April 3, 2013
ICE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Bill Swahl
Springfield’s success was built on Bill Swahl’s presence
As defenseman, Bill Swahl prepared for the portrait that would memorialize his career as a Springfield hockey player, a sudden wave of realization swept over him. “Guess this is the last time I’ll ever get to do this,” Swahl said as he slipped the gold sweater with the big blue “S” over his head one final time. The privilege of being part of one of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s premier hockey programs isn’t lost on the senior. And Swahl has given back every bit as much as he’s gotten from the Cougars. “The program was, I thought, very strong when I came in,” Swahl said. “I was kind of intimidated by the upperclassmen and I was nervous to see if I would make the team. I did, and as the years went on I never realized how much of an important factor I was to the team until the last game with everyone telling me all the positive things. It made me feel really happy and happy with the decisions that I made.” Four years, four Flyers Cup finals, and one outstanding career: That’s the legacy Swahl leaves at Springfield. It’s a career appropriately capped by a Daily Times Player of the Year honor. Joining Swahl on the All-Delco team are Springfield teammates Ryan Brawley, Kyle Riddle, and Bryan Biehl, Garnet Valley’s Steven Fedena, Cardinal O’Hara’s Jeff Beck, and Radnor’s Oliver Brotman. Brawley and Beck are repeat “All-Delcos.” Only Fedena, Beck, and Swahl are seniors. The All-Delco team is picked by the Daily Times staff in consultation with area coaches. However cliche it may sound, the notion that Swahl’s contributions go beyond the stat sheet is profoundly true. On face value, the 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) accumulated by Swahl, mostly on the power play thanks to his howitzer of a slap shot, in 19 regular-season games isn’t jump-off-the-page-type stuff. But Swahl’s game is one that must be witnessed to be fully appreciated. The senior’s contributions to Springfield’s staunch defense can’t be underestimated. With the No. 1 shutdown defenseman patrolling the ice for large portions of the game, the Cougars surrendered just 1.96 goals per game (that number drops to 1.75 if you exclude the disastrous Flyers Cup Class A final, a 7-3 loss to West Chester East). Making it all the more remarkable was the supporting cast of which Swahl was the leading light. His defensive partner changed from time to time before coach Phil Eastman finally settled on Steve Cavaliere, a converted forward. For a defense primarily composed of offensive converts — Ryan Vogt, while nominally a defenseman on the roster, played most of his time on the second line while Nick Biehl shuttled between roles — Swahl was the rock upon which the tinkering could be done. Couple that with the fact that Springfield faced the prospect of replacing its top defenseman from a year ago, All-Delco Kyle Loughlin, and the challenge was clear to Swahl. Not only would Swahl have to assume the senior leadership mantle vacated by Loughlin, but he’d have to do so while embracing a more stay-at-home role that went beyond the puck-moving, power-play captain role. “I think we had a lot stronger D last year and looking at this year, we had a few guys who played offense come back and play D. But I’m impressed with the way we handled the defensive situation. My partner Steve came a long way and listened to everything I had to say to him and did everything I told him and that made me happy. “Kyle was very good, a big solid defenseman. I didn’t really think about that. … Definitely on the power play, he had a nice strong shot. I was always trying to compare it to his. When he hit, they were nice hits because he was big and strong. I looked up to Kyle last year a lot and the years before.” As if he needed more of a challenge, Eastman also opted to rotate goalies through most of the season, splitting time between senior Peter Sabato and sophomore Bryan Biehl. It wasn’t until the postseason started that Biehl took ownership of the role full-time. So the Cougars had a young team — of the four Springfield All-Delcos, Swahl is the only one not to return next season — oscillating goaltenders and an inexperienced defense. It makes Swahl’s dominance of the position all the more impressive. “It’s tough being one of the leaders on the team,” he said. “It’s a different team that you have to adjust to. We became very close as a group this year, and I really enjoyed it. It was a good time, probably one of the most memorable experiences.” The final game in Swahl’s career, the aforementioned loss to East, didn’t measure up to his other outstanding moments, highlighted by winning the title in his sophomore season. But as he looks to continue his hockey career, either through junior hockey or scholastically at Arizona State or Lebanon Valley, he’ll carry the experiences with him. And with a wisdom beyond his years, he does so with a deep appreciation for all that his coaches and his parents, Bill and Judy, have done to make it possible. “It’s a great experience,” Swahl said of the Flyers Cup. “I love the experience and I love the atmosphere. … When I was an underclassman, I hated looking at the upperclassmen and knowing it was their last game. Now that I’m not going to be playing for us next year, I felt what that was like this year, and it was tough.” Whatever talent may be returning for the Cougars, moving on from Swahl will be as tough for the team as for the player.
All-Delco Team
Ryan Brawley, Jeff Beck are among the best again
FIRST TEAM
Forward: Ryan Brawley, Springfield: The junior two-time All-Delco was the engine that drove the Cougars to a fourth straight Flyers Cup final and a Central League title. He scored 46 points (24 goals, 22 assists) in 20 regular-season games, including a hat trick plus a helper in the Central League final, a 6-0 whitewashing of Penncrest. He was the leading scorer in the Flyers Cup Class A with 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in four games, earning all-tournament team honors. He had two goals, including a late game-winner, in the semifinal win over West Chester Henderson and a pair of assists in the finals loss to West Chester East. His total of 58 points this season makes him the county’s leading scorer. He had eight game-winning goals.
Forward: Kyle Riddle, Springfield: Riddle was the leading scorer in the regular season with 53 points in 21 games. He added two goals and two assists in four Flyers Cup tilts. The junior rookie All-Delco was the county’s leading provider with 32 assists to go along with 24 goals. On a line with Brawley and Tom Coll that was the county’s most fearsome, Riddle scored a point in every regular-season game save one. He recorded two five-point games, including the game-winning goal in the season opener, a four-goal, five-point outing against Upper Darby.
Forward: Steven Fedena, Garnet Valley: The lanky senior centerman was among the county leaders in points (48), goals (20) and assists (28) this season. He had a seven-point game (four goals, three assists) to his name against Harriton. In two of his last four regular-season games, he accounted for six points each in crucial wins over Radnor (goal, five assists) and Upper Darby (two, four). He is a first-time All-Delco selection.
Forward: Jeff Beck, Cardinal O’Hara: The two-time All-Delco was the leading scorer on a Cardinal O’Hara team that played in the very deep Class AAA league. He accounted for 18 goals, more than twice the number of any of his teammates, in 17 games. He also led the Lions with 24 points. Beck scored in seven of the Lions’ nine wins this season, recording 13 goals and four assists in those games, including four game-winning markers. He had the game-winners in all three of their Class AAA wins (twice over Archbishop Carroll, once over St. Joseph’s Prep), accounting for six goals and two assists in those contests. After graduation, Beck will pursue junior hockey opportunities.
Forward: Oliver Brotman, Radnor: The most prolific scorer in the county this season, Brotman sniped 35 goals to go along with 13 assists. He had six game-winning goals, and the junior saved his best for last. He scored all six goals in a 6-3 win over Conestoga in the regular-season finale to earn the Red Raiders the No. 2 seed in the Central League playoffs. That booked another meeting with Conestoga, where he burned the Pioneers for five goals in a 7-3 win. Brotman also accounted for two assists in a loss to Penncrest in the Central League semis. The first-time All-Delco scored twice, including the go-ahead goal, and set up the game-winner in the Red Raiders’ win over Mechanicsburg in the play-in game of the Flyers Cup Class A.
Goaltender: Bryan Biehl, Springfield: It wasn’t until the playoffs that the sophomore wrested the starting job away from Peter Sabato, with whom he’d been splitting time. Biehl made the most of the opportunity. He finished the regular season with a 10-1-0 record, including five shutouts. His goals against average for the regular season was 0.91 with a .939 save percentage, including back-to-back shutouts in the Central League semis (5-0 over Garnet Valley) and finals (6-0 over Penncrest) on consecutive nights to cement his first All-Delco nod. He was a big part of Springfield’s run to the Flyers Cup Class A final, allowing five goals on 63 shots in three wins before a 7-3 defeat in the finals at the hands of West Chester East.
SECOND TEAM
Forward: Kevin Leyden, Haverford, Senior
Forward: Nate Chuckran, Penncrest, Sophomore
Forward: Tyler Riddle, Springfield, Freshman
Forward: Sam Bowen, Haverford School, Senior
Defense: Brendan Howanski, Penncrest, Senior
Defense: Matt Lundstrom, Radnor, Senior
Goaltender: Jake Branyan, Penncrest, Sophomore
HONORABLE MENTION
Archbishop Carroll: Adam Baer, Jason Bruce, John Parker, Shane Yaller
Bonner-Prendergast: John Paul Donegan, Nick Lachette, Colin McCann
Cardinal O’Hara: Bob Barke, Cameron Beale, Andrew Beck, Wayne Shambo,
Episcopal Academy: Andrew DeBacco, Grant Regillo
Garnet Valley: Anthony Bertone, Dylan Ely, Nicco Gricco, Jordan Sivick
Haverford High: Beau Dougherty, John Gattone, Joey Harant, Keith Harant, Michael McNelis, Olivia Martin, Lauren Vandstone.
Marple Newtown: Nick Andreades, Shaun Maffei, Kenny Myers
Penncrest: Ryder Griffith, Brendan Murphy, Matthew Ohrenich, JP Page
Radnor: Eric Gorson, Grayson Mameniskis, Cullen McNally, Dalton Morris, Darby Morris.
Ridley: Brendahn Brawley, Nicholas Cantona, Nicholas Christopher
Springfield: Nick Biehl, Steve Cavliere, Tom Coll, Dan Madonna, Ryan Vogt
Strath Haven: Tucker Carney, Bryan Leonard, Erin Dougherty, Taylor Morgan, Rachel Reviello, Kendall Smythe.
Sun Valley: Zachary Malorgio, Ian O’Connor, Tanner Wetten
Upper Darby: Anthony DeSimone, Dante DeSimone, James Fitzgerald, Joe Pozzuolo, Michael Strofe
By Matt De George
Delco Daily Times
