All-Delco Hockey: Catona, Giampapa ran it up for Ridley
In addition to Daily Times Player of the Year Tyler Riddle of Springfield, the rest of the All-Delco hockey team includes:
Nick Catona, Ridley: In the last two seasons, no one scored more big goals for the Green Raiders than senior forward Nick Catona. Last year, he buried the winner in the third overtime to beat Springfield in the Central League semifinals. This year, he repeated the trick in the championship game. Catona banged home a Michael Giampapa pass minutes into overtime to give Ridley its first league title. A player whose physical play was as effective as his lethal wrist shot, Catona finished the season with 39 goals and 29 assists for 68 points, a total that matched his jersey number.
Michael Giampapa, Ridley: If Catona was the finisher, Giampapa was the set-up man. The gangly sophomore forward led Ridley with 79 points on 26 goals and 53 assists. A year ago, Giampapa earned many tough assignments as a shutdown center. Few could have predicted this offensive breakout. Intelligent, great in the faceoff circle and a terrific skater, Giampapa developed a 200-foot game that was best against the toughest opponents. In three games against Springfield, he scored seven points. He equaled that total in an 8-5 November win over Garnet Valley. Giampapa will be a player to watch over the next two seasons.
Shane Moran, Haverford: Few players if any skated with more grace and power than the Fords’ leading scorer. With low balance and an extended stride, Moran torched Central League defensemen before they even knew it. The senior was deceptively fast and just plain fast. He finished fourth behind Tyler Riddle, Giampapa and Catona in Delco scoring with 64 points, including 25 goals. He saved his finest work for the postseason. Moran was double-shifted from the opening whistle against Ridley in the Flyers Cup as Haverford upset the Green Raiders 2-1. He contributed an assist on Mitchell Estes’s game-winner.
Nate Dunning, Ridley: While Giampapa and Catona put the puck in the net, Dunning, a junior captain, was charged with maintaining the blue line. He did a superb job. Dunning skated as well as any defenseman in the county and combined with a heavy slapshot, he used his significant talents to total 29 points in 21 games. Dunning also had a knack for escaping forechecks. The more pressure he felt, the better he turned out of it with his quick feet. More often than not, the play led to an odd-man rush for Ridley.
Jimmy Schickling, Springfield: Through Springfield’s three-game run to the Flyers Cup A Final, it seemed Jimmy Schickling never left the ice. The senior captain served as the Cougars’ pillar of composure as the tension built. After a terrific performance against West Chester East in the semifinals, Schickling kept the West Chester Rustin Knights in check through most of the championship. Even in defeat, his efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Schickling, along with Riddle, was named to the All-Flyers Cup A Team. Although he earned a reputation as a shutdown blue-liner, Schickling was more than capable of contributing in the offensive zone. He produced 36 points in 24 games.
Brendahn Brawley, Ridley: For three years, Ridley coach Stephanne Charbonneau insisted he had the best goalie in the league. While Brawley played well, other, older goalies nabbed All-Delco spots. The athletic net-minder left no doubt this senior season as to who was tops between the pipes. He had 17 wins, five shutouts, a 1.14 goals-against-average and a .954 save percentage. His lasting legacy will be an acrobatic stop on Riddle in the third period of the Central League championship game when he sprawled on his back to deny the Player of the Year and save the Green Raiders’ hopes for a title. After the game, a 4-3 overtime win, Brawley apologized to Charbonneau for playing poorly. Charbonneau responded, “Brendahn. We’re champions. You’re a rock.”
