April 2, 1998
When he was a freshman, Garnet Valley’s Mike Pacitti knew nothing about it. Now, he has won it.
For all Mike Pacitti knew, the Flyers Cup could have been what Bob Clarke used for his morning coffee. “When I was a freshman, I didn’t even know about the Flyers Cup, ” Pacitti said. A senior at Garnet Valley, Pacitti has become well-acquainted with the Flyers Cup. The Jaguars, who are in their fourth year of existence as an official ice hockey team, won the Flyers Cup Class A championship on Sunday at the CoreStates Spectrum. Garnet Valley turned back Pennsbury, 4-2, as Pacitti produced two goals and two assists. The senior forward was named the MVP of the tournament, which brings together the best teams from the six scholastic hockey leagues in the Philadelphia area as well as central Pennsylvania. Before the season began back in October, Pacitti and his teammates talked about their objectives. “We wanted to win the Flyers Cup,” Pacitti said. “We came together and said we wanted to do it this year.” The team also has received contributions from a strong senior class that includes forwards Tony Coia, Jarrid Frye, Ralph Papa, Ben Seidman, Steve Krech and Robert Capriotti, defensemen Art Halstead, Jeff Cioll and Bhrat Ramprasad, and goalies Anthony Contipodero and J.J. Ferroni. Sophomore forward Charlie Washkalavitch and Pacitti each scored a goal in a 2-1 Flyers Cup semifinal win over Radnor on March 25 at Ice Line in West Chester: Next for the Jaguars is Sunday’s state championship game against Seton-La Salle at Rostraver Gardens in New Stanton, Pa.
Friars’ finish. Malvern Prep, the defending Flyers Cup Class AAA champion, was beaten by La Salle, 4-3 in overtime, in Friday’s semifinal game at the Skatium. La Salle, which won the Class AAA title in 1996, earned its second championship in three years with a 4-3 win over Germantown Academy on Sunday at the CoreStates Spectrum. It will face Pittsburgh Central Catholic in Sunday’s state final. While the Explorers established themselves as the top Inter-County League team in the area, the runner-up, Malvern (22-7), came closer each time the teams met. The Friars built a 3-2 lead on goals by junior Jack Gardner and sophomores Joe Testa and Chris Lawrence before La Salle rallied for the semifinal win. “The kids gave their best effort, which is all you can ask,” said the Rev. Ed Casey, a Malvern assistant coach. “As we prepare for next year, we have to look at La Salle as the team to beat.”Senior goalie Jeff Furchak kept the Friars competitive against a La Salle team that went four lines deep and never stopped shooting, Jeff Furchak was tremendous,” Father Casey said. “He kept us in the game single-handedly.”
Radnor comes close. Radnor overcame injuries and an abundance of schedule changes this season to win the Inter-County League’s Class A North regular season title and advance to the Flyers Cup semifinals. The Red Raiders’ season ended on March 25 with a 2-1 loss to Garnet Valley on a power-play goal. Senior forward Matt Silverio scored Radnor’s goal. “It was a tough loss,” Radnor coach Tom Eno said. “Garnet Valley played very well.” Radnor didn’t lose during the regular season, going 14-0-2 with a pair of ties with St. Pius X. Its two post-season losses were both by one goal, including its 1-0 loss to Bishop Shanahan in the Inter-County League tournament. “We overcame so much adversity this season,” Eno said. “All in all, we probably had the best record Rad- nor has ever had.”
By Ira Josephs
Philadelphia Inquirer Correspondent
