PITTSBURGH – South Kent’s seven-hour trek to the Keystone State became well worth it Monday afternoon when the team captured the championship of the USHL Fall Classic Youth Tournament’s 18U division.
Jamie Russell’s team defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, 3-0, in Monday’s final that was played at the RMU Island Sports Center. It was the second-straight year a team from New England was crowned champion of the 18U division at the USHL Fall Classic with Mount Saint Charles winning in 2021.
South Kent 18U was one of the youngest teams in the field in Pittsburgh, having two elite `06s playing up in a division that consisted mostly of `04s and `05s. Boston College recruit Matthew Frost and UMass commit Tory Pitner are the `06s and only players with a college logo next to their name on the line chart.
Frost is a smart center who competes hard and can create offense from anywhere. The team’s leading scorer has a good stick and puts himself in position to be in the scoring areas by finding soft spots in opposing defenses. The Winnipeg native was the first overall pick by the Waterloo Black Hawks in the 2022 USHL Phase I draft.
Pitner is a steady, reliable two-way defenseman from El Cerrito, Calif. While being younger than most of his teammates and opponents this past weekend, he plays a mature game. His skating, decisions on breakouts, and stick positioning defensively all stand out when watching the future UMass blue liner. He was plucked off the board by the Youngstown Phantoms with the ninth overall selection in the first round of the 2022 USHL Phase I draft.
Late `05 goaltender Griffin Davis of Nashua, N.H., earned the shutout victory in Monday’s final. He doesn’t necessarily have the size that junior scouts and college coaches are looking for, but he’s athletic and gets the job done more often than not.
Top three uncommitted players
Matej Teply
South Kent, 2/3/05, D, left shot, 6-1/175
Teply stood out as the team’s best defensive prospect among uncommitted players. The Stamford, Conn., native has good mobility and can skate the puck out of trouble. He’s adept at avoiding oncoming forecheckers in transitional plays and can walk the blue line while quarterbacking the power play. He skates with his head up and makes good decisions to keep plays alive. There isn’t a better uncommitted `05 defenseman in New England and he’s better than a few of the blue liners in this birth year who are already locked up college wise.
Chris Battaini
South Kent, 6/27/05, LW, left shot, 5-11/160
Battaini might be the most skilled forward on the team. His stick is very good, which allows him to protect pucks by stickhandling in small areas. He’s crafty and has good edges, which allows him to allude opposing defenders. The Pittsfield, Mass., native needs to continue showing he has the hockey sense and heaviness to play at the Division 1 level, but his stick is worthy of a scholarship offer right now.
Jack Pechar
South Kent, 3/20/05, RW, right shot, 6-2/185
Pechar received some interest from ECAC Hockey and Atlantic Hockey schools last winter when he had his coming out party as a member of the school’s 16U team. Now up a level, he’s on the same line with Frost at center and Battaini at right. He’s got the size that neither Frost or Battaini do, but his skating is a step slower. He’s heavy on pucks and can shoot the puck with zip. A north-south power forward from the right wing position, he should continue generating interest from Division 1 recruiters.
