Boraske and Mandell:

Maybe it was an omen that the Hawks did not make districts. What would you have done with Eastern playoffs and first game of districts being played tomorrow night? Would you have taken a vote with Haberle, Baker, Hazelton to see who was playing where? Could Big Jim clone himself to be in 2 places at once. Same problem if the Eastern playoff went to a 3rd game on Saturday. If only that was a problem.

Eastern League Championship vs. a shot at Nationals?
which would you choose after we already knew we were in flyers cup
Baker and TJ and Hazelton would have felt the same way

I'd have to imagine the Eastern League would reschedule. You're taking arguably the best players from both teams away, leaving sort of a hollow championship game.

If we had to choose, I know all five of us would have played for the Hawks.

18AA American Eagles 7 - Flyers Youth 3
18AAA VF Minutemen 8 - NJ Colonials 0

I think I am scheduled to see both refs this weekend.

It's interesting how I've heard anywhere from 62-75 penalties and have had coaches and scorekeepers at different rinks ask me about it.
Too bad they don't post the box scores for districts.

U18AA today, the Flyers Youth won 1 - 0, the American Eagles had to forfeit because of many of their players' high school playoff game conflict. It's a shame that the Districts championship can't be won on the ice. There's still a third game tomorrow.

I may have spoken too soon. I was reading the NJ.com hockey site and it said that if the Eagles forfeit the game, they forfeit the championships. It said that they had to play the game with at least 6 players for it to be official.

If this is true then the Flyers Youth will represent the AAHA at Nationals without truly winning a championship game.

Unfortunately this shows that a split season doesn't work either. NJYHL Midgets basically plays a split season - league games done by 12/1, then HS starts. But conflicts can and did occur during HS playoffs and District playoffs. I still find it hard to believe that 2 organizations could not find a way to schedule 2 games on the same day without a conflict. Like the district game in the morning and the HS game in the evening.

I understand why most people would be in favor of split season. But what about that rare travel player that has no high school team or a very weak high school team. I guess the only option would be to try out for a tier I full season team.

i just heard and am shocked that after all of that; if you knew your team wasn't going to make the playoff games for district finals, then why even bother all season. first those poor kids. but then why should we feel sorry! they chose school over travel. what does that tell you.

I can not believe that Flyers Youth is representing the Atlantic District!

quote:

Originally posted by hockeyheads:
i just heard and am shocked that after all of that; if you knew your team wasn't going to make the playoff games for district finals, then why even bother all season. first those poor kids. but then why should we feel sorry! they chose school over travel. what does that tell you.

I can not believe that Flyers Youth is representing the Atlantic District!

I don't think you truly understand "school over travel" for North Jersey teams. They have school sanctioned teams. They are playing for a State Championship - trophy in the school trophy case! They have heavy newspaper coverage. They have bus loads of kids coming to watch their games. They will be disciplined by the school if they don't show up for a game without a good reason - and believe me, a District game is not a good reason. It is not like eastern Pa HS teams or South Jersey HS "Club" teams.

It's obvious from Snipe's posting of the article that the Eagles & the Flyer's Youth did almost everything possible to make the game an official game to avoid a forfeit.

A junk goal may not be pretty but is still a goal - Congratulations Flyer's Youth and good luck at Nationals.

quote:

Originally posted by Snipe:
Will there be sanctions on the American Eagles next year? Not elegible for Districts?

I heard that rumor but I don't know. They are not the first team to have HS/District conflicts - there was a post on the Tier I Midget playoffs that said the Colonials only had 6 skaters at a game. I know that Brick usually has this problem each year also. I don't know why the NJSIAA & the AAHA can't work together to avoid conflicts - even if they did something as simple as schedule the District games in the morning & the HS game in the evening.

From what i've heard, Flyers Youth won the district championship as fair as can be. It's not their fault that the eagles couldnt supply the minimal amount of players needed, or keep control of themselves and not take a penilty. Not ONCE, but TWICE they took peniltys and theres nothing that Flyers Youth could have done. They won it fair and square and won their way through districts for a reason. They might not be the best skilled team but under the coaching of Tom Monohan who is no doubt one of the top coaches in the Tri-State area, they really came together as a team. And with key players like Ryan Mara, Mat Grabert, and Frank Garvy they should do just fine at nationals. GOOD LUCK BOYS BRING A TROPHY HOME TO JERSEY

I wouldn't quite saying winning by forfeit is "fair as can be."

maybe the powers that be at both high school and club on the western side of New Jersey; should start looking at the split season. Then we might not run into these problems again. I have to agree with Boraske!