March 28, 1984
It was a matchup between a team. that hinges its success on the lunch- pail work ethic and one that kills softly with speed and finesse. Chalk one up for the lunch-pail kids. Archbishop Ryan last night became the first school within the city limits to bring home the Flyers Cup with an exciting 54 victory over Council Rock before about 1,000 spectators at the Havertown Skatium. Ryan became the first team from the Lower Bucks County Scholastic League to win the cup in the tourney’s five-year existence. The Raiders went 3-0 in the tourney. But the emotional victory did not come easily. Ryan needed a power- play goal by Craig Campagnolio with 1:35 remaining to punctuate a come- back and spark a frenzied celebration that spilled into the locker room. Campagnolio’s goal, his second of the game, came from just outside the crease after he took a pass from John Stafford and beat Council Rock goal- keeper Craig Del Farra. Ryan, outplayed and looking a bit sluggish through the first two periods, trailed 3-2 entering the third period. Campagnolio pulled Ryan even, 3-3, just 1:10 into the period by stuffing in a shot from in close.
Two minutes later, Dan Palmer, Ryan’s clever center who won the Bobby Clarke Award as the tourney’s Most Valuable Player, put the Raiders in front with a brilliant solo effort. Palmer blasted a shot on net and raced behind the goal to regain control of the puck. He then circled in front of the net, unattended, and fired in the go-ahead goal. But Council Rock had the big weapon and used it to tie the score, 4- 4, with less than 10 minutes remaining. That weapon was John Rankel, a center with a laser slapshot and jet- propelled skates. Rankel’s tying goal gave him a hat trick, and it set the scene for a harrowing finish. “My ulcers have ulcers,” Ryan coach Bob Ipri said. “It’s over and I’m still nervous.” The reason for Ipri’s anxiety was clear. Ryan’s Mike Kennedy, a bullish defenseman, went off for charging at 8:39 of the third period and compounded the predicament by drawing an extra 2 minutes for un- sportsmanlike conduct. Council Rock’s Steve Strzelecki went off 29 seconds later, but then Steve Skiba followed teammate Kennedy into the penalty box, leaving Ryan two players short for 2 minutes. But Ryan survived, thanks to the staunch goaltending of Frank Skirpan, who made a marvelous save on dangerous Mike Cardonick in the closing minute. After Campagnolio’s eventual winning goal, Kennedy again went off for interference with 38 seconds to go. Predictably, Council Rock pulled its goalie and made one final rush at the Ryan net. But Skirpan, who made 23 saves, refused to crumble. “We were two men short twice against them the first time we played [last Wednesday],” Ipri said, “and we held them off then as well. But we’ve been doing those kinds of things all year long. It’s just that these kids don’t know how to quit, and they refuse to lose. We have no superstars, just 17 hungry kids.”
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Rven, Jim Rohan (Dan Palm- er, Dan Rock), 2:32. 2, Council Rock, John Rankel (un- assisted). 3, Council Rock, Matt Harrington (John Delfini, John Vosburgh), 8:29.
SECOND PERIOD: 4, Ryan, Steve Skibe (Dave Lauanga, Ray Matz), 9:14. 5, Council Reck, John Ran- kel (Steve Strzelecki, Craig Dalferra, 13:14.
THIRD PERIOD: Ryan Craig Campagnolle (Dan Palmer), 1:10. 7, Ryan, Dan Palmer (Steve Skiba), 2:16. 8, Council Rock, John Rankel (Matt Gor ing, Steve Strzelecki), 5:15. 9, Ryan, Craig Campagnollo (John Stafford, Ray Matz), 13:25.
Shots on goal: Ryan 7-9-4-20. Council Rock 9-10-8 -27.
Goalles: Ryan, Skirpan. Council Rock: Dal Farra.
CREDIT: Philadelphia Inquirer
