La Salle, C.R. South, Springfield vie for hockey titles

Wally Muehlbronner doesn't see goalie Nick DiSimone as a 14-year-old boy, but instead as a mature player who brings what the La Salle ice hockey coach said is a great approach and mental mind-set to the game.

It was the final week of the season when the Explorers turned to DiSimone in goal, as Muehlbronner said it felt like the right decision to make. His instincts paid off.

The freshman led the Explorers to their third Class AAA Flyers Cup in four seasons and a berth in Saturday's state-championship game against Penguins Cup winner Upper St. Clair at 4 p.m. at Ice Line in West Chester.

"I wouldn't say it was uncommon, because we've had freshmen contribute here in the past. But, as an athlete, he's very mature for his age," Muehlbronner said of his goalie.

The La Salle-Upper St. Clair matchup will be the final game of a state-championship tripleheader, with each game pitting the winner of the Flyers Cup against the winner of the Penguins Cup.

Springfield (Delco), the Class A Flyers Cup champion, will face off against Mars Area at 11 a.m., followed by Council Rock South and Bishop Canevin for the AA title at 1:30 p.m.

With almost three weeks between their Flyers Cup win and the state final, the Explorers might have to fight off some rust, which Muehlbronner said wasn't ideal, but there was nothing they could do about it.

The Explorers scheduled practice for three straight days leading up to the final, and a good number of them also play for club programs. The coach hopes this will keep his team fresh.

Bishop Canevin "might have a little bit of an edge," Muehlbronner said. "It's all about getting that first goal, then we'll go from there."

Springfield coach Phil Eastman advances to his first state final in his fifth year as head coach. The Cougars will face an experienced Mars team that has advanced to three consecutive state finals. The Fighing Planets won their first state championship last season.

The Cougars advanced to the title game with a 3-2 overtime win against Unionville, as junior forward Billy McGugan scored his fourth goal in as many games for the winner.

Junior goalie Mike Rice stopped 95 percent of the shots he faced in the Flyers Cup, and Eastman said the team would not have won the tournament without Rice's stellar play.

After capturing his second Flyers Cup title in three years, Council Rock South coach Joe Houk began researching the team's next opponent, Bishop Canevin.

Houk saw that the teams had similar records and goal margins and seemed to play a similar style. The Golden Hawks return six players from their 2009 state runner-up team that fell to undefeated Latrobe, 3-2.

"The first time, we didn't know too much about what to expect. This time, we'll have a different approach and be more serious," Houk said.