03/14/11
After a season of ups and downs, the Burke Varsity suffered a 7-1 loss in their state regional game at the hands of the Pelham Pelicans , the Section 1 D2 champs. After running through their playoffs with three straight wins , including an upset 1-0 upset win over Rye, the Pelicans brought their well tested 'A' game to their home arena; the Eagles had no answers.
Eagle goaltender Eric Hayden stepped up his game facing 52 shots on net while Richard Hudzik scored the lone Eagle goal.
More than the chance to go to the NYS Regionals, the loss was the last game for a fine group of seniors: Mike McAteer, Mark McAteer, Richard Hudzik, Yale Gropman, Alex Day, Craig Mende, Danny Gilmore. Unlike some recent reports on the shortcomings of some local athletes, all the Burke boys will graduate, all have been accepted into a college , all are pretty good friends, all are still smiling, all have the foundation for a great future. Despite injuries, a diminished bench, O'Neill dropping out of the league, a shortened schedule, the seniors never wavered from their loyalty to the Burke program; no losers here.
What goes around comes around.....Pelham lost their first game in Utica on a questionable goal that seemed to hit the crossbar. Burke's 2008 trip to Utica ended on a questionable goal that seemed to hit the crossbar: opponent Pelham. Go figure.
Suffern , Section 1 D1 champs and ranked the #1 team in the state for most of he season , saw their season end in a first round loss in Utica
.
Sometimes you win , sometimes you lose....enjoy the ride.
