After winning the PIHL Penguins Cup a few years ago in the 2021-2022 season, Norwin Hockey fought to get back on that championship ice. In the 2022-23 season, Norwin went 17-5-1, losing to Fox Chapel in the semi-finals. Last year, the Knights continued their success and moved up in their section, rising from Class A to Class 2A. Norwin beat Fox Chapel 5-2 in the postseason, but lost to Penn Trafford semi-finals. The team remains in Class 2A for this 2024-25 season.
Despite the team’s accomplishments within their last few seasons, the rolling academy has rolled to a stop this season as the team rebuilds and looks to get back on track. This season brought the Knights significant challenges that the team struggled to fight. The team lost key pieces like starting defenders Aaron Varrati and Dom Constantino, main goalie Owen Burmeister, and leading goal scorer and franchise leader Alex Thomas from last season. The absence of most players star players has definitely put a dent in the teams’ abilities. With the loss of major contributors last season, it’s no surprise that the team has struggled without the support of a confident starting lineup.
On top of a lacking starting line, the Knights have been working to adjust with a new head coach: Denny Zeravica. Zeravica has been assistant coach for the past three years, now taking over from the Knights previous head coach Mike Robinson.
With a loss of significant players and adjusting to a new coaching structure, the Knights unfortunately are off to a tough 0-9 record, making it difficult for them to re-enter the playoff race.
“It’s a combination of defense and zone breakdowns,” said senior Dominic Cerilli. “Sometimes we just can’t get the puck out of the zone. I think it’s cost us a few times in close games. We’ve came into three games now where we’ve had leads in the third and we just kind of blew them. We blew a two-goal lead against Baldwin which we shouldn’t have, but it’s just little things like trusting our coaching staff and what they’ve prepared for us.”
Cerilli is a four year player for the Knights and has been a large contributor for the team by getting points on the board. Although the season has been disappointing for him thus far, Cerilli was glad to celebrate scoring his 100th goal as a Knight.
“My 100th goal was special because the pass came from Joey and Mason,” said Cerilli. “I try to take Mason under my wing as an upper classman, and Joey is my best friend. I had all of my friends and family there, and some people home from college. After four years of hard work, it felt good seeing everyone with the “100” glasses on.”
Joey Vecchio, another four-year player, has some thoughts on this season, too.
“The senior class for the most part have played together for 8 or 9 years,” said Vecchio. “We have a lot of chemistry, and we have that ability to have trust in the guy next to you. That’s like our one big advantage. It also comes in handy when we take losses. It helps the morale stay knowing we always have each other to lean on.”
As a senior, Vecchio sees the teams struggles and touches on what they need to focus on to put W’s on their record.
“We need more movement in the offensive zone,” said Vecchio. “Shots are the key to everything. It really all boils down to getting pucks in deep and getting to the net.”
A new coach and loss of players is not the only adjustment the team has had to make this year, as many underclassmen have glided onto the ice as starters. Mason Hohman and Cal Constantino, two sophomores, have established their spots in the starting lineup.
“We got to be better as a team,” said Hohman. “We give up a lot of goals and we don’t really score a lot of goals, so we have to find the net once in a while.”
Constantino agreed, adding that the team needs to start putting points up to show their capabilities and succeed throughout the rest of the season. In order to build a better foundation, both of the sophomores agreed that the team needs to prepare the players who will be taking the ice next year and filling the spots of the current seniors.
The Knights will take on Canon-McMillan Tuesday, Dec. 17. The team hopes to pull through against the Big Macs this time considering they took a small 2-3 defeat against them earlier in the season.
