Vincenz Barsanti couldn’t wipe the smile off his face Sunday after the Fenwick hockey team continued its impressive postseason run.
“Our main goals have been to win the Kennedy Cup and the Blackhawk Cup,” the senior goalie said. “It will be an amazing feeling if we win both.”
After advancing to the Kennedy Cup finals and capturing Game 1 of the Catholic League championship series last Thursday, the Friars earned a spot in the Blackhawk Cup semifinals with a 5-1 victory over Sandburg on Sunday at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville.
Up next for Wolff’s squad is a Final Four rematch on Monday with former Catholic League rival Loyola Gold, which slipped past Stevenson 3-2 in the other quarterfinal.
“The only thing that didn’t go our way is that we gave up a goal,” said Barsanti, who allowed his first goal in the state playoffs.
Loyola Gold not only ended Fenwick’s season a year ago, but it also halted the Friars’ remarkable four-year run in which they advanced to the state title game all four years and captured two state crowns.
Fenwick, which is unbeaten in 63 of its 82 games (54-19-9) this season, took control of the game in the second period when it scored three times to break a scoreless tie.
Sophomore Mike Freitag (two assists) recorded the first two goals, while K.C. Madock scored the first of his two goals on the afternoon. Nick Powers also lit the lamp.
“Right now, we still have a chance to win both titles-the Kennedy Cup and Blackhawk Cup,” Freitag said. “That would be tremendous if we did.”
When Freitag and Co. arrive at Southwest Ice Arena on Thursday, the Kennedy Cup will be waiting.
The Friars are one game away from capturing their fifth consecutive Cup after a 4-1 victory over Mount Carmel last Thursday in Game 1 of the best-of-three Kennedy Cup finals at Homewood-Flossmoor Ice Arena.
“I can’t tell you how good this feels to finally beat them,” said Fenwick forward Nick Powers, whose team went winless in five games against the Caravan during the regular season.
One reason why the Friars have been kings of the Catholic League since 2002 has been their consistent play in big games.
That was the case again in the opening game, as Fenwick’s top line set the pace. Anchored by the league’s top three regular-season point leaders-Freitag, Powers and Madock-the Friars remained perfect (5-0) in the premier postseason tourney.
Matt Wilcox, Mike Freitag, Matt Dory and Powers all scored for Fenwick.
“We don’t try to do anything special, and we don’t think we’re all-stars or better than anyone else,” Powers said. “Ever since this line was put together at midseason, it seems like we’ve clicked ever since.”
If Fenwick is unable to close out the Kennedy Cup finals on Thursday, a decisive Game 3 is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday in Flossmoor.