PIHL Hockey: Smiles caps off Hempfield's rally against Franklin Regional Thursday
Written by: Sean Meyers
February 19, 2021
Tags: Joey Borgia Alex Rauber Jacob Holtzman Nicholas Bruno Roman Cicco Chase Williams Jeff Anderchak Zachary Zeto Zach Ridilla Hunter Smiles
Hempfield Area scored twice in the final eight minutes to spoil an incredible performance by Franklin Regional, which played almost the entire contest without a traditional goaltender. While the Spartans claimed a 4-3 win, Franklin Regional senior forward Joey Borgia played a starring role, as he served as an emergency goaltender for nearly 40 minutes, and surrendered just those two late goals.
With Franklin Regional’s usual starting goalie Gunner Fulton unavailable due to illness, backup Alex Rauber earned the start in net. He had no answers for the potent Spartans’ offense early, however, as Hempfield Area’s Jacob Holtzman and Nicholas Bruno each scored in the first half of the opening period. Rauber then suffered an apparent lower-body injury, forcing him out of the game, and leaving FR without a netminder.
For the next few minutes, the Panthers played with six skaters, as defenseman Roman Cicco blocked numerous shots that were headed for the empty net. A few minutes later, Borgia switched into goalie equipment and assumed the unlikely role between the pipes.
Borgia was tested frequently, and made several sterling saves to keep the Panthers within striking distance. FR trimmed into its deficit with a powerplay marker by Chase Williams late in the first period, and pulled even just past the midway point of the second on a rebound marker by Jeff Anderchak. Although the Spartans outshot the Panthers 24-11 through two periods, the teams were deadlocked at 2-2 at the intermission.
Franklin Regional appeared poised for the upset in the third, as the Panthers took their first lead on a goal by Zachary Zeto less than four minutes into the stanza. That lead stood until Zach Ridilla deadlocked the score with 7:12 remaining. Hunter Smiles scored the winning goal with 1:59 left on a routine shot from the right side that Borgia couldn’t handle – his only glaring mistake of the night.
With the win, the Spartans increased their lead in the Class AA Southeast Division, improving to 11-1-0, good for 22 points. The Panthers, meanwhile, fell to 7-4-1, and remain in second place in the division with 15 points.