Richland's Ladika, Westmont Hilltop's Newman square off in reunion of travel-team netminders

Jan. 5—Tuesday's PIHL Class 1A clash at 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial was a chance for Richland and Westmont Hilltop to renew their on-ice rivalry.

The 7-4 Rams victory also served as a reunion of sorts when Richland goaltender Alea Ladika and Westmont Hilltop netminder Kassidy Newman stood opposite each other.

The two sophomore girls have played as teammates in the travel circuit, wearing the same jersey with South Hills Amateur Hockey Association, in which the team claimed a 14-under championship in 2022.

Ladika stopped 14 shots, while Newman turned away 17 attempts on Tuesday.

"It was fun," Ladika said. "I love playing against Kassidy. She's a great person. It's a lot of fun."

Ladika's counterpart, who stood almost 200 feet away, noted that the two remain close even when competing against each other.

"It's really fun," Newman said. "I like getting to play against (Ladika). In between periods, we talk. We hype each other up before the games. It's just good to know that I have a friend on the ice with me."

With the Rams and Hilltoppers competing in both the Pittsburgh-centric PIHL and the local Laurel Mountain Hockey League, both goaltenders — the No. 1 options on both teams' depth charts — have plenty of chances to compete and sharpen their skills.

Heading into Thursday's game against Freeport, Ladika has stopped 327 of the 395 shots that she's faced in PIHL competition, with a .828 save percentage and a 5.66 goals allowed average (GAA). In the Laurel Mountain Hockey League, Ladika carries a save percentage of .869 and a GAA of 4.55 while posting a 5-3 record.

Newman has made 355 saves on the 466 shots she has faced in the PIHL for a .762 save percentage and a GAA of 9.25 prior to the Hilltoppers' game against Wheeling Catholic on Thursday. In the Laurel Mountain, Newman has a .796 save percentage and a GAA of 7.81.

Ladika, who suits up for the Mid-State Mustangs on their tournament squad and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' 2A team, notes that facing mostly boys in scholastic play helps to keep her game sharp while also allowing her to slow the game down during her weekend contests.

"I'm definitely a lot quicker than some of the other girls when I play in girls hockey," Ladika said. "I feel a lot faster and quicker, and ahead of the game when I'm playing girls hockey compared to boys hockey.

"Girls hockey is a little bit slower than the PIHL, but it definitely helps me playing in PIHL."

Newman, who is a part of the South Pittsburgh Rebellion U19 girls team, also sees the benefits of competing against the boys during the week.

"It just makes me better," Newman said. "Facing harder shots against the boys, it makes me better for the girls games with the diversity of shots, different speeds. It just makes me better."

'It's really growing'

At varsity age, Ladika and Newman are noticing the boom period for women's and girls hockey across the world with the six-team Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) dropping the puck earlier this week on the strength of heated international games between the senior squads of the United States and Canada.

Newman is noticing the trickle-down effect with younger girls lacing up the skates.

"It's pretty great," Newman said. "Women's hockey is growing, and it's nice to see how they have a professional women's hockey league now and it's really growing. I'm starting to see little girls, more and more, starting to play. It's really nice to see how it's growing."

Ladika, who also runs cross country and plays softball, notes that the ripple of heightened awareness toward the women's game is showing in the region.

"I love to see the growth of girls hockey," Ladika said. "There's so many more teams spreading around the area. In Pittsburgh, they probably made two or three new teams or they're trying to get them (established), and I love it."

The rise of the PWHL, which is the successor to the Premier Hockey Federation, could also lead to more girls taking the ice with dreams of skating professionally, according to Newman's varsity coach.

"The pro league has taken off," Westmont Hilltop coach Kris Carlson said. "Girls are going to start to see that there is a future for them in hockey after high school or college. I think it'll definitely bring an interest to the girls game."

'She hasn't complained'

Newman, who recalled falling in love with being on the ice as a toddler, has served as the backstop of an underclassman-heavy Hilltoppers team that is struggling to find its footing in PIHL and Laurel Mountain play this season.

As Carlson pointed out, Newman has been one of the steadier performers for the squad.

"She's been playing well all year," Carlson said.

"She's been lights-out for us. At the beginning of the year, we were unsure about what our goalie situation was going to be. She's been the bright spot of our year. She's stepped in and has been unbelievable for us. She's given us chances to win every night.

"Seeing 50, 60 shots isn't an easy deal. She hasn't complained. She's stuck in there and fought all year."

Newman's affinity to the crease came about almost as soon as she had blades underneath her.

"I just wanted to always be a goalie," Newman said. "I remember my first time on the ice, I went right to the net and stood there. I've just always wanted to be (a goaltender)."

Playing hockey also allowed Newman to find ways to stay on the ice after her first experience on the surface.

"I was at my cousin's birthday party when I was like 2 or 3," she said. "I remember that it was time to get off of the ice and I didn't want to leave. I knew that if I played hockey, I'd get to skate all the time, so I just asked my dad if I could play."

Richland coach J.J. Vasilko pointed out that Ladika was partially behind the reasoning for the Rams to rejoin the PIHL this season. The Rams, who consistently sat at or near the top of the Laurel Mountain league, took the plunge into PIHL waters with Ladika helping to steward the program to a 4-8 record in the PIHL before Thursday.

"We said when we made this jump that the two factors we weighed in were the senior class and our goaltending," Vasilko said. "We saw enough out of her last year to know that we were in good hands. We don't have the numbers yet, but I think she's going to get some all-star votes and I think she deserves them."

Ladika was quick to credit a closeness with her Richland teammates that has helped her feel at ease on and off the ice.

"The guys were all great and treat me like I'm one of them, and it doesn't matter about my gender," she said.

It's also led to adding more ice time on an already stacked schedule.

"I love it," Ladika said. "Me and my teammates go to drop-in (sessions). We're always on the ice.

"I love this sport."

That craving for the game has helped Ladika become one of the players that Vasilko can count on time and time again.

"She makes my job easy," Vasilko said. "I don't have to do much with her. You tell her that she's in the net, she goes in and takes care of business. No fuss. No muss. She does her job and she does it very well."

Vasilko continued: "Alea, there's no stone unturned and no detail left out. She's very thorough. She's her biggest critic sometimes to a fault. She expects a lot of herself and a lot of athletes, boys or girls, aren't wired like that any more. She holds herself accountable, first and foremost. I think that's what sets her apart.

"That's what makes her who she is and makes her good."

Shawn Curtis is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5085. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnCurtis430.