All-Delco Hockey: Ahearn’s two-way play was key for O’Hara
In addition to Player of the Year Mike Irey of Strath Haven, the All-Delco hockey team includes:
John Paul Ahearn, Cardinal O’Hara: When the senior forward tucked in the winning goal in double overtime of the PCL final against Father Judge, he completed a remarkable three-year run for the Lions in a fitting way. So often he had used his reach and patience to thwart goaltenders, and here he did it on the biggest stage. The two-time All-Delco center was O’Hara’s most consistent, reliable performer on the way to a third consecutive league title. Ahearn — methodical with the puck, deceptively fast without it — finished his senior campaign with 27 goals and 24 assists in 19 games, according to Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League (ICSHL) statistics. On the defensive end, his quick hands made him a master of the pick-pocket. Most impressively, he took zero penalties despite playing top-line minutes. If scholastic hockey awarded a Lady Byng Memorial (for gentlemanly play) and Selke (top defensive forward) trophies, Ahearn would’ve taken home both.
Jakob Moleski, Bonner & Prendergast/Upper Darby: The Upper Darby senior was voted to the ICSHL second team and with good reason. Moleski led the area in goals with 42 in just 17 games. But it wasn’t just Moleski’s goal-scoring prowess that made him a standout. It was also his commitment to the sport in general. The team was a cooperative sponsorship between Bonner & Prendergast and its neighbor on Lansdowne Avenue and struggled with numbers all season, which meant Moleski played big minutes at both forward and defense. He relished the extra ice time and was a threat to score every shift. Moleski produced a dozen multi-goal games and finished his career with a six-goal, two-assist performance in a win over Interboro, Bonner’s third victory of the season.
Blayden Reid, Strath Haven: With 41 points during the regular season and eight in the Flyers Cup, one might have thought Reid, the top-scoring defenseman in the ICSHL, was a purely offensive blue-liner, but that wasn’t the case. The senior played every other shift and more for the Panthers the whole season and took on the toughest assignments. Reid eased that burden with fluid skating and an innate ability to close gaps and read plays. He did his best work on opponent’s blue lines, where he either shot pucks through traffic or stepped into space created by forwards Mike Irey, Ryan Spanier, Liam Carney and the like.
Matt Beck, Cardinal O’Hara: Another high school hockey season, another Beck from O’Hara earning All-Delco honors. The junior follows in the footsteps of older brothers Jeff (2011-13) and Andrew (2014-15) on the First Team after a standout campaign patrolling the Lions’ blue line. Beck averaged better than a point per game on the season with nine goals and 14 assists in 18 contests and used his great skating to become a one-man breakout for O’Hara without being a puck hog, always seeming to make the right play. Beck’s finest hour — and he may have logged about an hour in ice time — came in the double-overtime, PCL final victory over Father Judge. His point shot tied the game at four with less than three minutes to play, allowing Ahearn to win it in the extra session.
READ: The full list of All-Delco hockey honorees
Matt Wood, Garnet Valley: A rebuilding Jaguars team relied heavily on its senior captain. After an ugly 0-4 start, all four losses coming by five or more goals, the blueliner led a resurgence as Garnet won four of its next five. The most impressive of those results came at home against eventual Central League champion Conestoga. Wood, a 200-foot player, scored twice in a 4-3 victory over the Pioneers, knowing when to sit back and when to push the pace. “Without him, we’re a different team,” Jags coach Keith Crowley said. “It’s very rare that you have one guy that can make all the difference.” Wood led Garnet Valley with 34 points — more than double his closest teammate — and was named to the ICSHL second team.
Troy Percival, Cardinal O’Hara: Ahearn’s overtime-winner in the PCL final wouldn’t have been possible without Percival. The junior goaltender made 40 saves in the victory over Father Judge, including 12 in the first of the two extra sessions. Percival gave the Lions a chance to win every night he stood between the pipes. He posted a 2.74 goals-against average, an .888 save percentage and collected four shutouts against what was the county’s toughest schedule. O’Hara played all three 2018 state champions (West Chester Rustin, Downingtown East and St. Joseph’s Prep) during the 2018-19 season. The Lions went 3-2 in those games thanks in large part to Percival’s goaltending. With equal parts aggressiveness and athleticism, Percival made the toughest saves look routine.
