St. Rita Hockey -Goal! Illinois State Hockey Champs!

Brett Roseman/SouthtownStar)

Go Mustangs!

Well Done, Gents!

# Name Grade Pos. Grammar School
3 Joe McDonnell 10 F St. Al's - Lemont
4 Michael Tisoncik 11 F St. Michael
6 Matt Blaszkiewicz 10 D Oak Lawn Middle School
7 Henry Capouch 12 D Heritage Middle School
9 Chris Foley 9 F Homer Jr. High
10 Zach Bulthuis 12 F St. Rene
11 Alex Summerfelt 11 F Forest Hills
14 Tanner Panozzo 12 D Orland Jr. High
15 Alex Roman 11 F St. Bede
17 Jack McDonnell 12 D St. Al's - Lemont
18 Jack Warren 10 F Oak Lawn Middle School
19 Dan Foley 11 F Homer Jr. High
20 Bill McGrenera 12 G Queen of Martyrs
22 Stan Sojka 10 F Kinzie
23 Keith Burchett 9 F St. Issac Jogues
24 Michael Ferguson 11 F St. Damian
26 Blake Nevin 12 F St. Paul
28 Michael Diana 11 F St. Cajetan
29 Rich Matyas 11 D Century Jr. High
39 Sean Gerich 12 G Kinzie


From the Southtown Star:

"I'm happy for the kids and St. Rita," Mustangs coach Craig Ferguson said. "This is all about the players. The kids really stepped up, from the seniors to the freshman. A total team effort."

The state title was St. Rita's second in hockey, the first coming in 1982. The Southland had been without a state hockey titlist since Mount Carmel won it all in 1990.

The state championship comes just days after the Mustangs garnered their third straight Kennedy Cup, emblematic of the Catholic League champ.

"It's totally amazing," Gerich said of winning both Cups. "My last game at St. Rita and we win state. To be on the only team to win the Cup and state in St. Rita history is pretty special."

Foley's 10th goal of the season broke a 1-all tie with 10:22 remaining in the third period. The freshman backhanded a nifty pass from Joe McDonnell just inside the right post.

Just 2:05 earlier, the Ramblers had tied the game at 1.

"I couldn't believe Joe put that pass right on my tape (on the stick)," said Foley, a Homer Glen resident. "I tried to get a shot off as quick as possible. We knew we had to come through once they tied it up. It was a great feeling."

Alex Roman added an empty-net goal with 37 seconds left.