March 26, 1981
Jeffrey Arnold clinched the Flyers Cup last night, scoring five goals and setting a record with 17 in the four- game series, as defending champion Archbishop Carroll humiliated Haverford, 9-0, at Penn’s Class of ’23 Rink Carroll thus successfully defended the Cup, and its goaltenders, Rob Schnorr and backup Tom McCullough, shared the first shutout in the Cup’s two-year history. Arnold won the Bobby Clarke Award, symbolic of the most valuable player in the series, by breaking the record of last year’s award winner, former teammate Scott Chamness. Chamness, now at Canterbury (Conn.) Prep School, had scored 13 goals last year to win the award, getting a hat trick in each of the four games. Arnold scored five goals on three occasions, and two in the Patriots” third game.
The victory advances Carroll to the Pennsylvania Cup, the inaugural state scholastic championship. The Patriots will meet either Upper St. Clair or Pittsburgh North Catholic at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Penn rink. The win was Carroll’s 26th in 27 games this year and the Patriots have sailed through the Cup with a 7-1 record the past two years. Haverford has lost seven games this winter, six of them to Carroll. The Patriots were coached by their regular coaches, Gary Vetre and Frank DiGiandomenico last night. The two had sat out the previous three games under a suspension mandated by the Inter-County League following the league’s championship playoffs. Former Patriot Greg Arnold and team president Butch Burdo had coached the first three games of the Cup.
The game lost its competitive edge early, when Carroll defenseman Carmen DiGiandomenico skated the length of the ice just 1 minute, 39 seconds into the game, and scored an unassisted goal. Phil Chamness, who set a Cup record with 15 assists, scored two minutes later and the rout was on. Arnold scored the third goal of the. period, then scored four straight in the second, and Carroll was sailing. “I’d say it was our best game of the year,” Vetre said. “We took it to ’em. right off the bat.”
“Having the coaches suspended really worked out to our advantage,” Jeff Arnold said. “They had to sit in the stands, so they were able to scout Haverford three times (in the round- robin preliminary). They could see their weaknesses and what we had to do to win. “Winning the award is an experience I can’t explain. It’s great… a great honor.” Both DiGiandomenico and Phil Chamness started a year ago, on the first Carroll Cup winner. Both said this one was better. “Old hat,” DiGiandomenico exploded. “That’s what it doesn’t – it gets sweeter every year.”
This was more of a team effort,” Phil Chamness said. “We all worked hard for it. This was our big goal all year. Last year it was more of a great individual effort by Scott.” This might have been the last cup in the present three-league (Inter-County, Suburban and Lower Bucks) format. The Inter-County is breaking up, as eight teams will pull out and form the East Penn League next fall. They are West Catholic, St. James, Cardinal O’Hara, Monsignor Bonner, Marple-Newtown, Malvern Prep, Episcopal Academy and Haverford. One thing is probable, though with Jeff Arnold, Phil Chamness and Eric Madigan back again next year the East Penn winner will have to play Carroll in the Flyers Cup. The Patriots seem intent on retiring the trophy.
Carroll: 3 – 5 – 1 – 9
Haverford: 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
First period: 1, AC, DiGiandomenico (unassisted), 19, 2, AC, Chameess (DiGiandomenico, Marra), 2:58 3. AC, Arnold (Chamness, Burdo) 11:23.
Second period: 4. AC, Marra (Chamness, Arnold), 3:52 5, AC, Arnold (Channess. DiGiandomenco), 4:48. 6, AC, Arnold (Burdo, DiGiandomenicol, 6:23, 7, AC, Arnold (DiGiandemerecel, 6:09. 8, AC, Arnold (Chamness, DiGiandomenico).
Third period: AC, Puhl (DiPianol. 14:02
Shots on goal: AC: 14-8-5-27, H: 6-4-4-14.
Goaltenders: AC: Schnorr, McCullough H: Cifone
Officials: Rick Greenleaf and John Shetzline
CREDIT: The Philadelphia Inquirer
