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February 16-25, 2012
There were a couple of TP kids who had special moments recently. We caught one and missed another. Both AJ James and Cody Lefler scored the first goals of their TP careers in tying Choate 2-2. Both players are hard nosed two-way defenders who continue to get better each and every game. Burtsville is sorry it missed AJ's goal but it did capture the big boy from Ontario's first goal and it was a rocket. Congratulations to both AJ and Cody. We are sure there will be more to come before the year is over. Burtsville also captured some pictures of other players having special moments. Andrew Zona and Tanner Zacharewicz had nice goals in recent games and many other players had goals and played solid games. Paul Amarone, Charlie Zuccarini and Max Franzone continue to play well for the squad along with RJ Bishop, AJ Beckwith and Gyuri "My Man from Holland" Dragomir. Another player who is rounding into shape after an early season injury is Dante Tomassini. The kid just keeps improving each and every game, is smooth with the puck, and smart and sharp down low when defending the net.
And who can't help but love those Ludlow Kids. The Zee-Boys--Tanner and Kyle Zacharewicz--are powerful skaters with fine moves to go along with their big bodies. Soft hands have helped both brothers be a force on both ends of the ice for The Pride. Alex Silvia keeps producing and playing well as does Charlie Zuccarini. Zuccarini seems to make something happen every time he is on the ice. He is just that type of player. And Jason Lamot has continued to show flashes of brilliance on the ice with his speed and quckness. Another player who has made things happen for TP on both ends of the ice, who will be glad to get back on the ice, is Jimmy Burt. Burt has been out of the line-up for several weeks recovering from a concussion he suffered after a cheap, late hit by a Deerfield player. Burtsville is happy that Jimmy has recovered and been given the green light to play. He has missed almost 8 games for the TP squad and will be very happy to get back on the ice with is team. We are sure that his teammates and coaches feel the same way.  Smile tells it all as Jimmy Burt is ready to go While Burtsville was observing the last several games, it was blest to see some fine play by several opponents. Tatt has a very gifted two-way defenseman by the name of Tommy Grant. Grant, a repeat junior out of Sparta, New Jersey has a good sense of the game, moves the puck well, has a powerful shot, and was strong down low on defense. This big, fine skating kid is sure to make some real noise next year in The Founders League and some College Recruiters should get on this gifted player before he is off to another institution. Another fine two-way player--perhaps one of the most underated players in The Founders League--is Hotchkiss forward Mike Warner. Warner is a Virginia boy heading to play at Babson next year. He is a non-stop flow of energy on the ice. The kid just doesn't stop moving, hitting, skating, forechecking, and backchecking. He is a delight to watch and a classy kid who got rewarded in the game against TP by scoring the game tying goal. Burtsville is sorry to say our camera was nowhere to be found when this fabulous player knocked the puck in the net. Good Luck next year at Babson Brother Warner. Speaking of Hotchkiss, no game this year demonstrated the Trinity-Pawling Team's never say die attitude. Melander did more than stand on his head to keep the team in the game. Hotchkiss absolutley dominated play in the first two periods. The first period was played almost exclusively in the TP defensive zone. So much so that the Zamboni Driver told the Hotchkiss faithful that he was only going to do half the ice between the first and second period! Burtsville is not sure what Coach Hutchison said between the second and third periods to his team. All we know is that after two periods the score was 2-0 and The Pride had a total of five shots. Then the magic started to happen as the team got a goal from RJ Bishop on a rocket assisted by Paul Amarone and Kyle Zacharewicz. Next thing you know Tanner Z. was knocking it home to tie up the game at 2-3. Assists went to both Andrew Zona and Gyuri Dragomir. Then Mike Warner put the home team up 3-2 assisted by Jake Coretti. Dragomir--the Lightning Bug from Holland--scored to tie the game. Tanner Z. and Max Franzone had helpers on it. And then TP almost won the game in OT when Amarone hit Skehan with a perfect pass with thirty seconds to play and the Hotchkiss goalie, Dan Viger, made the save of the game. What a comeback by the TP Pride. Well done boys! Well done! Burtsville wishes it had more pictures from that game. As a matter of fact, Burtsville is having some technical difficulties with some of the pictures it did take. Pictures of other players, Lefler's first goal, Mr. Mead and the boys showing School Spirit at Choate, and others just didn't want to cooperate this morning in getting uploaded to the site. Those issues will be resolved at a later date and we'll get those shots posted. Please keep in mind all the many thousands of pictures taken this year around the rinks are located at www.trinitypawlingpictures.shutterfly.com. Next game is against the Austin Essery led Canterbury sqaud Wednesday at TP. Essery is one of the outstanding netminders in the league and it will be a real challenge for the TP squad to sneak the disk behind this talented net minder. See you all Wednesday. No Super Bowl predictions here but we do hope that you all enjoy the game! Okay, 23-10 Giants. TRINITY-PAWLING HOCKEY
The Pride has been playing solid hockey all year long with a never say die attitude. The team hit a tough stretch of close games during and immediately after the holidays in which they played some awesome hockey against all comers but just came up short in the scoring column in many games. Then the injury bug which took out three solid players in the team's first two scrimmages of the year hit again with three starters being knocked from the line-up. The team got healthier Friday night with the return of hard skating Andrew Zona who made his presence felt on the ice for the Pawling, New York squad. Zona is a smooth skating left winger whose all around game is a welcome addition to the depleted TP squad. Burtsville is sure once he gets his game legs back under him that he will continue to be a key to the team's resurgence over the last half of the season. Leo Skehan--another player injured in Deerfield--has been back now for two games. Skehan has shown his toughness and versatility by playing both defense and offense in outstanding fashion. You want tough? Try York, Pa. tough. That's about as tough as it comes. Skehan has shown great moves on the offensive end of the ice creating scoring chances for himself and his linemates. Keep up the fine play Leo Baby!
Jim Burt is another of The Pride starters who was knocked out--literally--in the game at Deerfield. Burtsville has always emphasized the positive in these pages and will not comment on the hit was that delivered to Burt other than the fact that the player who delivered it was given a game misconduct and tossed for his actions. Perhaps a player delivering such a hit should suffer the same consequences as the person they hit as Burt will miss at least seven games from the injury he sustained as a result of it. It is something The Founders League and other leagues at this level should investigate as Avon's Coin Sullivan missed a portion of the season, now Burt and perhaps other players around the league of whom we are not aware. Clean hits and injuries are all part of the game but these types of hits by players should not be tolerated by the player's own team, coaches or league. But The Pride has kept skating though undermanned. And Friday night the boys stood tall with a much needed victory. Jay Lamot got the scoring going with a spin-a-roma shot to put the home team up 1-0. The slick skating Lamot was high in the slot, somehow controlled a hard rebound and spun around as if The Exorcist had visited him to put The Pride up 1-0. His goal was assisted by the dynamic duo, Max Franzone and Paul Amarone. If two playes had better games Friday night than this twosome, it'd have been hard to tell. They were all over the ice creating scoring chances for themselves and their teammates. They did all the dirty work in the corners and contributed mightily to the win. Both of these players always "Bring It" for the Pawling Team and it is great to have them out there banging bodies and doing anything to help the team win.
And how about them Z Boys?! Talk about contributing mightily to the win, brothers Kyle & Tanner Zacharewicz both tallied huge goals--back to back in the second period--to lead the team to victory. Kyle's was assisted by Amarone and Tanner Z., and Tanner's game winner was assisted by AJ Beckwith. The Zacharewicz boys play hard and tough each and every shift. Their high energy play continues to be a key to the team's success. Beckwith, the young defenseman, along with Dante Tomassini, simply played the best games of their TP career. Tomassini is another of The Pride's injured players who missed several games as a result of an injury in the team's second scrimmage of the year. He is just getting his sea legs back and you can see his improvement each and every game. He and Beckwith were solid in the defensive zone, made crisp, safe passes out of their own zone, and both skate as well as anyone on the team. Keep up the fine work gentlemen. Cody Lefler had his family down from Canada. Burtsville is sorry to have missed dad, Uncle Ron and the boys. Just keep up your fine play there Cody with RJ Bishop and AJ James alongside you. You boys played a great game and should be able to build off this for the rest of the season. Both Lefler and James are two solid kids back on defense guarding the crease area for the TP goalies as if they were mining for gold on The Discovery Channel. Not sure if there is gold in Sweden but there sure is at TP with the wonderful, talented Freddy Melander. Melander is a kid who just gets it. He is ultimately prepared and into every second of every game--whether on the ice or on the bench. He and the talented Greg Harney know the team has been down lately but each just keeps coming back stronger and stronger. Friday Night was Freddy's Night. You could see early on in the game the kid was not going to be denied. He was going to get his team a victory no matter what. He made some fine early saves and then stoned the visitors on two breakaways in the second period that dictated the outcome of the game. Way to go Freddy!!! Alex Silvia, Gyuri Dragomir, and the rest of the veterans continued to play well, but one of the highlights of the eveing was the play of two players called up from the JV squad to help out the old boys on the Varsity. And help they did!
Julian Garritano and Bryce Jurk both provided a spark and created many offensive chances for the beat up Pride squad. The addition of these two gifted speedsters with great hockey sense provided a consistent scoring threat for the home team. Jurk just missed scoring a goal late in the game, but he did get an assist on a beauty of a goal by his linemate Garritano to finish off the scoring for The Pride. This goal was also assisted by Bishop who continues to impress on defense. Bishop has an uncanny ability to see the ice, is very patient with the puck and consistently makes good decisions when he moves it to a teammate. Another kid buzzing around all night as he has been all season was Charlie Zuccarini. Zuccarini is a multi-talented player who plays the whole ice. He just had his typical all around great game for Coach Rob Hutchison's squad. He is one of the main reason for the team to get geared up for the remainder of the season. Once Burt gets back the squad will be at full strength, with the addition of Garritano and Bryce, Skehan and Zona getting better, and solid goal tending with Melander and Greg Harney, the team should be poised to finish strong. And now that the team has gotten its' first victory of 2012 how about we get Mr. Harney one next time he is in net. The kid was snake bitten earlier in the year with some not so stellar play around him and several short-handed situations has not allowed this outstanding goalie, player and kid to get settled into net the way Burtsville has seen him play in the past. It's just a matter of time before you see him throw up a doughnut for the Trinity-Pawling Squad. Burtsville and the entire Burt family would like to Thank everyone associated with Trinity-Pawling School, the coaching staff, players, parents and those elsewhere who have shown such concern over Jimmy's injury. It has been and is much appreciated. Hopefully, he will be back on the ice soon playing alongside his teammates and for his school. Meanwhile, Burtsville has uploaded thousands of pictures from games this season. No pictures were taken of game action at the Avon Holiday Tournament as Burtsville had the pleasure of announcing games video taped by Conny Melander. If you have not viewed any of Conny's tapes, you are missing gems of your kids. The list of his videos can be found on the Trinity-Pawling website as well as by googling ConnysTV. All the pictures taken by Burtsville can be viewed for free and downloaded or printed at www.trinitypawlingpictures.shutterfly.com. Man, I must say, it is good to be writing again. I apologize for not getting up stories on some of the games, but frankly I was going to do it last Sunday and catch up and then once one of your own gets injured it distracts you into dealing with more important things than writng on this site. I am sure you parents understand. Stay Well.  Listen, we want your kid back, not you!!!! Have a Happy and Safe New Year. Enjoy!!! December 21, 2011 HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM BURTSVILLE  The beard is only white when I get on the sleigh Twas the night before Christmas, and all through TP Land, Todd was a smiling, holding Connie's hand.  Young Thomas was looking for Tony, his twin so they say, Please lend a hand, they make each other's day.  Max with his bat and Andrew with his stick, The magic of The Shooting Sombrero once again did its' trick. To the back of the net, a scoring sorcerer for sure, The Scoring Sombrero is sweet and pure.  The Z boys were nestled to the north so they be, As Jason me boy was back in Coventry. Tanner had scored a beauty it was, And Kyle did nail his--I'm his bro not his 'cous. Charlie was looking for wood to make sticks, As the man they call Harry Potter was up to his tricks. Alex was flying, scoring and hitting a ton, It's great to watch him play, it's exciting and fun. Mr. James and Mr. Beckwith were AJ's with glee, while Jimmy Joe and Trent were saying, Why oh Why me? Gyuri was a flying to Hungary on a plane, While Paulie was saying my Sis ain't no Plain Jane.  When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, Hutch was a running, Carp asked what's the matter? Up sprang Coach Foster to see what was at task, And next thing you know he saw two strange men wearing like-masks.  Where did they come from? Who may they be? I walked with my coaches, all three of us be. We wondered aloud, what have we done, Then we all said, we love their sons.  We love their sons, but is this a dream, It was surreal or so it seemed. Then a puck hit Coach Foster's head, He thought, Was I asleep all this time? Then a new vision hit him..... From Sweden and America this time.  With a little blonde camera man, And a mouth that won't quit, He knelt down and prayed, Oh please where is St. Nick?! More rapid than eagles, and pretty as can be, Sweden and Canada has come to save thee. From Uppsala, Sweden to Windsor, Ontario they be, Keep smiling young ladies and your life will be filled with glee.  Now Harney! Now Burt! Now Lefler and Dante! On Freddy! On Bishop! On Skehan and such! To the top of hill, in the rink so you be, Hutch's is doing 20 you can run another 3! Tis Christmas Time for all, each and every one, So from Burtsville to you, have loads of fun. Remember to smile, make someone's holiday bright, And to all whom we love, Happy Christmas and Good Night!  Happy Holidays to all! December 14, 2011 Trinity Pawling 0 Brunswick School 3  Put this one in the Rear View Mirror Boys! Nice job Greg!!! December 10, 2011 TRINITY PAWLING 2 AVON OLD FARMS 1 Freddy Melander Stars in Net Alex Silvia & Tanner Zacharewicz Score for Pride Colin Sullivan Scores for AOF/Ben Freiberg Solid in goal Fredrik Melander made thirty-seven saves to lead the Trinity Pawling squad to a hard fought victory over the visiting AOF team Saturday evening. TP had an entire TEAM effort in bouncing back from Wednesday's game versus Albany Academy. A win against AOF--one of the most prestigious Prep School Programs in the Country--can do nothing but boost the confidence of the young Pride squad.  Team Celebrates Win Both teams came out fired up to begin this afternoon's clash. The pace of the game was red hot from start to finish. The AOF team is loaded with talent at every position. Leading the way is Montreal draft pick, Colin Sullivan, but the man is not alone. The Winged Beaver's squad has plenty of fire power in addition to the big Irishman. Players like Dan McDougall, Jon Ahern, Mason Krueger, Armand Uomoleale, Jack Even, Eric Mack and Vin Russo to name only a few. The hometeam TP squad came out sharp and ready to play. The entire team was committed to play TEAM defense and it showed. Freddy was making the saves in net and getting plenty of help infront with players like AJ James, Cody Lefler, AJ Beckwith, and Leo Skehan laying bodies down all over the ice to help out their Swedish netminder. Forwards were getting into the action as well as Alex Silvia, Kyle Zacharewicz, Jay Lamot, Gyuri Dragomir and others were also sacrificing body parts to block shots and passes. Back and forth the teams skated up and down the ice. Each team had chances to score but the goalies and defenses stopped the puck and turned it back out of the zone. Then at the 2:59 mark Sullivan let go with an innocent looking wrist shot from just inside the blue line that deflected off a defender and found its way past Melander. It was at the 2:59 mark of the first period. Assists went to Jon Ahern and Vinny Russo. It put AOF up 1-0. It was also the last piece of rubber that would get by Fredrik on this fine day.
Trinity Pawling has had its share of injuries already this season. Burtsville strongly dislikes seeing these young, great athletes getting hurt. It was so nice to see Colin Sullivan back on the ice after an injury he suffered earlier in the fall. Let's hope that none of our young men throughout the league and hockey world suffer any more injuries the rest of the year. The Pride was skating hard. The Pride has shown that they will not stop. The compete level on this team is wonderful to see. The team kept fighting against the powerful AOF sqaud. One of the TP fighters is Alex Silvia. Alex has been playing hard on both ends of the ice since the season began. This afternoon the rugged winger was rewarded when he fired a wrist shot so fast into the net that Burtsville was too slow to catch it. Way to go Alex. Assists went to Gyuri Dragomir and AJ James. It was scored at the 1:00 minute mark of the second on a Power Play and knotted the score at 1-1. Up and down the ice the teams flew. Posts were clanging and checks were banging. Bodies flew all over and on the ice. Melander and Freiberg were like inspectors at the Armstrong Rubber Plant stamping Rejection on everything that came their way. Then at the 17:47 mark Cody Lefler hit RJ Bishop with a nice pass and the multi-talented Bishop fired a shot that Freiberg somehow got a piece of but Tanner Zacharewicz was perfectly positioned on the opposite side of the net and scored his first goal of the season on a pretty back hander. TP was up 2-1 and that is the way the second period would end.
TP got another solid game from the likes of Andrew Zona, Jay Lamot, Max Franzone, Charlie Zuccarini, Paul Amarone and Jim Burt. These players were flying all over the ice setting up plays, getting scoring chances, and doing what they needed to do to protect Freddy and the TP net. It seemed like every TP player was giving up his body to block shots heading towards the net. The entire squad played a solid game of hockey. It was good to see others get on the board with their first goals of the season. This is just another good sign for the Pride squad as it builds team momentum heading into a tough stretch of games before the holiday break.
And Team Confidence is the key. You kids showed what type of game you can play on Saturday. Learn from it and build off it. Burtsville was born in a very successful program. There was not one game in the last four years that Burtsville had to report as an upset victory. It was expected for you to win every game or at the very least compete for victory in every game. Truth be told, this afternoon was an upset victory. And it was an important one that you kids can build a foundation on for the rest of the season. Build off this key win, use it as confidence as the season progresses and know that what the mind of man can conceive and believe the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude. Do not sell yourselves short young men. Expect to win. Expect to excel. Expect greatness.
TEAMS can accomplish wonderful heights. You can accomplish the unthinkable this season. Burtsville Believes! Burtsville Believes!!
All the pictures taken at the game will be posted at www.trinitypawlingpictures.shutterfly.com in the coming weeks. Also, please see the Trinity Pawling Web Site to link onto the site to see the game. Conny Melander, proud father of Freddy, has been kind enough to simulcast the past few games over the internet. You can view the games by clicking onto his link. December 7, 2011 ALBANY ACADEMY 5 TRINITY PAWLING 3 Alec Mansfield Shines in Net for Cadets Tyler Hynes 2g1a,Knowlton,Maniello,DeVito & Taylor Score Charlie Zuccarini scores Penalty Shot/Amarone & Burt Score It was pouring rain outstide the Tirrell Rink Wednesday evening and pouring rubber inside of it. The Cadets from Albany Academy came loaded for bear and pounded the TP net all evening long. Thirty-Seven seconds into the contest they scored their first goal and with just 2.5 ticks left on the clock in the opening stanza they made it a 3-1 game. Tyler Hynes led the charge with a goal and two assists. Burtsville has to apologize to some of the Cadet goal scorers as the upload to this site is having about as much difficulty today at the Pride did in slowing down the Cadet rush. Hopefully, we'll get it resolved so we can publish some of the pictures of the visitor's goals. Meanwhile, a tip of the cap to former Amity net minder, Alec Mansfield, who has made a seamless adjustment to playing at the Prep School level. Mansfield was outstanding in stopping players from all around Connecticut the past few seasons while helping Amity grow from a Division II Powerhouse to a contending D-I Program. He has shown early in his Prep Career that he can play at this level and beyond and any college team will be fortunate to have his talent and character playing for its' team next season.
The one aspect of the Blue and Gold home team that Burtsville and others have noticed early in the seaon is that this team has no quit in it. While down early and often in this contest they just kept storming back into the game and gave themselves a chance to win it towards the end. It was clear that the boys did not have the same skating legs as they had Saturday in Windsor but that didn't stop them from competing to the fullest extent their bodies and minds would allow. The game scoring began with Hynes ripping one past Pride goalie Greg Harney on an assist from Mark Knowlton. Harney, the outstanding sophomore goalie from NDWH, made some great saves on the night. It's fun and exciting to play your first game with a new team in a new league against a top notch opponent. And Brother Harney is just another example of the compete level this team possesses that will help it achieve success this season. Great game Greg and now that the first one is under your belt Burtsville looks forward to you and Freddy carrying this team to great heights this season. Jay Hooper debuted on the Bjorn Conny Melander Network as both the Play by Play and Color Analyst for the game. Those that know "Hoops" knows he could handle both tasks at the same time. Burtsville strolled around the Rink between periods looking for comments from the fans on the job Hoops did. Here was the reaction....
Dan Maniello then scored unassisted for Albany to put them up 2-0. The Pride then executed a Power Play to perfection when smooth skating Andrew Zona sent a pass over to RJ Bishop who let go with a rocket. Paul Amarone tipped the puck beautifully into the net to put the home team back into the game. Zona and Bishop had helpers on the goal which was Amarone's second in two games. Zona was flying all over the ice and showed signs of what made him an MVP in his division last season in Connecticut High School Hockey. The crafty left winger looks poised to break out for TP and that can only mean good things for Coach Rob Hutchison's squad. Bishop is simply a fine player who is clearly growing into a leadership role back on the blue line. TP's defense with the likes of AJ James, Leo Skehan, Cody Lefler, AJ Beckwith along with Bishop is a solid unit who will only get better once Dante Tomassini returns which hopefully will be soon. Another one of the veteran TP players who has been flying is Gyuri Dragomir. Fearless and always on the move it is just a matter of time before Gyuri starts to light up the lamp along with his fellow teammates. Keep flying Gyuri baby! Burtsville doesn't know if there were any thunder claps outside but there sure were inside when the Cadets Mark Knowlton scored with 2.5 seconds to go in the first on a great hustle play by Tyler Wilmot and Tyler Hynes both of whom picked up assists on the goal. The period ended 3-1 and the Pride got ready to come out in the second and dig deep. So on a day that was the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor one just has to keep in perspective everything around us. To those of us inside the majestic Tirrell Rink who witnessed TP and Albany Academy go at it for two hours the plays within the game seem the most important part of our lives at the time. A simple pause, however, to think back of the sacrifices made by so many on December 7, 1941 and the sacrifices made by so many throughout history--even to this day by the many brave men and women in our armed forces--puts a little perspective on a hockey game in Pawling, New York. So boys, pull out the positives. Think how lucky we all are to be able to watch our boys, to have Conny Melander send the game across the world wide web to those not able to be present, and for you fine athletes to be able to compete on the ice the way both teams magically did on a cold, dark, rainy night. Burtsville considers itself fortunate to be able to wach you all and a Big Thank You to all those who have served and do serve to this day to give us the freedom we enjoy and who give us the ability to do what we do. THANK YOU ALL! So, whatever the outcome, enjoy!
And that is just what the team did. Alex Silvia was flying all over the ice all evening long making plays happen, back checking hard, and hitting everything in sight. Max Franzone was having another solid game as were Jason Lamot and Kyle and Tanner Zacharewicz. All of these players look poised to break out for the Pride and that will only mean good things for the Blue and Gold. Meanwhile, Charlie "Harry Potter" Zuccarini was working his magic alongside Jim Burt and Amarone when a break out occured. Burt and Zuccarini ended up ahead of the pack and Burt fed the streaking "Little Engine That Could" the puck and when you give the puck to Zuccarini he knows what to do with it. He raced in but was rejected on a fine save by Mansfield. Wait a minute. Did I hear someone say Penalty Shot? Yes indeed. Charlie Z. set up at Center Ice, came down on the Cadet netminder, and lifted up a late shot over the left shoulder of the goalie to bring TP back into the game at the 8:43 mark of the second period. What a way to score your first Prep School goal! Way to go Charlie! Truth be told, young Charles had a little help on his Penalty Shot goal. Charlie's dad Dan has hooked up a communication system in Charlie's helmet similar to a QB in football. Just before he started down to take his shot Dan called into Charlie with instructions on what to do.
The visitors brought something special Wednesday evening. If they were taking an exam, they would have Aced it. The Cadets had an answer for everything the home team threw at them. So, just four minutes after a thunderous applause from the hometown fans after Zuccarini's penalty shot goal, Nick DeVito scored on an assist by Drayzen Zack to put the Cadets back up 4-2 as the period ended. The Third Period went back and forth. Harney and Mansfield were making save after save. Harney made so many fine saves with his glove that the St. Louis Cardinals may want to sign him for say Five Million a year to play first base. The teams battled hard as the home team attempted to make another late game surge as it did in winning in OT in the season opener. At the 9:15 mark Jim Burt came flying off the TP bench with a scream to Mr. Charles Zuccarini. Zuccarini had just received the puck courtesy of teammate Tanner Zacharewicz who made a nice play deep in the TP zone to the right of Greg Harney. Zuccarini had the puck against the right boards near the top of the face off circle. Burt went streaking down the left boards as Harry Potter lofted an oh-so-perfect pass high into the air which landed softly near Burt's stick blade at the blue line. The big winger came flying in on the Albany goalie and two quick moves later threaded a pretty five hole goal to make it a 4-3 game. Both Zuccarini and Tanner Z. got assists on the goal.
Mansfield was tough all evening but those Connecticut kids just had to sneak some by him! Sorry Alec, Burtsville had to put that in there for dad and Coach Gary!!!!! Ah, but once again the Cadets answered on a Jeff Taylor goal assisted by Ryan Secor and Tyler Hynes. And TP's two man advantage with under 30 seconds to go in the game was too little too late. Way to hang in there boys. You kept battling and some very good signs again came out of the game. Your break out game is coming. Burtsville can sense it. Keep on competing each and every shift and good things are bound to happen. And congratulations to Mr. Mansfield, Mr. Hynes and their Albany Academy squad who played tough and won a hard fought game at the beautiful Pawling, New York Campus of the Trinity Pawling Pride. Next up is Avon Old Farms at home this Saturday, December 10th at 3:00 PM. Rumor has it that Andrew Zona's father has agreed to take all team members and fans to dinner after the game at McGrath's. Thank you Tony!!!!!!! All the pictures from the game--even the ones Burtsville couldn't upload for this story--will be uploaded in the next couple of weeks to www.trinitypawlingpictures.shutterfly.com. Enjoy! December 3, 2011 TRINITY PAWLING 3 LOOMIS CHAFFEE 2 OVERTIME THRILLER STARTS OFF SEASON JIM BURT SCORES IN OT/FREDDY MELANDER SHINES IN NET/TP PENALTY KILLERS SAVE DAY DANNY TIRONE SOLID IN NET FOR LC/MITCH VANGAMEREN & STEPHEN PICARD SCORE FOR LC PAUL AMARONE KNOCKS ONE HOME FOR TP & CODY LEFLER TWO ASSISTS FOR PRIDE Trinity Pawling and Loomis Chaffee got the Prep School Season underway in an exciting fashion Saturday afternoon in Windsor, Connecticut. The teams exchanged leads and gave the capacity crowd an exciting three plus periods of hockey. Jimmy Burt ended the game with a hard wrist shot that banged off the LC goalie's stick and into the net for the Pride win.  Team celebrates OT Win Paul Amarone, a repeat Junior from Hamden, Connecticut got the TP team on the board first wtih a goal four minutes into the game. Amarone banged home a shot by Jim Burt to put The Pride up 1-0. Cody Lefler who hales from Braceloridge, Ontario and Burt picked up assists on the goal. If a third assist could have been given, it'd have gone to Charlie Zuccarini who had moved the puck nicely to Burt down low. Lefler had a solid game for the Pawling, New York squad as did AJ Beckwith, Gyuri Dragomir, Alex Silva, Jason Lamot and Andrew Zona. The LC home team was going up and down the ice with the TP squad when not nine minutes after Amarone's goal Mitch VanGameren, a big lefty defenseman, fired home a rocket of a slap shot to knot up the game 1-1. Matt Bytalan and David Montgomery picked up assists on the goal. These three players along with Tyler Tubinis, Austin King and several other LC players had strong games.
The teams headed up and down the ice. Both goalies, Freddy Melander for TP and Danny Tirone for LC were making nice saves while their respective team defenses did good jobs clearing the puck and the bodies in front of them. The first period ended 1-1 and the teams came out in the second for more of the same. Trinity Pawling cashed in on a Power Play late in the period when Lefler kept the puck in the zone with a fine hustle play at the right point. He and the LC defender were both hard to the puck and Cody was able to bang it around the boards to the back of the net while he himself was being banged into the LC boards. Tirone went out to play it behind the net. Burt came streaking from the front of the net, around it and lifted the goalie's stick before he got to the puck. The PG player also from Hamden, Connecticut then came out to the goal line and scored from an improbable angle to put the visitors on top 2-1.
The Pride were playing very strong with forwards Max Franzone, Charlie Zuccarini, Tanner & Kyle Zacharewicz, (The Z-Boys") Alex Silva,Gyuri Dragomir, Andrew Zona, Jason Lamot all having strong games. Franzone and Kyle Z. are loads up front and tough to handle physically and join the other front liners with smooth skating skills. Each player played strong games with opportunites which are bound to come again in the future. One could see at the final scrimmages of the year that The Pride is a TEAM and it showed on Saturday night. A coach loves a player who will do anything. One of those players is the gifted PG from York, PA. named Leo Skehan. Skehan is a nautural forward who was needed back on defense and he did a wonderful job clearing the puck, carrying it out of the zone and blocking shots. The entire Pride defense led by AJ James, RJ Bishop, AJ Beckwith and Cody Lefler played outstanding games.
The Third Period started with the New York Boys streaming to the Sin Box as if there was a sale at Old Navy inside its' door. It got so crowded in the box at one time that the Fire Marshall considered shutting down the building. The young man from Sweden between the pipes was being welcomed to North American Hockey early on in his Prep School Career. And he weathered the storm well with help from his defense led by AJ James, RJ Bishop and Mr. Lefler and Mr. Beckwith & Brothers. Then with only 4:27 left on the clock the talented Austin King fired a blast from the left point that Melander stopped but the crafty Stephen Picard was at his doorstep and pumped the rebound into the net to knot the score. The hometown crowd was buzzing and after a furious end to the period Overtime was in store for the TP & LC teams.
Birthday Presents come in all shapes and sizes. Many times the best present you can receive is the one you get for yourself. And Jimmy Burt who celebrates Birthday #19 on Sunday December 4th decided tonight was the night to go shopping for his Birthday gift. So, as the time wound down in the overtime, the PG from Hamden, Ct. topped off a three point night by gathering in a puck delivered to him courtesy of Mr. Skehan and Mr. Lefler, squeezed between two defenders, and drove home a hard, low wrist shot from the left face off circle to cap off a beautiful start to the Trinity-Pawling season. Lefler picked up his second assist on the night with Skehan adding an assist to his strong all around game. Happy Birthday James!  Jim Burt fires home Game Winning OT Goal for Trinity-Pawling It was a rousing way to start the season and an exciting game to watch. What happened on the ice was thrilling and exciting. What happened off it is something extra-ordinary. Two Trinity-Pawling fathers, Tony Zona and Tom Franzone, came together for the first time in 43 years after being separated at birth. It was an emotional scene to see these two brothers or cousins or whatever they called themselves in the Fran-Zona family at that time greet each other with eyes wide open and tears in their eyes. Goodness gracious somebody get us a Pittsburgh Steelers Crying Towel. More on this incredible story in upcoming editions of Burtsville. And Rachel--Happy Birthday to you too my love!!!
Nice job to both teams on a game well played. All the pictures taken at the game will be uploaded over the next two weeks to a free shutterfly site. It is www.TrinityPawlingPictures.Shutterfly.com. You can also view a video of the game by logging onto http://bambuser.com/v/2180428. If you would like to view only the goals scored in the game, please go tohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxqEspMODRE. You may have to go to the Trinity Pawling Website and Story Recap to log into the Bambuser and You Tube sites just listed. The Story Recap is an engaging write-up on the game on the Trinity-Paling Website located at www.trinitypawling.com. TP's next game is this Wednesday, December 7th at 4:00 when Alec Mansfield leads his Albany Academy team to Pawling. Then on Saturday The Pride takes on Avon Old Farms at 3:00 PM. Both games are at home. Boys--Great game. Keep building that TEAM chemistry. There is no height you cannot reach pulling together, working hard and believing in yourself and your team. Burtsville Believes! Miralces do happen. Stay confident. Stay focused. Do what the coaches tell you and HAVE FUN!!!! December 2, 2011 TRINITY PAWLING PRE-SEASON BODES WELL FOR TEAM The Trinity Pawling Pride finished up its preseason with two scrimmages against two top teams in the Founders' League Wednesday evening. The TP boys enjoyed their visit to the beautiful facilities at Salisbury while coming up on the short end of the stick against the home team Knights and the Choate Wild Boars. The final scores may have not been what the Pride wanted but the team has to be encouraged by the way it played. The regular season begins this Saturday with a game at Loomis-Chaffe. It will be much easier for Burtsville to identify players with Game Rosters being available. Hopefully, this will allow us to give proper credit to all who play this wonderful game. Meanwhile, please enjoy some of the pictures taken at the last three scrimmages which included a hard fought victory at MillBrook Preparatory School last Monday. Hope you boys enjoyed the trip to New Haven to see Yale play last evening. Remember TP boys, skate hard, have fun and what the mind of man can conceive and believe the mind of man can achieve through a positive mental attitude. Burtsville was highly impressed with your level of competitiveness against your last opponents. Keep working hard, work as a team and you wil be amazed at what results can be attained. Don't sell yourselves short. You are beginning a wonderful journey that will surprise some, shock many and leave a smile on your faces that will last a lifetime.  Choate Player fires one home And from one Ned to another, and from one Mets' Fan to another, Ned Cockery of Salisbury---YOU ROCK MY MAN!!!!!!!! It was great to meet you Wednesday evening and we look forward to seeing you during the season and playoffs. "Salisbury Ned"--the best fan a team and school could have. Keep on cheering my friend!!! Enjoy!!!!
Please remember that all the pictures taken by Burtsville this season will be uploaded to a free Shutterfly Site. It takes approximately one week to get all the pictures taken at a game uploaded. The site is listed in the Nov. 20, 2011 article. Enjoy! November 23, 2011 TRINITY-PAWLING HOCKEY  Burtsville snaps puck coming its' way The Trinity-Pawling Pride got their 2011-2012 season underway Friday, November 18 with a scrimmage at Canterbury. The Saints topped their New York neighbors 2-1 in a game that saw thrilling up and down action between these two squads. Canterbury got up 2-0 on the strength of goals at the 9:55 mark of both the first and second periods. The first goal was a beauty following a nice rush by the Saints' team. Lee Edelman made a fine move and feed to the right of the goal tender down low to teammate Andrew Tullo. Tullo wasted no time firing the puck over the left shoulder of the TP netminder for the first tally of the season.
This goal got the home fans screaming and the Saints were pumped as they poured on the heat. The Pride defense held them at bay with some fine goal tending before a scrum infront led to a goal by Albert Bergeron-Gravel in the second period. This goal was assisted by Eric Fernandez as it appeared everyone on the ice was holding a meeting near the TP crease. The Pride kept skating and in the second period Jim Burt made a rush up the left side of the ice, fed the puck to Charlie Zuccarini at the top of the left face-off circle. Zuccarini made a nice move towards the net, sent the puck down low to Burt who returned the favor with a pass splitting the defensemen to the streaking repeat sophomore out of ND of Fairfield. Zuccarini wasted no time and fired the puck home for TP's first goal of the seaon and their only goal of the game. Burt was credited with an assist on the goal. The Pride appeared to score the tying goal late in the third period but the goal was disallowed as the net had come off its' pins before the puck was in the net. All and all it was a good scrimmage before the Thanksginvg break coming on the heels of mid-term exams for both squads. The goalies on each team played well and we are sure that both teams are looking forward to the season.  Saints' Forward makes great one hand move & gets shot off Stats are always hard to keep pre-season with no game rosters. TP played three goalies including a freshman from Long Island. They all did a fine job. Canterbury's goalie Christian Short allowed one goal in ten shots and goalie Austin Essery---a repeat junior from Xavier High School and a star for the Junior Bobcats AAA Midget Team--was a perfect twelve for twelve in the save category. All the over 2,000 pictures taken at the scrimmage by Burtsville will be posted in the near future to a free shutterfly site that has to be created. It is anticipated that the site's name will be www.TrinityPawlingPictures.shutterfly.com. If that site name is changed, we will post the new site name. This will be used throughout the Prep Season to post pictures from every game. You can download and/or print pictures free of charge from this site. Enjoy! Those of you new to Burtsville we hope that you will enjoy the stories and the pictures during this season. Burtsville was created several years ago to provide as much positive coverage to our young athletes and others. You will see no negative articles in Burtsville and once Rosters are available as much positive ink as possible will be given to as many players on all teams as is possible. We hope you enjoy reading this site as much as we enjoy producing it. Old articles are primarily posted on the two Sports Archive Pages. Here are some of the pictures taken at the game Friday evening. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
Former Trinity-Pawling stars, Paul Falanga and Josh Roberts, have been lighting it up for their Junior Teams. Falanga has ten points through twenty games for the Philapdelphia Revolution in the EHJL and Roberts was putting points on the board and banging bodies all over the place in the tough BCHL before getting injured in November. Way to go boys!!! OCTOBER 15, 2011 WESTERN PREP ELITE FALL LEAGUE WELL UNDERWAY AT NEWINGTON RINK
The regular season Prep Hockey League is around the corner but the players have been heating up for season with double-headers on Sundays at the Newington Ice Arena. Rosters and Schedules are available at www.westernprep-elite.com/. Burtsville will be following the teams in The Founders League as well as keeping up as best it can with the goings on with Hamden High School Hockey. All of Burtsville's articles and pictures from the last two years are on the Sports' Archive Pages of this site. Articles and pictures from three years ago are scatttered on different pages on the site.
Pictures from the games in the Fall Prep League can be viewed, downloaded and/or printed at www.westernprepelitehockeyleague.shutterfly.com. A new picture site will be created once Trinity-Pawling and the rest of the Founders' League Teams begin play. Once the regular season begins and Game Rosters are available Burtsville will do its' best to note players names as best it can. Burtsville's goal remains the same. It hopes to provide positive publicity to our young athletes and the coaches and institutions that do so much for them. We hope that all of you enjoy reading the articles and seeing the pictures. Enjoy! |
