move inspired McCanney in the offseason. “(Banes) told me after the game, ‘You and Justin (Boornazian) are going to be the captains,’” remembered McCanney. “You have to be ready to step into that role.” McCanney came out of the gates in 2017-18 flying and teammates followed suit. He had a six-point night against Carroll in an 8-0 win, then a nine-point performance, including four goals, against Flyers Cup A semifinalist Strath Haven eight days later. With center John Paul Ahearn (69 points) and winger Zac Deemer (55), McCanney drove the most prolific line in the county, as the trio mixed speed, skill and chemistry to devastating effect.

And yet, McCanney still found himself being ushered away by referees. He racked up 52 penalty minutes, most of which came in the season’s first half. “I thought to myself, I’ve got to stay out of the box,” McCanney said. “You can’t lead in the box. You can’t win in the box. That’s how teams, I felt, got me off my game.” He learned a hard lesson once he crossed the 50-PIM threshold, which carries a mandatory one-game suspension. With O’Hara fighting to clinch the PCL regular season title, McCanney was a spectator for a crucial February matchup with second-place Archbishop Ryan. The Lions won 5-2.

“It was pretty hard watching from up top,” McCanney said. “I realized that game that my team didn’t need me. It was cool seeing them winning and getting it done without me, but I want to be a part of the win.”

“The fact of the matter is, we tried to let him know just because you’re the best player, you can’t do whatever you want,” Banes said. “Without you, we can win the PCL. With you, the sky’s the limit. We can compete with anybody. McCanney took the message to heart: “Now it’s my time to go,” he said.

Go he did. When Father Judge climbed back from 2-0 down to force overtime in the PCL title game, McCanney willed O’Hara to victory. “I was in my own head when they came back,” he said. “I was like, ‘Dang. If we don’t get this done, we look bad.’ So I just focused in.” He scored the winner then added two more points as the No. 6 Lions clipped No. 3 La Salle in the Flyers Cup. That magical five-point night against Holy Ghost Prep followed. “As much as my team played awesome,” Banes said “if we didn’t have Liam that’s a four-goal game.” Instead, it was a one-goal defeat, painfully close given that O’Hara had the equalizer disallowed for a high stick. “Honestly, I still get chills about that game,” McCanney said. He didn’t quite match the feats of his brother Connor, who won a state championship with the Lions in 2010, but he did restore O’Hara’s place at the top of Delco hockey. “He was monumental to getting us back to where we want to be,” Banes said. McCanney’s teammates were just as appreciative. “Everyone on our team came up to me and Justin and shook our hands,” said McCanney, who will try out for the Northeast Generals of the North American Hockey League this summer, “and said thank you for everything we did. It was really emotional. But also, I had pride in it.”

All – Delco Team

In addition to Player of the Year Liam McCanney, the All-Delco hockey team includes:

Michael Giampapa, Sr., forward, Ridley >> The 2017 Daily Times Player of the Year followed up his award-winning junior season with an even better campaign in 2017-18. Giampapa added physicality to his repertoire, while continuing to pile up points at a ridiculous rate. He scored a goal in all but one game, totaling 44 in 18 contests. As the Central League’s top scorer and perhaps its most respected player, Giampapa was indispensable to a Green Raiders squad that was rebuilding in more ways than one. Ridley scored 102 goals this season. Giampapa, with his 44 goals and 34 assists, had a hand in 78 of them. He closes his career with 265 points, including regular season and Flyers Cup play.

John Paul Ahearn, Jr., forward, Cardinal O’Hara >> With 2018 Player of the Year Liam McCanney on one wing and honorable mention All-Delco Zac Deemer on the other, Ahearn centered the county’s top line as the Lions won their second consecutive PCL title and reached the Flyers Cup AAA semifinals. The two-way pivot-man was hardly just a sidekick. Ahearn led O’Hara in scoring with 69 points — 67 in the regular season and the PCL playoffs, two more in the Flyers Cup. A patient player with deceptive speed, Ahearn used his long stride and reach to protect the puck against defenders and pull goaltenders out of position. He had six five-point nights and five hat tricks and was never better than he was in a late-season tilt against Archbishop Ryan. With McCanney serving a one-game suspension and Deemer out for long stretches of the game with an injury, Ahearn had a goal and two assists in a crucial 5-2 Lions’ victory.

Mike Irey, Jr., forward, Strath Haven >> The bigger the game, the bigger Irey played. So it’s been for two seasons as the do-everything center has keyed the Panthers’ resurgence. Irey led Strath Haven with 29 goals in 22 games, including two overtime winners. He scored three times in a run to the Flyers Cup A semifinals, where the Panthers fell just short against West Chester East. Irey scored a third-period goal to bring Haven within one and peppered the Vikings’ net-minder until the final whistle of a 5-3 defeat. Physical, fast and packing a heavy wrist shot, Irey was called a “bull,” in a complimentary way, by East head coach Eric Wolf.

Dante Gattone, Sr., defenseman, Haverford >> Gattone’s 19 goals and team-high 45 points give the impression that he was a purely offensive defenseman, but that wasn’t the case. He was often creating odd-man rush opportunities from his own defensive zone, picking off passes and skating down opposing forwards and forcing them into turnovers. Then Gattone would turn on the jets the other way. He was a 200-foot defensemen, who, despite moving freely on the ice, was rarely caught out of position. Gattone was at his best during the Fords’ surprising run to the Central League title game, scoring three goals and two assists in three games as Haverford finished second to Conestoga.

Justin Boornazian, Sr., defenseman, Cardinal O’Hara >> A forward by trade, Boornazian demonstrated his worth to the Lions by moving back to the blue line and solidifying a young defensive corps. His strong skating and puck-handling ability gave McCanney, Ahearn and Co. up front license to push the rush as Boornazian would break the puck out then join the attack. He was also terrific on special teams, scoring a power-play goal and adding an assist with the man-advantage in O’Hara’s 6-5 loss to Holy Ghost Prep in the Flyers Cup AAA semifinals. Boornazian had four multi-point games to finish with 17 goals in 15 games.

Jacob George, Sr., goaltender, Archbishop Carroll >> George’s numbers won’t blow you away: He carried a 4.93 goals against average and an .884 save percentage. But it was how he played the position that made him an All-Delco selection. Besides, goaltender stats, more than any other, are contingent on a perceptive scorekeeper. For instance, the Daily Times recorded 60 saves for George in an 8-0 defeat to O’Hara; the Skatium had him down for 38. At any rate, George gave the rebuilding Patriots a chance every night he stood between the pipes. Athletic, smart and remarkably competitive, he posted save totals of 73 against Bonner, 63 against Father Judge and 50 against Penncrest. The last of those three came in a 2-1 Carroll win.

All-Area First Team

Liam McCanney, forward, Cardinal O’Hara
Michael Giampapa, forward, Ridley
Mike Irey, forward, Strath Haven
John Paul Ahearn, forward, Cardinal O’Hara
Dante Gattone, defenseman, Haverford
Justin Boornazian, defenseman, Cardinal O’Hara
Jacob George, goaltender, Archbishop Carroll

All-Area Second Team

Kevin Brown, forward, Springfield
Dan Barrett, forward, Springfield
Ryan Spanier, forward, Strath Haven
Michael Desio, forward, Ridley
Thomas Yocum, defenseman, Springfield
Blayden Reid, defenseman, Strath Haven
Troy Percival, goaltender, Cardinal O’Hara

Honorable Mention

Archbishop Carroll: Jason Zambella
Bonner & Prendergast: Jakob Moleski, Pat Jensen
Cardinal O’Hara: Zac Deemer, Matt Beck
Episcopal Academy: Tyler French, Brendan Huf
Garnet Valley: Matthew Wood
Haverford: Tyler Cassidy, Daniel Quartapella
Haverford School: Cal Buonocore, Bobby Gibson, Grey Rumain
Interboro: Stephen Schwartz, Jake Reifer
Marple Newtown: Ian Malarick
Penncrest: Matthew Dougherty, Declan Casey
Radnor: Jake Rader, Luc VonCzoernig
Ridley: Brett Dunning, Eric Miller
Springfield: Steven Griffin, Lachlan Plummer
Strath Haven: Lukas Bernaus, Liam Carney

By Dillon Friday
PAPrepLive