Jupiter High showed a well-seasoned team that played at a very high level as they won their third straight game on the road to open the season against excellent competition while University showed that they still have some work to do before they can take their place among the elite. University is better than the score indicated but Jupiter is #2 for a reason, and that reason was fully on display last night.  The team statistics clearly tied into the final score, as Jupiter won every category.  Time of possession, something I don’t tally, was pretty lopsided as Jupiter made University chase on defense, even when a zone was used and many possessions led to scores after those lengthy possessions.  Jupiter’s offense took the break when it was available but very few times did they force a bad shot.  Off-ball movement caught University looking a number of times, as the number of goals scored crease-side was large.  University goalie Ben Churba actually played a stout defense to keep it from getting worse, as he made 16 saves, many of them close-in looks. Just a game that University will look to as they say to themselves “this is what we need to strive for”.  Coach Northrop mentioned after the game that his team needs to work on their mental toughness in games against the better competition.  The team certainly showed good talent and now University will look to build off this.  I get the feeling we’ll see a better University later in the season and they can look back at this game for helping them get there. But Jupiter is for real and will be a tough out for anyone . . .  

  The game started out all Jupiter, as they raced to a 7-0 lead by halfway through the second quarter before University could break through and the half finished with the Warriors holding an 8-1 lead.  Shots were 24-8, shots on goal were 17-4 and face-offs were 10-1.  Which pretty much told the story. Zach Crotty started the run at 7:11 unassisted as he scored on a bounce shot from the right wing to the left corner.  David Parrish then took Jesse Foertmeyer’s right crease side feed off a fast break and finished low.  At 3:47 the lead went to 3-0 as Crotty took Peter Cox’s low left wing feed up top and fired a step-down shot into the upper right corner and at 1:21 Chris Cobo took off on a solo fast break, splitting two defenders before finishing and the quarter ended at 4-0. Michael Dean opened the second quarter just 46 seconds in on the EMO as he cut down the left wing and took Foertmeyer’s pass from behind the cage and hit the upper right corner with the left hand.  And at 10:42 Sean Dines took another Foertmeyer feed on the crease from left GLE and placed it low.  At 7:50 Jupiter finished the run on Kenny Cronin’s crease side goal, off another Foertmeyer feed from behind for 7-0.  Noah Blum got University on the board as he took Blaine Preston’s feed from up top and bounced one past Viper Scheele from the left wing at 5:57. But Jupiter got that one back at 3:43 on the EMO as Dean took another Foertmeyer crease feed (Jesse’s 5th assist of the half) from behind and it was 8-1 at the half. Jupiter put the game away in the third as Sean Dines scored early in the period, going down the left alley before spinning to his right and driving to the net at 11:38.  Less than two minutes later Davis Yates scored unassisted as he picked up his own rebound on the side of the cage. Cox followed that at 5:55 as he also scooped up a rebound near the cage off another Churba save and at 3:05 Foertmeyer completed his day off Crotty’s feed, also on EMO, as he hit the upper short side from the left wing.  Cole Bianco finished the third by darting down the right alley and hitting the far corner to make it 12-2 after three. Jupiter’s final tally came 33 seconds into the final stanza as Ian O’Connor also scored on the crease from Alex Derrico’s right wing feed. University finished the scoring with two goals.  At 6:47 Daniel Eisdorfer got his hands free on the left wing and his jump shot beat backup goalie Tyler Kendrigan on the short side and Max Hermann followed that up at 4:39 with a right wing shot to the short side on Eisdorfer’s right GLE feed. Jupiter is back in action Wednesday as they host #7 Stoneman Douglas and University looks to get back on track with Belen Jesuit at home on Thursday before successive road games against STA and Pope John Paul II.   Team Statistics   Faceoffs:  Jupiter  17 – University  4 Shots:  Jupiter 47 – University  20 Shots on Goal:  Jupiter  29 – University  10 Turnovers:  University  21 – Jupiter  14 Penalties:  University  4 – Jupiter  3   Individual Statistics   Jupiter Jesse Foertmeyer  1G/5A Zach Crotty  2G/1A Michael Dean and Sean Dines  2G each Peter Cox  1G/1A David Parrish, Chris Cobo, Kenny Cronin, Davis Yates and Ian O’Connor  1G each Alex Derrico  1A   University Daniel Eisdorfer  1G/1A Noah Blum, Cole Bianco and Max Hermann  1G each Blaine Preston  1A   Goalies Viper Scheele and Tyler Kendrigan combined for 6 saves while Ben Churba had 16 for University.   Thanks to Coach Loftus and Coach Northrop for talking to me before and after the game and good luck the rest of the season!   And remember, there’s a game in your neighborhood tonight . . . go out and attend!