Final 2023-2024 News-Herald hockey Top of the Crop

Feb. 5—TOP OF THE CROP

Hockey

1: (1) University 29-3

2: (2) Gilmour 15-15-1

3: (3) Mentor 16-13

4: (4) Kenston 27-1-3

5: (5) Benedictine 8-16-1

Crop comments: University capped a wire-to-wire run as the Crop No. 1 with a 3-1 win over No. 2 Gilmour on Feb. 4. It'll be fun to see where the Preppers take this February and March charge from here, eyeing the Cleveland Cup, Kent District and frozen four. Don't count out the Lancers, either. Their second half to the season, after shifting some personnel around, has yielded some positives. ... Mentor concluded its regular season with a competitive 3-1 loss Feb. 4 to longtime Pennsylvania power Kiski. The Cardinals won out in GCHSHL Red play to earn the No. 1 seed for Baron Cup I this week at Brooklyn. If chalk holds, another round in the Baron Cup I final against Rocky River could be entertaining. ... Kenston will go into Baron Cup II as the No. 3 seed after dispatching Stow-Munroe Falls (10-1) and North Olmsted (6-5) in White North play to cap a banner regular season. ... Benedictine will head to Baron Cup I seeking to defend its crown from a year ago. Encouragement abounds after a pair of decisive wins over Olmsted Falls and tight 3-2 defeats to Mentor and Rocky River to conclude the regular season.