Vianney High School Hockey

The tournament, began on Friday November 24th, and utilized all six sheets of ice at the Chiller Easton, Chiller Dublin and Chiller North facilities. All in all there were over 90 games played culminating with the championship games on Sunday November 26th. Vianney opened up Varsity pool play against two time defending Ohio State High School Champions, Dayton. The Griffins quickly got on the board just after the opening face off on a goal from their Assistant Captain, Danny McGlynn. This goal set the tone for the weekend where Vianney Varsity out scored their opponents 34-4 in four games. In the first game, Griffin goaltender, Nick Niemeier held Dayton in check the entire game allowing 1 goal on 23 shots. This effort made it possible for Vianney to hold the momentum till late in the second period when Senior Captain, Zach Drummond capitalized with a Power Play Goal. Going into the break between the second and third periods the Griffins held a 2-0 lead. The final tally of the game came midway through the third period on a goal, his first as a Vianney player from Freshman Defenseman, John Verdu. That same evening, the Junior Varsity Griffins kept pace with the "big team" beating Liberty, 4-0. The shut out from Sophomore, Evan Lovera.

Super Saturday at the tournament included two games for each Varsity and JV. The Varsity Griffs drop the puck against Wooster just 15 minutes across town from where the JV team would face off against Upper Arlington. The Varsity skaters went right to work against Wooster who appeared last season in the final four of the Ohio State High School Hockey Championships. This game was all about solid goaltending and defense. Being backstopped again with a solid game by goalie, Nick Niemeier, the Vianney Sophomore defenders provided all the scoring. Two goals from Will Gruener, one from Joey Boccardi and a final tally from Assistant Captain Joe Schulze salted away the win for the Griffins, 4-2. Meanwhile back at the JV game the Jr. Griffs wasted no time in defeating a very good opponent Upper Arlington by a score of 6-3. This game was split in the nets by Sophomore goalie, Jack Sitner who allowed just 1 goal and Freshman keeper, Drew Steinmetz. As was the case throughout the whole weekend, scoring for the JV team was scattered across the line up. Goals from Tanner Placke, Jack Breheny (Captain), Riley Fleig, Michael Giegling, Tommy Gruener, and Colin Wobbe sealed the win for Vianney JV.

With two wins each, Varsity and JV had a small break for a team lunch and were right back on the ice Saturday evening. A win for both teams would assure them a place in the Sunday Championship games. Varsity made quick work of opponents St. Francis DeSales with an 11-0 win. Junior netminder, Keegan Hegger recorded the shut out. The Junior Varisity team faced a very capable opponent St. Charles. This game was a battle from start to finish but with solid goaltending again from Evan Lovera the JV Griffins came out on top 3-2.

Championship Sunday had the Varsity team facing off against Kenston OH in a late morning game while JV would play Dublin Jerome just after the lunch hour. Coach McGlynn and the Griffins rode the hot goalie Nick Niemeier into the Championship game. Niemeiier did not disappoint allowing just 1 goal. But the story of this game early was the Vianney Penalty Kill. The Griffins were sent to the box seven times in the first two periods opposed to one penalty to Kenston. In between killing off 14:00 minutes of penalties Vianney scored three times with goals from Danny McGlynn, Zach Drummond and Senior Captain, Drew Doran. Going into the intermission between periods it was 3-0 Griffins. Vianney came out strong knowing that they were just a period way from the Championship. They put away Kenston 6-1 with three third period goals. Two from Juniors, Kam Sengheiser and Ian Somogye and the final goal, his second of the game from forward Drew Doran. The Junior Varsity team had their work cut out for them facing opponent Dublin Jerome. This club has a lot of history in the tournament and they would not go easy. Just like Varsity, the JV Coaches stayed with the hot goalie, Nick Lovera and also were not disappointed. Lovera allowed only 1 goal in this game and a skimpy 3 goals over 3 games on the weekend. Paced by a first period goal from Sophomore, Zach Adamac the JV team would add three more goals to win the JV Championship 4-1. One goal and the Game Winner from Freshman, Tommy Gruener and two goals from Sophomores, Cameron Beck and Jack Breheny.    

This was a tremendous weekend for St. John Vianney on both levels, Varsity and JV....offensively and defensively. Two goaltending shut outs and outscoring their opponents 51-9 gave the Griffins a lot to be thankful for in the 2017 Thanksgiving Classic.