The 6-under Pines Thunder recently accomplished what no other Florida team has managed to do, winning back-to-back titles at the North American Roller Hockey Championships Finals.

The Thunder was among 300 teams from throughout the U.S. and Canada competing at the NARCH Finals in St. Paul, Minn., July 27-Aug. 8 at the 24,000-seat Xcel Center, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.

The Thunder, a team of 6- and 7-year-olds based in Pembroke Pines, has been together since January. But under the direction of coach Manny Sardina, the boys ventured into the challenging NARCh nationals, one of the sport’s most competitive tournament series.

Until two years ago, there was no arena in which 6-under teams could seek national recognition. That changed when the American In-line Roller Hockey Series, now defunct, introduced its Mini-Mites (6-under) Division at the AIRHS 2K Nationals.

The Thunder — then playing under the WPPO banner — won the inaugural AIRHS Mini-Mites title. When NARCh followed AIRHS’ lead, launching its Cub Division at the 2001 NARCh Finals, the WPPO Thunder earned its second national title, defeating the Weston Sting in an all-Florida final.

The Thunder opened its 2002 run against the CPH Spirit (Calif.), and emerged with a 7-2 win over the Pacific Coast Champions.

The Thunder posted back-to-back wins the following day, defeating the Firehawks (Mo.) 10-2, and tournament favorite Team Tour Detroit. Against Detroit, the Thunder had to rally from a 2-0 deficit, but came back to defeat the Michigan squad 9-4.

Next the Thunder shut out the Anaheim Mission Bulldogs 8-0, earning a bye in the playoffs and the No. 1 seed in the finals.

Team Tour Detroit, meanwhile, won its semifinal matchup with CPH Spirit to set the stage for a Thunder-Team Tour rematch, and an opportunity for Detroit to avenge its only loss.

Team Tour Detroit came out strong in the final, going to a 3-1 lead in the opening period. The Thunder scored in the second period, to narrow the margin to one goal, but a poor Thunder pass gave Detroit an opportunity to go up 4-2.

Down by two goals in the third period, the Thunder could not afford to give up another score. Goalie Justin Kapelmaster was up to the challenge, stopping nine point-blank shots to keep his team in contention. He received solid defensive support from Matt Diaz, Matt Greenfield and David Kramish.

At the other end of the rink, Thunder forwards Keenan Diegnan, Gabe Guertler, Ryan Murtagh Jesse Sardina and Jack Shine pressured the Detroit goalie.

With only 0:35 left in regulation, and the Detroit fans already celebrating, Gabe Guertler of Davie made a pinpoint pass to Ryan Murtagh, who scored, cutting the margin to one. Following the face off, with 0:08 left in the period, Guertler scored the tying goal off a feed from Murtagh to send the game into overtime.

Detroit came out strong in OT. With an open man in the slot, ready for the rebound, Detroit made a long hard shot on Kapelmaster. But Kapelmaster came up big, making a clutch save and immediately covering the puck.

With the face off deep in the Thunder’s defensive zone, Guertler took the puck in the corner and made a smooth pass to Murtagh, who was streaking down the center of the rink. Murtagh converted, going top shelf to pot the game-winner and earn the Thunder its second NARCh title.

Kapelmaster was named the NARCh Cub Division’s Top Goalie, and Murtagh earned Top Scorer honors. Defenseman Kramish, of Lauderhill, won the Top Sniper Award in the NARCh Cub skills competition.

The team is seeking sponsors and contributors to help the players represent South Florida in future major tournaments. Anyone interested can contact the team through its Web site, .

Coaches Manny Sardina and Mitch Guertler were assisted by Bill Deignan and Frank Diaz. The team manager is Mark Kramish.

The Pines Thunder was one of six teams representing the Sunshine State at the 2002 NARCh Finals. Others included two Bantam (16-under) entries — the Delsports Dirty Birds and B.C. Warriors — Taravella High School in the Varsity Cup, and two Bauer Pythons squads, sharing a nucleus of players, that competed in the Division I (23-under) and Junior (19-under) Divisions.

The Bauer Pythons 23-under team had an outstanding run in the Junior Division, going 4-0 to reach the playoffs. In the preliminary round, the Pythons defeated the Brampton Tour Nationals (Ontario), the O.C. Blades (Calif.), Red Army II (Calif.) and Tour Venom (Mich.).

The Pythons, under coach Lance Ruble, began the playoffs by posting a 6-1 win over the Tour Venom (Mich.). In their quarterfinal match, the Pythons faced the second-seed Anaheim Mission Bulldogs ’83, a perennial powerhouse out of California.

In one of the most-exciting games of the tournament, the sides played to a 2-2 score in regulation, and the Bulldogs scored in OT to advance.

Ruble said: “It was close, and what a game — people, even the refs, said it was the best game they saw in the whole tournament.”

VENOM WINS CUP

The South Florida Venom went 4-1 to win the Silver Cup 10-under title, Aug. 2-4 at J.P. Igloo in Ellenton.

The Silver Cup Finals is for tournament teams that did not qualify for the Florida Cup. Winning teams are honored by having their players’ names engraved on the cup, which is displayed at every Florida Cup qualifier and championship game.

The Venom clinched the title with a 4-0 win over the undefeated Thunderblades of Port St. Lucie, who had handed the Venom their only loss of the tournament.

The Venom had advanced to the finals by defeating the Weston Wizards AA, Wellington Monarchs White and Magic’s Hockey.

“It was a great tournament for us. Our team came in prepared to win and it showed in the championship game,” said coach Jorge Martinez. “After this game, all our players felt that they had won the Stanley Cup.”

The Venom also swept the individual awards. Joshwa Martinez was the Top Scorer, Miguel Delgado led in assists and goalie Logan Rodriguez compiled the best save percentage. In overall scoring, the Venom had seven players in the top 25.

The South Florida Venom also includes Erick Charles, Jonathan Halfhide, Michael Jones, Matthew Kelley, Miguel Manrara and P.J. Vivas. The Venom are coached by Jorge Martinez and Luis Rodriguez.

JOHNSON TO JR FESTIVAL

Scott Johnson of Pembroke Pines recently returned from Colorado, where he participated in the National Junior Festival, Aug. 10-12 in Colorado Springs.

The yearly event is a three-day program featuring fast-paced competition and skills development. The players’ airfare, meals and housing were provided by USAHIL.

Johnson participated in on-ice and dryland training, and received instruction under the guidance of USAHIL coaches and US Men’s National Team staff.

“The talent was very good — probably some of the best in the country,” said Johnson, 16, a senior at Flanagan High School. “One of the coaches was the head coach of the U.S. Men’s Olympic [ice hockey] Team.”

While there, the players were housed at the University of Colorado dorms.

“The coaches treated us just like a regular college team,” Johnson said. “We had to stay together — it was great meeting new kids and learning to play together as a team.”

Teamwork was stressed throughout the festival.

“Our first day, we practiced, because the coaches wanted to see everybody working together,” Johnson said. “That’s what they focused on, seeing how we worked as a team.”

The festival featured a tournament in which the four junior teams representing the East, West, Central and Southeastern U.S. were competing for the gold medal. This year, each team also played an exhibition game against an entry from Canada.

Johnson’s Southeast Team was selected at the USAHIL National Junior regional tryout camp in May in Alpharetta, Ga. He was among 12 skaters tapped from the field of 112 hopefuls representing 13 states. The three-day Alpharetta event was one of four camps conducted nationally, with the others set in New Jersey, California and Illinois.

Johnson’s teammates on the Southeast Regional squad included standout players from Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia and North Carolina.

The goal of the USAHIL National Junior Inline Hockey Program, launched last year, is to provide the highest skill development, and national exposure, for players ages 15-17.

“The National Junior Festival will provide not only a coaching evaluation for each player who participates, but will also serve as a stepping stone for players who wish to continue to play the sport and succeed at a higher level,” said USAHIL Director Gary Del Vecchio.

The junior festival was one of several highlights of Johnson’s summer, which also included participation in the TORHS Nationals, the NARCh Finals and the Canadian Inline Hockey Association’s Global Inline Festival, July 8-14 in Brampton, Ontario. He was selected to the Global World All-Stars and the All-TORHS teams.

In the Global Inline Festival, Johnson played with the Madhatters, a solid Texas-based side, who won the bronze medal.

“That Toronto [experience] was really good,” Johnson said. “We got to play against players from all over the world, like Great Britain and Australia, teams that I never could’ve played before.”

Johnson still shares the AAU Junior Olympics record for most assists (11), notched in 2000 as a member of the 14-under WPPO Thunder in-line team.

His Colorado experience will benefit Johnson in the fall, when he resumes his scholastic ice and in-line hockey career.

He plays for both the Falcons ice hockey club — three-time FSHL champions — and varsity roller hockey squad, a Bauer Florida In-line Scholastic Hockey League entry. Both Falcons teams are fielded by Flanagan students. He also plays for the Delsports Dirty Birds, a 16-under tournament in-line team.

SUNRISE SEEKs PEE-WEEs

The Sunrise Ice Sharks Pee-wee Teal travel team seeks a few players to round out its roster for the 2002-03 season. The Ice Sharks compete in the Florida Youth Hockey League and occasional tournaments.

This is an opportunity for a few select travel players to join one of Florida’s premier Pee-wee travel teams. Contact coach Dan Serafini at 954-401-1325 or visit

NORSEMEN TRYOUTS

The Norsemen, an independent Tier II Midget Minor team, will conduct a tryout for players with competitive ice hockey experience who were born in 1986 or 1987.

They will be based at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs, and will compete against teams from throughout Florida, primarily in exhibition and tournament games.

The tryout will be Sept. 8, 6:20 p.m., at Sunrise Ice Skating Center, 3363 N. Pine Island Road. There will be a $20 tryout fee. Players should arrive about an hour early to register. Contact coach Bill Shaw at or visit the Junior Norsemen Web site at

FISH LEAGUE

The Bauer Florida In-line Scholastic Hockey League (FISH) is signing up teams for the upcoming season, set to begin Oct. 14. The league is for club-type teams comprised exclusively of students from the same high school.

FISH commissioner Lance Ruble said he has had calls from several fledgling teams, concerned that they might not be able to compete against more seasoned entries. Ruble assures start-up squads that the league can place new teams in a division where they will be competitive.

“We have three divisions, and welcome any new team to join us,” he said. “In addition to the Varsity Division, we also have JV I and JV II divisions — all teams should feel comfortable playing here.”

The league, which included 24 entries last fall, plays Monday nights at Spring Valley Park in Pembroke Pines. The season culminates in the Bauer Cup, when all teams compete for the Varsity and JV High School Division titles.

The cost is $615 per team — or about $90 per player — including 12 games, insurance, practice sessions and entry in the Bauer Cup. A preseason meeting will be held soon. Call Lance or Maria weekdays at 954-964-9720.

COOPER CITY ROLLERS

Registration for the Cooper City Optimist Roller Hockey League will begin Sept. 4.

Youth players ages 4-17 can register Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturdays, 10a.m.-2 p.m. through September. The league will begin play in early November.

CCORHL also hopes to add a league for players ages 18-19. Anyone interested should stop by the Optimist Clubhouse during regular registration periods and speak with a league representative; otherwise, leave a message on the information line, 954-434-2541.

The league is also looking for volunteer coaches and referees, preferably individuals with USA Hockey InLine certification.

The registration cost is $90 per player, $105 for non-residents, including 12 games, plus playoffs and practices. Register at the Optimist Clubhouse, 10100 Stirling Road. Call the CCORHL information line at 954 434-2541 or visit

HIGH SCHOOL ICE HOCKEY

COOPER CITY: The Cowboys, comprised exclusively of Cooper City High students, have announced a series of three combined tryout/practice sessions, all scheduled Tuesdays at Pines Ice Arena.

The sessions are mandatory for both new and returning players.

There will be a mandatory meeting for players and parents Sept. 3, at 7 p.m., following the first tryout/practice session.

All players must submit a current physical exam report from their doctor no later than Sept. 10.

Tryout/practice schedule:

Sept. 3, 5-6 p.m.; players will be given an hour to change and clean up before the 7 p.m. parents/players meeting. The location of the meeting will be announced at the tryout.

Sept. 10, 8:45-9:45 p.m.

Sept. 17, 8:45-9:45 p.m.

$20 tryout fee per session; $10 per goalie. Call coach Victor Chapman at 954-431-3509.

FLANAGAN: The FSHL defending champion Falcons Ice Hockey Club will hold a series of three tryouts at Pines Ice Arena, located at the corner of Taft Street and Flamingo Road.

Tuesday, 8:45 p.m.; Sept. 5, 6:15 p.m.; Sept. 6, 7:45 p.m. The cost for each session will be $15.; full ice hockey equipment is required.

The tryouts are mandatory for both new and returning players; the Falcons also invite any eighth-graders whose middle school “feeds into” Flanagan to participate, as they could be selected to practice with the team.

Contact Falcons manager Fred Klosenberg at 954-435-3080 or Paul Pittman at 954-433-2532.

ST. THOMAS: The Raiders Ice Hockey Club has announced a series of four two-hour practice/evaluation sessions at Sunrise Ice Skating Center.

The sessions are scheduled every Tuesday in September, beginning Tuesday, from 4:15-6:15 p.m.

The club, which is recognized and supported by the school, is open to all currently enrolled students who are in good academic standing.

The tryout fee, including all four sessions, is $50 per player. Contact club manager John Gullman at 954-735-5730 or e-mail to

To submit information for this column, please call Maureen Boyce at 954-761-7675 or fax to 954-761-2311 or e-mail .