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SD Prep Sports: Roller Hockey

2006 CIF/Metro Conference Kiwanis Cup Playoffs:

Wolverines' Fantastic 5
Westview seniors Mike Kiraly, Andy Wiens, Ben Cohen, Anthony Sansone, Josh Dykman

Westview corrals Mustangs, rolls to Kiwanis Cup finals
#2 Wolverines score 7-2 triumph, face #1 Poway Titans for CIF/Metro Conference championship title

By Phillip Brents
Posted March 1, 2006

There were good reasons that Westview senior Anthony Sansone was selected as this season’s CIF/Metro Conference Player of the Year. The Otay Ranch Mustangs discovered many of those reasons in Monday’s semifinal-round Kiwanis Cup championship playoff match at Skate San Diego in National City.

Sansone tallied four goals and two assists, was involved in four short-handed goals — scoring three of them — and scored the back-breaker goal to start the third period in the Wolverines’ 7-2 playoff triumph. In one short sentence, Sansone put on a “player of the year” performance.

That effort landed second-seeded Westview (17-2-3) a berth in Wednesday’s Kiwanis Cup championship game against top-seeded Poway (17-1-4).

“In our biggest games, he led us, he carried us,” Wolverines coach Gordon Wiens said. “He makes big plays, scores big goals. He’s also a great defensive player as well as a scorer. He kills our penalties and scores short-handed. Tonight was a great example of why he was named the conference’s player of the year.”

No one on the Mustangs would likely argue that statement. Otay Ranch, despite missing its second-leading scorer (Matt Nafarette) due to an injury suffered in practice, played hard throughout the contest. They were simply beaten by a superior team.

That Westview, Scripps Ranch and Poway were still left standing in the playoffs after Monday’s game was not a surprise to Wiens, whose team fought the Titans to a 1-1-1 standoff in rugged North County League games.

“Those were the top three teams all season. That’s how it should be,” the Westview coach said.

That took nothing away from the inspired game second-year Otay Ranch (18-3-1) put on the floor. The third-seeded Mustangs, who tied Mar Vista for this season’s South Bay League title, skated hard from the opening whistle and, despite falling behind early 3-0, kept their composure and battled hard to the end. Otay Ranch lost the final two periods on the scoreboard by just one goal, 3-2.

“Our boys played very hard. Matt was out. That was huge. The puck didn’t bounce our way. That happens sometimes,” Mustang head coach Lyn Dyer said.

Offense (Anthony Sansone, left) and defense (Andy Wiens, right) heped lift Westview to this year's title game.

The Wolverines, who had eliminated Mar Vista by an 8-1 score in the quarterfinals, scored just 2:07 into the game and added another goal just under two minutes later, both courtesy of Sansone and the latter scored while short-handed. Westview took a 3-0 lead two minutes after that as Sansone set up teammate Josh Dykman for another short-handed goal. Sansone grabbed his fourth point of the period when he assisted on a tally by teammate Drew Ness with just seven seconds showing on the clock.

The Wolverines led 5-0 when Mike Kiraly scored just 2:37 into the second period. Sansone put the game away when he scored short-handed just 16 seconds into the third period after the Mustangs had started to increase the offensive pressure in the latter stages of the middle period.

Sansone concluded his scoring rampage by notching Westview’s final goal — once again while killing a penalty — with 8:38 left in the game.

The Mustangs twice had four-on-two power play opportunities but were unable to score against Wolverines netminder Ben Cohen.

“The key to the game was killing penalties and scoring short-handed,” Wiens said succinctly.

Freshman standout Zach Johnson got Otay Ranch on the scoreboard with 3:14 elapsed in the second period and team scoring leader Adrian Rodriguez netted the Mustangs’ second goal with 2:48 left in the game.

Dyer said his team left its game on the playing court — there were no regrets.

“We had a great season,” Dyer said. “We did accomplish our goals for this year. We were league co-champions in the South Bay League. We went farther in the playoffs this year.”

Otay Ranch, which advanced as far as last year’s quarterfinals, loses four seniors to graduation: Rodriguez, Dylan Mahr, Ruben Gomez and James Boucree.

Westview, which played like would-be champions last season before being ousted by a scintillating goaltender performance by Bonita Vista’s Cody Mazzarella in the quarterfinals, loses five seniors: Sansone, Kiraly Cohen and defensemen Andy Wiens and Dykman.