SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Roller Hockey

Westview rolls to Kiwanis Cup title with OT victory

ESCONDIDO, March 1, 2006 -- Senior Josh Dykman’s slap shot eluded the grasp of Poway goaltender Adam Pinomaki halfway through the first 10-minute overtime period to lift Westview to a 3-2 sudden victory against top-seeded Poway at the Escondido Sports Center.

For Poway (17-2-4), it was the second time in as many years the Titans finished runner-up in overtime in the championship game. Poway lost 2-1 to Scripps Ranch in last year’s final but eliminated the two-time defending Kiwanis Cup champion Falcons by a 5-3 score in this year’s semifinals.

Brothers Phil and Anthony Sansone scored both regulation goals for Westview while Poway received goals from Stephen Lockwood and Danny Barnes. Anthony Sansone’s short-handed goal gave the Wolverines a 2-1 lead; younger brother Phil Sansone tallied the game’s jump-goal.

“It was an unbelievable game. It was fast-paced, high-tempo. Both goalies were awesome. It was just what you’d hope it would be,” Westview coach Gordon Wiens. “It was physical but clean. It was really fast. It was one of those games that if one team caught a couple of breaks, it would have been it. But it went into overtime.”

Westview took a 1-0 lead when Phil Sansone intercepted a pass and broke into the Poway zone with teammate xxx Taylor, who after taking a pass from Sansone, passed the puck back, whereupon Sansone beat Pinomaki for the game’s jump-goal.

Anthony Sansone’s goal was the Wolverines’ sixth short-handed goal of the playoffs and Sansone;’s fifth short-handed goal in the postseason.

In scoring the game-winner, Dykman collected a loose puck near the red line, circled the puck and then let go with a hard slap shot that just barely made it inside the post.

“When Josh scored, the kids made a big dog pile on him,” Wiens said.

Both goaltenders played at near their best of the season, with Cohen keeping Westview in the game during the second period and Pinomaki holding Poway in the game in the third period.

Westview and Poway battled to a 1-1-1 draw in three North County League games in regular season play and finished 1-0-2 in three league games against Scripps Ranch.

Scripps Ranch (15-4-4) eliminated Mesa League champion La Jolla, 20-3, in quarterfinal round play after topping Hilltop, 14-1, in the opening round.

Poway bested Vista, 7-2, in the quarterfinals. The Titans finished 2-0-2 against Scripps Ranch in four matchups this season.