1982 Germantown Academy Wins Cup

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Germantown Academy 1982 Flyers Cup Class AAA Champions
Germantown Academy 1982 Flyers Cup Class AAA Champions

April 1, 1982

Joe Richter was a surprise choice in goal for Germantown Academy last night. So surprised that he recorded the first shutout in Flyers Cup history … so shocked that he turned back 26 shots and stoned West Chester, 5-0. The victory, before 1,500 fans at the Class of 1923 Rink, gave GA the Flyers Cup, symbolic of supremacy in Southeastern Pennsylvania. However, GA, caught in a scheduling conflict, voted not to go to Saturday’s state championship game. West Chester will go instead and will meet Western Pennsylvania champion Baldwin at 9 p.m. in the Johnstown War Memorial Arena. Five of GA’s best players also play on the Little Flyers midgets, who have qualified for this weekend’s national finals in Manchester, N.H.

Senior goalie Joe Richter posts first ever Flyers Cup shutout, 5-0
Senior goalie Joe Richter posts first ever Flyers Cup shutout, 5-0

“We got what we wanted,” said coach Bruce history coach Bruce Craig, clutching the Flyers Cup. “The team voted unanimously not to go to Johnstown unless we could send a full team.” Craig, who also coaches the Little Flyer midgets, said he knew three weeks ago that he might be in the position of declining a state bid. “At that point, I told a couple of parents we’d cross that bridge when we got to it,” Craig said. “The kids simply didn’t want to go without the full team.” The five GA players who also are Little Flyers are Mike Richter, Bob Brody (the Flyers Cup MVP), Mike MacGregor, Rob Schlegel and Mike Mullaney.

But it was Joey Richter, a last-second choice to start when his younger brother Mike said he wasn’t ready to go, who was the star last night. His performance overshadowed two goals by J. J. Reydel and Brody’s election as the tourney most valuable player. But Joey, a senior, nearly didn’t get to play at all. His younger brother, Michael, a freshman, had won the previous two games and was hot, as hockey people say when you’re winning. “I said I wanted to see both Richters,” Craig said, recalling a pregame scene. “I said, ‘I don’t want to hurt either one of you, but I have to go with the hot goaltender.’

“At that point, Michael said, ‘I’m not ready to play.’. . . I don’t know if it was a family matter or what.” Joe, you would think, was tearing down the locker room door to get into the nets. Not necessarily. “At first he was really down,” said Craig. “His chin was on the ground … his ego shattered… because he knew he was the second choice. But we picked him up and I knew in warm-ups he’d be OK.” Joe, who will attend Northwood Prep in Lake Placid, N.Y., next year, said he was ready all along. “All I had in mind was to do well in the first period,” he said, “because that’s when we had been having the most trouble.”. He came up big in the opening moments of the game, making some strong saves to take some of the speed out of West Chester’s attack. But the game remained scoreless until Reydel connected on a power- play goal at 7:09. The junior had climbed back since having minor leg surgery, to repair a circulation problem, on March 19. He put GA firmly in command at 9:31 with a shorthand- ed goal. When MacGregor scored late in the period, West Chester was in serious trouble, and when Ben Wurts scored only 12 seconds into the second peri od, it was over. Brody’s final goal – his fifth of the four-game playoff-created the final score. GA is the first team from the Sub-urban League to win the 3-year-old County League (which includes West Cup. Archbishop Carroll of the Inter- County) had won the first two. GA finished its season 28-1 with the 7-3 loss to Archbishop Ryan on the first night of the Cup playoffs two weeks ago the only blemish. West Chester is 24-2-1 and has a shot at one more victory.
 
Scoring summary

First period: 1, GA, Reydel (Brody), 7:09. 2, GA, Reydel (unassisted), 9:31. 3, GA, MacGregor (B. Wurts), 13:16.
Second period: 4, GA, B. Wurts (MacGregor, C. Wurts), 0:12
Third period: 5, GA, Brody (Mullaney, Reydel), 6:56.
Shots on goal: West Chester 26; Germantown Academy 18.
Goaltenders: WC, Paul Rock; GA, Joe Richter.
Officials: John Shetzline and Mike Condon.

CREDIT: The Philadelphia Inquirer

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