Strongsville, Ohio — The St. Charles Ice Hockey team participated in the 2024 Padua Holiday Tournament in Strongsville over the weekend. Facing teams from beyond Central Ohio, the tournament provided a valuable opportunity to measure the Cardinals’ performance against statewide competition.
Heading into the weekend, St. Charles Head Coach Danny Griener noted the team was short a few players, with injuries mounting during the tournament. “They faced a lot of adversity and did a great job staying together as a team and continuing to perform at a high level to find success,” Griener said.
In Friday’s tournament opener against Walsh Jesuit, St. Charles surged to a 3-0 lead in the first period with goals from Danny Roncone, Jack Jensen, and William Howard. Despite Walsh Jesuit’s three goals in the final two periods, second-period goals by Tommy Scharfenberger and Jensen ensured a 5-3 victory for the Cardinals.
Saturday’s games highlighted the stellar performances of goaltenders Dylan Bell and Dylan Fansler, who combined for 37 saves on 38 shots across two victories. Bell notched a shutout against Padua, stopping all 18 shots he faced. John Vincent III scored in the second period, and Gabriel Sotak netted his first career varsity goal, sealing a 2-0 win over Padua.
In Saturday night’s matchup against Findlay, the Cardinals delivered a dominant performance, scoring five goals while goaltender Dylan Fansler made 19 saves on 20 shots. The 5-1 victory, powered by goals from Benjamin Nickey, Jack Jensen, Collin Hughes, Gabriel Sotak, and Danny Roncone, secured St. Charles a spot in Sunday’s tournament championship.
Heading into Sunday’s championship, Coach Danny Griener highlighted the team’s growing chemistry and camaraderie. “Our coaching staff really liked what we saw from them this weekend—on the bus, at the rink, at the hotel, and during team meals. They really came together as a group,” Griener said.
In the championship matchup against University School, goaltending once again took center stage. “Both goalies were great this weekend, but sophomore Dylan Bell stood out in the championship,” said Coach Griener. Bell delivered a stellar 29-save shutout, while Danny Roncone set the tone early with a goal less than a minute into the game.
University School had no answer for St. Charles, as the Cardinals added goals from Harry Hadden and Jack Jensen to secure a dominant 3-0 victory and the tournament championship. Despite the success, Coach Griener reflected on the weekend with a balanced perspective as the team heads into Christmas.
“That is such a great tournament, and we played tough competition that exposed some areas needing improvement to keep being successful,” Griener said. “We’ll address those in practice and in upcoming games, but I hope this experience brings the team even closer together and serves as a jumping-off point for a strong second half.”
270-315 Sports 
Leave a comment