SD Prep Sports: Roller Hockey

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Posted Sept. 7, 2002

The Chula Vista Golden Eagles roller hockey program has squarely placed itself "put on the map," according to head coach Paul Newell, after its Pee Wee and Bantam division teams scored success at the North American Roller Hockey Championships, the world’s largest amateur roller hockey tournament, held July 27-Aug. 8, in St. Paul, Minn.

The Golden Eagles Bantam Division team unloaded some baggage it had been carrying around after earning a second-place finish in the Gold Division at this year’s NARCH Finals. The Golden Eagles, seeded seventh in their division, eliminated the first- and second-seeded teams in the tournament before finally bowing to the third-seeded ProJoy Roadrunners from Redding, Calif., in the championship game.

In an equally impressive display, the Pee Wee team won its opening five games in the Minnesota tournament before suffering playoff elimination against the eventual division champion Irvine Raiders.

"Chula Vista’s on the map – it produces good hockey players. Hopefully, it’s just a starting point," said Newell, a graduate of Hilltop High School, who as an active player at the young adult level has earned his own share of national recognition and respect.

Respect was certainly one of the issues the Bantam team had to take to heart after a disappointing finish at the Tour Pacific Cup Finals in June/July. The Golden Eagles failed to qualify for the six-team playoff field despite finishing at the top of the regular season division standings.

The Golden Eagles Bantam squad finished 6-2 overall in competition at the Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, inclusive of a 3-0 jump-start.

While winning and losing in a tournament situation remains a team concept, Hilltop High’s Carl Horten and Erick Morgan both received individual accolades from Newell.

"Carl played well both ways. Erick scored some pretty big goals," the Golden Eagles coach said.

Spike Timmins and Tommy Prewitt, both of whom attend Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley, also excelled on the court for the Golden Eagles. Timmins helped lead the team in scoring while Prewitt was among three goaltenders on the team who rotated games to help fuel the Golden Eagles’ drive to the championship game.

"Spike had the most points. He scored very clutch goals in very key situations," said Golden Eagles coach Paul Newell. "Our goalies played together all throughout the tournament. Their solid play put us in a position to win."

Joining Prewitt between the pipers were Pt. Loma High products Alex Kanakaris and Jacob Kalmonson. Newell also gave high marks to defenseman Ryan Wiens (Mt. Carmel High).

The Golden Eagles Bantam squad won its opening three games of the tournament and made another 3-0 run to open the playoffs.

The Golden Eagles bested their first playoff foe, the NorCal Mavericks, 2-1, before drawing the second-seeded Corona Edge in the quarterfinals. The Golden Eagles gained a measure of revenge against the Edge with a 4-1 victory to make amends for a 3-2 loss in pool play at the Pacific Cup Finals. After eliminating the Edge, the Golden Eagles then put on their gutsiest performance of the tournament by defeating the top-seeded Tour Blast Red from Missouri, 2-1, on a game-winning goal in the final minute of play by Mike Baunker (Mt. Carmel High).

"They did enough to win in the playoffs," Newell said, adding about the pivotal semifinal game, "Both teams worked hard. It was an amazing game to watch," Newell said.

In this case, it appears the Pacific Cup Finals provided a much needed wake-up call.

"I think we weren’t focused enough. We didn’t take everyone seriously because we had beaten them all before during the regular season," said Prewitt in addressing the team’s sub-par performance at the Pacific Cup Finals.

The Golden Eagles lost 8-0 in the championship game to a motivated Roadrunners’ team that had a number of players who were coming off an overtime loss in the Junior Division semifinals barely an hour earlier.

"That team just didn’t know how to be champions – they were not used to championship setting. But it was fun for us. Hopefully, we’ll be in that situation in the future and they can take advantage of the situation. It won’t be new to them.

The Golden Eagles made their opening statement for respect by dealing successive losses to Michigan’s Motorcity Rollerdogs, 6-4; Colorado’s SIHA Stallions Black, 5-3; and California’s CPH Riptide, 5-2, in prelim play. Following a 5-1 loss to the K-Tek Kondors from Colorado, the Golden Eagles righted themselves with three consecutive playoff wins.

Just as impressive, the Golden Eagles’ Pee Wee entry that also stumbled at the Pacific Cup Finals won its opening five games at the NARCh Finals before suffering elimination, 5-3?, in the playoff quarterfinals against Irvine. The Golden Eagles reeled off successive wins against the Magic Window Flames from Ontario, Canada, 5-4; the Brea Oilers, 5-2; and Colorado’s SIHA Stallions White AA team, 4-2; and A team, 7-0, to open pool play. Seeded fifth in the 13-team playoff field, the Golden Eagles dropped the 12^th-seeded Kansas City Rage, 6-0, in their opening playoff match.

The team’s lone loss in the tournament came after allowing Irvine four power play goals.

"Both teams were far superior at NARCh than at the Tour Pacific Cup Finals. It looked to me like they had played all these Pacific Cup teams throughout the season that they had beaten and lost to and beaten. When they got to NARCh, they were facing teams from other parts of the country and other countries. They were pumped up to play," Newell said.

Newell credited outstanding individual performances on the Pee Wee team to defenseman Bryan Bagalini, forward James Arakaki (Bonita Vista High) and utilityman Adrian Rodriguez (Rancho del Rey Middle School). "James scored some big goals for us. Adrian played well both ways," Newell said.

The Pee Wee team’s goaltending unit of Casey Peterson (Monte Vista High) and Andrew Watson each split two games in prelims.

On wrapping up a long season that began last November, Newell called it both rewarding and, at times, bittersweet.

"They represented the organization well all year. I’m proud of them for that. It was a lot of fun," Newell said.

The program expects to field teams in three divisions – Pee Wee, Bantam and Junior levels – for the upcoming 2003-2004 competitive season.