Kevbeau Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 I know there are a few other St. Francis grads out there. Tonight the Prep team faces off against Shattuck St. Mary's of Minnesota. For those of you who don't follow HS hockey, they are arguably the best high school level/prep program in the country and have been for many years. Their most noted alumnus at this point is Sidney Crosby, but they've produced a long line of NHL players. The rest of the field of the Midwest Prep Challenge includes teams from Culver Military and Northwood which are also considered top programs. Congrats to Frannie's hockey for building a top notch program and from what I understand, it's only going to get better. When I went there, there wasn't even a Prep team or a Fed team...just Club and Monsignor Martin so it's come a long way. The St Francis Prep team has put together an impressive record so far this season (27-7-3...I think) against quality teams, and along the way won the MidWest Prep League Championship. But here's wishing them luck on their biggest test yet. Sorry for the LAMP (sort of), but it's nice to see WNY hockey take the next step and I like to brag a little on my alma mater.
shrader Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 This is a very exciting game for the school. I wish there was some way to watch the team play. Maybe they'll make a few trips out to Boston in the future. If you don't mind me asking, what year did you graduate? I'm a 2000.
Kevbeau Posted March 10, 2006 Author Report Posted March 10, 2006 This is a very exciting game for the school. I wish there was some way to watch the team play. Maybe they'll make a few trips out to Boston in the future. If you don't mind me asking, what year did you graduate? I'm a 2000. 1991
shrader Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 1991 There wasn't a Fed team back then? My brother graduated in 92 and I would've swore that I remember him gunning for a spot on the federation team. Oh, and the prep team only started up in, I believe, 99-00. That goes to show exactly how far they've come in a very short time.
Kevbeau Posted March 10, 2006 Author Report Posted March 10, 2006 There wasn't a Fed team back then? My brother graduated in 92 and I would've swore that I remember him gunning for a spot on the federation team. Oh, and the prep team only started up in, I believe, 99-00. That goes to show exactly how far they've come in a very short time. I think '91 was the last season for the Monsignor Martin League, (I remember that team playing Joe's on Super Sunday)....which merged into the Fed League in '92. I could be wrong though.
shrader Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 I think '91 was the last season for the Monsignor Martin League, (I remember that team playing Joe's on Super Sunday)....which merged into the Fed League in '92. I could be wrong though. He took that year off but then played again for his senior year. You're probably right. You'd know far more about the leagues at that time than I would.
hopeleslyobvious Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 Best of luck to you guys tonight. P.S. Don't tell any other SJCI alums that I said that....oh well better than wishing Canisius good luck.
shrader Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 Best of luck to you guys tonight. P.S. Don't tell any other SJCI alums that I said that....oh well better than wishing Canisius good luck. Eh, you're not at our level anymore anyway, so it really doesn't matter. B-) ;)
PTS Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 Eh, you're not at our level anymore anyway, so it really doesn't matter. B-) ;) Hell ya, Nichols isn't even on the same level as St. Francis. As I told shrader before, I graduated in 1999 ... the final year we played in the Federation. Coach Bowers wanted our team to jump to the Prep league that year because we were absolutely stacked at every position. We beat the #1 team in New York State 8-0 and won the Fed league championship 9-1. The school wouldn't let us jump leagues because they wanted to see if Joe's would do it with us. When it became apparent that they won't, Bowers convinced the powers that be that Francies is a national hockey powerhouse and they made the jump. I believe they won the Prep league in their first year... 1999 was the last year the Federation meant anything. I just can't believe St. Joe's has fallen so much.
shrader Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 1999 was the last year the Federation meant anything. I just can't believe St. Joe's has fallen so much. It's a shame that the two schools can't have the meaningful games like they used to have a few years back. I can't even count how many of those games I went to over the years. My personal favorite was actually a game that Joes won back in maybe 96. Joes stormed into the corner after the buzzer to celebrate their win. One St Francis player couldn't get out of the way in time and got stuck in the middle (the last kid you'd expect to be the cause of a brawl), so the rest of the team had to come in to help him out. That was one hell of a brawl. Anyway, tonight's game has to be one of, if not the biggest event in the SF athletics history. To me, this is the night where they get their foot in the door.
Hawerchuk Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 Nice to see Frannys playing some high level games. Orchard Park '91 grad here... Hey, Didn't Aaron Miller with the LA Kings play for St. Francis HS too? Or was it someone else?? Best of luck to them!
shrader Posted March 10, 2006 Report Posted March 10, 2006 Miller was definitely there. I'm not sure if he was there for four years though.
Kevbeau Posted March 10, 2006 Author Report Posted March 10, 2006 Nice to see Frannys playing some high level games. Orchard Park '91 grad here... Hey, Didn't Aaron Miller with the LA Kings play for St. Francis HS too? Or was it someone else?? Best of luck to them! yes, but I believe he left early for juniors. That's the greatest benefit of the Prep program IMO. With a high profile schedule and scout exposure you keep your top players from leaving after their sophomore year.
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