Pioneers overpower Cadets, share Classic Suburban lead

St.Thomas Academy thought it had a team that could challenge Hill-Murray, but the Pioneers beat the upstarts.

By DEAN SPIROS, Star Tribune

Last update: January 10, 2008 - 11:43 PM

The Hill-Murray boys' hockey team takes great pleasure in beating its counterpart from White Bear Lake. To be fair, the boys at White Bear are equally gleeful after being on the winning end of an in-your-face faceoff.

There's nothing unhealthy about that, and in some cases it is downright enviable. The St. Thomas Academy Cadets looks forward to the day Hill-Murray can't stand the sight of them, either.

Rivalries are what make the sports world go 'round, and we've got one brewing in the Classic Suburban League. Reigning heavyweight champ Hill-Murray is being tested by upstart St. Thomas Academy.

The Cadets saw their one-game lead over the Pioneers dissolve Thursday night in Mendota Heights in a 4-2 loss to Hill-Murray (12-2, 6-1).

The Cadets (12-2, 6-1) were a disappointed bunch after an emotional game that had its share of penalties, and not just because it was a matchup between two of the best teams in the metro.

Greg and Tom Vannelli, in their fifth season as co-head coaches at St. Thomas Academy, have used their team's performances against Hill-Murray over the years as a measuring stick of the program's growth. Hill-Murray swept the season series the first two seasons; St. Thomas Academy has earned a split the past two seasons.

"Everyone knows you have to go through Hill-Murray to win the conference,'' Greg Vannelli said. "I don't think they've had a bad team in 35 years.''

With all due respect, Hill-Murray coach Bill Lechner said, the history simply isn't there for the Pioneers to consider it a "circle the date on the calendar" game. For too long, a game with St. Thomas Academy meant nothing more than another "W." But Lechner knows things are changing.

"They're very good,'' Lechner said. "The last two years we have played them there have been good games.''

Add another one from Thursday night. St. Thomas Academy tied the score 2-2 five minutes into the third period but Hill-Murray's Dan Cecka scored what proved to be the game-winner at 8:23 before Nick Widing added an insurance goal.

Greg Vannelli mentioned before the game how recent successes have helped the Cadets learn to not fall into the trap of being overaggressive in big games. But he was less than pleased with their efforts in that regard on Thursday.

"We lost our composure at times, and that can happen when high school kids get revved up,'' Vannelli said. "In the end you have to be able to control those things.''

Lechner was pleased with the way his team performed on the road against a quality opponent. He has seen it before, and it never gets old.

The Pioneers' history of success, Lechner said, brings pressure every year to keep the victories and the titles coming. He said he has his team building toward the postseason, so the Pioneers aren't yet where he wants them to be.

In the bigger picture, Hill-Murray is where St. Thomas Academy wants to be.

Dean Spiros • dspiros@startribune.com