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Brooklyn, OH-
The John M. Coyne Brooklyn Recreation Center was the site for this first round match up in the 2023 Baron Cup II tournament. The game pitted the #2 seed Western Reserve Academy Pioneers out of Hudson, Ohio against the #7 seed North Olmsted Eagles. The North Olmsted Eagles come into the game with their regular season completed and have a record of 10 wins vs 11 losses. The Western Reserve Academy Pioneers come into the game with their regular season completed and have a record of 16 wins, 3 losses and 1 tie.
The Western Reserve Academy Pioneer hockey team is in the midst of a very emotional season. The first reason why the season is so emotional is because their head coach Brand Closen is retiring after 29 years at the helm of their hockey program. The second reason why the season is so emotional is that the hockey program at Western Reserve Academy is closing down at the end of the season as well. When the Pioneers finish their run in the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League’s Baron Cup their coach’s career will be over. The Western Reserve Academy is not part of the OHSAA so they are not able to compete in the state tournament. Coach Brand Closen first stepped on the ice as the coach for the Western Reserve Academy Pioneers in the fall of 1994.
Western Reserve Academy is a very unique boarding school and is one of only several boarding schools in the state of Ohio. Western Reserve Academy have boys from all over the state of Ohio and they come to Western Reserve Academy for a unique opportunity to play with each other without playing together during their youth days. Coach Closen is a teacher at the school as well which allows him to teach and parent many of the boys due to the small size of the school.
During the first few moments of the first period of the game it became very clear that the Western Reserve Academy Pioneers had much more talent on the rink over their counterparts from North Olmsted. The first goal of the game was put on the board by the Western Reserve Academy’s defenseman Ty Banks on a beautiful slap shot from the point. North Olmsted Eagles goaltender Donovan Sergi was screened on the play and stood no chance to stop the puck.
Pioneer forward Christian Brunso was able to provide the lone assist on the Banks goal to make it Pioneers 1 Eagles 0 3:14 into the first period of the game. The lamp was lit by the Pioneers once again 32 seconds later when Pioneer forward Gordy Gombold stole a pass from Eagle defenseman Noah Schlund and wristed a shot past the goaltender. The score is now Pioneers 2 Eagles 0 only 3:46 into the game.
The Western Reserve Academy Pioneers quickly added to the score sheet with a goal scored by forward Nolan Byrne who received a silky pass from forward Gavin Liegl and made no mistake and put the puck in the back of the net. The score was now Pioneers 3 Eagles 0 only 5:14 into the game. The tandem of Byrne and Liegl were at it again about 3 minutes later with another goal.
Liegl was able to steal a pass between the blue lines and skated into the Eagles zone and sent a perfect pass to Byrne who again made no mistake. The score was Pioneers 4 Eagles 0 only 8:25 into the first period. The Pioneers were able to find the net once again on a goal scored by Joe Buddington and was assisted by Nolan Byrne, The score was Pioneers 5 Eagles 0 at the end of the first period.
The North Olmsted Eagles came out flying early on in the second period but Eagle forward AJ Sanford was called for tripping 1:16 into the second period. The Eagles were able to maintain pressure while short handed and it paid for with a short handed goal. Eagle defenseman Ryan Foland sent a scorching shot from the point and it was tipped into the net by Eagle forward Noah Schlund. The goal was also assisted by forward Derek Faulisi. The score is now Pioneers 5 Eagles 1 2:27 into the second period. The Pioneers came back on that same power play and forward Christian Brunso scored on an amazing cross ice pass from forward Joe Buddington. The score was Pioneers 6 Eagles 1 3:03 into the second period.
The Pioneers scored on the score sheet once by forward Joe Buddington off an assist by forward Nolan Byrne to make it Pioneers 7 Eagles 1 3:42 into the second period. The 6 differential starts the running clock and Eagles defensemen Cody Turvey took a terrible tripping penalty in their offensive zone. The Pioneers made them pay 20 seconds later with a goal scored by Christian Brunso to make Pioneers 8 Eagles 1 to end the second period.
The third period rolled very quickly with the running clock and there were no goals scored to make the final score Pioneers 8 Eagles 1.
The Pioneers move on to play the Strongsville Mustangs in the semi finals of the Baron Cup on friday afternoon.
The Eagles move on the OHSAA tournament where they will play Lakewood on Tuesday February 14th at this same location
