PRPC edges Athens to capture title

As seen in ThisWeek News
Thursday, February 27, 2003

JEFF HUNT
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Marty Laroche's Canadian accent only underscores the fact that he once was a gritty professional hockey player.

A center for the Columbus Chill during their last season in the ECHL (1998-99), when he totaled 18 goals and 24 assists, Laroche decided to stay in Columbus and get into coaching once the franchise folded as the Blue Jackets prepared to join the NHL in 2000.

The Cornwall, Ontario, native's coaching chance came with fellow Cornwall native and Ohio State head coach John Markell. And once the schedule was feasible -- while keeping his volunteer duties at OSU -- Laroche moved on to the Greater Columbus High School Club Hockey League's Pickerington-Reynoldsburg-Pataskala-Canal Winchester team.

In his first season as coach, Laroche turned the Prowlers into champions, as they scored twice in the second period to defeat defending champion and top-seeded Athens 2-1 in final of the Blue Jackets Club Division Cup last Sunday at the CoreComm Ice Haus.

"I wasn't the coach last year," said Laroche of PRPC, which tied Hilliard/Southwest for fourth in the regular season a year ago. "But I inherited a team that was strong right off the bat. We knew with seven seniors, which is a good number for this league, that our depth would take over."

Although Athens won the regular-season title for the second year in a row (18-4-2, 38 points), the second-place Prowlers were close behind (17-5-2, 36) ahead of Olentangy (17-6-1, 35) and Westerville (16-7-1, 33).

"We talked about the regular season and how Athens won it again and that anything can happen in the playoffs," Laroche said. "Sometimes it's who wants it more and sometimes it's luck. Our guys came to play and our effort was obviously there. We earned it."

Athens took a 1-0 first-period lead on Ben Peach's goal, but that's all the Bobcats -- who beat Westerville 4-1 in last season's title game to finish 31-0-0 -- would get.

"That was the first time we trailed all tournament and we hadn't been faced with too much adversity," Laroche said.

Sophomore Ryan Markell, John Markell's son, tied the game in the second and senior captain Jimmy Betts netted the game-winner. Markell was named the game's MVP.

"I was proud of the way we responded," Laroche said. "After the first period we told our guys we were where we wanted to be. We were still getting chances."

Laroche, whose squad outscored its four tournament opponents 29-6, said his team's title was no fluke.

"We were never in first place all year and (last Sunday) was the first time we reached first place," he said. "I knew we could do it. The funny thing is that I don't know if surprise is the correct word, I knew we had a team that could do it. Our discipline was key for us. The third period was the best period of defense we played all season."

Freshman goalie Jessie Betts finished the tournament with a league-leading 1.36 goals-against average.

"He saved his best (game) for last," Laroche said.

League president Mike Grubb, who also is president of the Westerville team, said this was the league's most successful season in its five-year history.

"It was very, very competitive and a great compelling game with PRPC beating defending champion Athens. I'm just really, really gratified that we had seasons in the past where it was a lot of fun, but this year every game was important no matter who was playing.

"Every game was well-played and I was really pleased with the competitiveness. It shows the skill levels of players and coaches are getting better."

*ROAD TO THE TITLE -- Second-seeded PRPC opened the double-elimination tournament by blasting Newark 18-2 on Feb. 20 as Jimmy Betts (five goals) and Markell (four) led the Prowlers, who allowed just five shots.

The Prowlers then downed Bexley 4-2 in a winners' bracket semifinal last Friday behind two goals from sophomore Eric Willard before beating Westerville 5-1 in the winners' bracket title game last Saturday. T.J. Hess had two goals and Betts stopped 12 of 13 shots against the Warcats.

Westerville missed a chance to reach the championship round for the third consecutive season by losing 5-2 in the losers' bracket final last Sunday to Athens, which avenged a 5-3 winners' bracket semifinal loss to the fourth-seeded Warcats last Friday.

"We were pleased we finished third," Grubb said. "If you look at it and put it in perspective, we finished second, second and third, so we just feel very good about the team and the program as a whole."

In the tournament, PRPC went 4-0 to finish 21-5-2 overall, followed by Athens (3-2, 21-6-2), Westerville (2-2, 18-9-1), Olentangy (1-3, 18-9-0), Hilliard (0-2, 7-18-1), Bexley (1-3, 4-22-1) and Newark (0-2, 2-24-4).