1996 All-Area Team (Chester County)

All in all, the 1995-96 scholastic ice hockey season was one that ended much too soon for local teams.
West Chester East, the Daily Local News’ No. 1 team in the final rankings, and Unionville each capped successful regular seasons. The Vikings were 11-3-2 in the Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League, while the Indians were 15-0-1 with postseason losses.
But each bowed out in the first round of the Flyers Cup Tournament. After fighting back to a 2-2 tie in the final 1:30 of regulation, East dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Haverford High, while Unionville, which led 4-2 with 7:00 left in the third period, lost in overtime, 5-4 over in the Eastern High School Hockey League, Downingtown jumped out to a 10-2-2 start, but went 1-5-1 in their final seven games including a 2-1 loss in a best-of- three semifinal playoff series with Haverford High.
But that’s not to say that the season was without its success stories.
West Chester Henderson, in its first season at the AAA level, finished four points shy of a Flyers Cup berth while posting a 14-7-2 record. Conestoga upset defending ICSHL Tournament champion St. Pius X on the way to a spot in the league semifinals. Bishop Shanahan finished with a winning record 11-8-2 for the first time in school history. And Kennett, a first-year program, won two of its final three regular-season games.
Here are the members of the Daily Local News All-Area Ice Hockey First Team:

Marc Abels
Unionville
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Abels, a sophomore, finished ninth among Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League scorers with 33 goals, fifth-best in the league, and 13 assists for 46 points. The 6-2, 200-pounder used his size and speed to help the Indians to a 23-5-1 record, an ICSHL Division AA title, and a spot in the Flyers Cup Tournament. Abels, who with Charles Gerbron and Phil DiToro was part of one of the area’s most potent lines, had five power-play goals.

Paul Dorn
Downingtown
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Dorn, a junior, led the Eastern High School Hockey League with 27 goals and was fourth in the league in overall scoring with 43 points. The left wing also led the league in power-play goals (six) and game-winning goals (four) while posting a plus-24 rating. Dorn helped the Whippets to an 18-13-4 mark and a spot in the EHSHL semifinals. Dorn, a 5-11, 165-pounder who also plays for the Quaker Midget A-1 club team, is an honor-roll student at Downingtown.

Mike Graves
Conestoga
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Graves, a junior, tied for the ICSHL scoring title with 43 goals and 41 assists for 84 points.
The left wing finished as the league leader in power-play goals (eight), short-handed goals (five), and hat tricks (10). He also had eight games in which he recorded three or more assists.
The 5-10, 150-pounder’s speed and scoring ability led the Pioneers into the semifinals of the ICSHL playoffs. Along the way, Conestoga knocked off defending champion St. Pius X.
Graves, who is also a member of the Quaker Midget A-1 club team, is an honor-roll student at Conestoga.

Zdenek Horak
W.C. East
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Zdenek, an exchange student from the Czech Republic, was the eighth-leading scorer in the ICSHL, registering 30 goals and 17 assists for 47 points.
One of the league’s flashiest players, the senior left wing from Prague had seven hat tricks on the season.
Horak, who was the Most Valuable Player of the Czech Under-16 National team in 1992-93, also plays for the Quaker Midget A-1 club team.

Peter Menan
W.C. Henderson
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Menan, a sophomore, helped the Warriors to one of their most successful seasons ever. The 5-8, 165-pound defenseman, who also showed some scoring punch, was, along with Jeff Miller, part of the area’s top defensive combination.
Menan is also a member of the Quaker Midget A-1 club team.

Jeff Miller
W.C. Henderson
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Miller, a junior defenseman, helped solidify the Warriors’ back line as Henderson had one of its most successful seasons ever. The 5-6, 145-pound assistant captain was also able to spark the Warriors’ offense with an occasional goal.
Miller, a member of the French Honor Society at Henderson, also plays for the Quaker Midget A-1 club team.

Dave Marlin
Downingtown
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Marlin, a senior goaltender, saw the bulk of the playing time in the Whippets’ platoon system and posted a 3.63 goals-against average in 10 games.
Marlin, who also plays for the Quaker Midget A-1 club team, is an honor-roll student at Downingtown.

Mike Walsh
Downingtown
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Walsh, a sophomore goalie, finished with a 5-2-1 record and a 2.62 goals-against average while posting one shutout in logging 344 minutes. Walsh’s goals-against average was the EHSHL’s second-best among goalies with over 180 minutes of playing time.