March 27, 1980
About 20 years ago the New York Yankees had a farm team called the Kansas City Athletics. The Athletics, of course, played in the same league as the Yankees. It was a cute little system. Anytime Kansas City came up with a genuine talent – Roger Maris, for instance – they ‘traded” him to the Yankees for a bullpen catcher to be named later. The Yankees won the pennant just about every year, and Kansas City battled the Washington Senators for next-to-last place.
The same thing could have happened to Archbishop Carroll’s hockey team this year. The Patriots were supposed to have everybody back from their two-time Inter-County League champions, but half of their regulars up and left for a high-powered New England prep school where they could polish their skills to a high gloss. About the only thing Carroll had left was Scott Chamness. Which is like saying the only thing Krypton had left was Superman. “I had to adjust to a whole new system,” he said. “Last year we could get the puck to anyone. This year the idea was to get it to me. I had a lot more responsibility.” Chamness responded by moving past living-legend status and forcing the phrasemakers to go digging for something grander.
The rugged winger hammered in 69 goals this year, 89 as a junior, and 66 as a sophomore – the three highest season totals in league history. In 64 games he’s piled up 271 goals, an average of more than four a game. Chamness was right on schedule Monday night, notching four goals and three assists in leading Carroll to a 7-3 win over Malvern Prep and taking his third Inquirer Suburban Athlete of the Week award. When Carroll and Malvern met again last night, it was for the Flyers Cup. No way were they playing for next-to-last place.
CREDIT: The Philadelphia Inquirer
