John Jay Keeps Skating in 9-3 Loss to Greeley

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The last time John Jay faced Horace Greeley, the Wolves jumped out to a four goal lead and ultimately lost. So on Friday January 20 at the Brewster Ice Arena, the tables were turned and the Quakers had a 4-0 first period lead. Maybe on script, John Jay scored first in the second, but a replay was not to be.

Greeley scored the next four goals and won easily by a score of 9-3.

John Jay did get opportunities early, though. Kenny Irving teed up from the blue line and Brendan Asta harried the Greeley defense by swooping around the net and finding Ryan Hasapis out front.

But Johnny Martin was there both times in goal, and Greeley was ready to go to town. On the power play, Ryan Marcus came free, and the Quakers were on the board at 12:53.

No time to really think, Logan Arfin supplied the brain pain. He scored at 11:42 and at 11:14.

3-0 now, the Wolves kept skating. After James DeNoia hit Colman Rice out front, Martin scrambled for the save, and then Rice shot just high from close range at 4:40.

Unfortunately, Greeley remained on target. Thomas Pollard made it 4-0, and there was a long uphill climb ahead for the Wolves.

Their hiking boots quickly affixed, the Wolves looked dug in with less than a minute going by in the second. Colman Rice blasted from the point, the puck resounded off the boards, and when the rubber came out front, Hasapis was there for the rebound.

A blip it turned out to be, Jack Bennett scored at 14:05, Patrick Ula at 12:14 and Brandon Foulks at 10:48. No coming back, the Wolves would fall to 2-9, and Coach John McKeon has been forced to accept the difficult year. “It is what it is,” he lamented.

McKeon also noted the difference when a season goes bad from the bench. “It’s a lot harder than playing because you’re in charge,” he clarified

On the other hand, the first year coach has the boys to cushion some of the disappointment. “I’m just really grateful, because they are a good group of kids,” McKeon assured with pride.

In this, his hope is the players don’t let all the adversity simply go by the boards. “It’s a learning experience,” he said. “You got to try to be the best you can.”

The Wolves skating hard to the end implies his team is doing so, and only two seniors on the way out, means better things could be ahead. As such, McKeon has his eyes on Anthony Papa. “He’s been playing great,” said the coach. “An eighth grader on defense, the kid is a stud.”

He also had high praise for sophomore Julian Pedreyra. “A bigger kid. He’s come a long way, and I think the best is yet to come,” McKeon asserted.

Plenty more to choose from, McKeon didn’t leave anyone out. “They’ve all stepped up in their own way,” he said.

More to go this season, the coach hopes the hockey legacy at John Jay keeps them striving no matter the record. “I want them to keep that fire and desire to be great," McKeon concluded.

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