By Larry Moko
A shift of position from forward to defence hasn’t limited Sadie D’Angela’s effectiveness on the ice for the St. Thomas More Knights.
The Grade 11 student fired three goals Monday to lead More to a 9-3 victory over the Bishop Tonnos Titans in a Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic girls’ high school hockey game at Chedoke Twin-Pad Arena.
With the win, the Knights remain in sole possession of first place. They’re 5-0. Tonnos, while still in second place, slipped to 3-1 in the standings.
In other girls’ hockey action, the Bishop Ryan Celtics topped the St. Mary Crusaders, 7-1.
“Sadie is a very strong player,” More coach Trevor Young said. “We have her playing out of position. She’s on defence even though she’s naturally a winger. She can play anywhere. She really helps control the game.”
Outside of the high school league, D’Angela suits up for the U18 AA Oakville Hornets.
“I play forward in club hockey,” D’Angela said. “But here, I play defence because we don’t have a lot of defencemen on our team.”
When asked about the adjustment in her roles, she said: “I like it because I can get the puck behind our net and kind of go from there. But I’m not good at the defensive aspects of the game. I make it work with my offence.”
D’Angela scored her first two goals on hard wrist shots from distance while, on the third, she stickhandled in on the rush before finding the net with a high snap shot.
More skated to a 4-1 first-period lead before Tonnos replied with second-period markers by Brooke Sullivan and Clea Hastings.
Other More goals went to Alexis Lalli, Emma Bezeau, Jordane Boschman, Olivia Helm, Kionna McCrory and Angelica Morcone.
Tonnos’ lone first-period marker went to Karsyn McManus.
“I thought it was one of our better games that we’ve played,” D’Angela said. “Everyone contributed.”
McCrory’s goal was an empty-netter with 81 seconds remaining.
“I was happy with our quick start,” Young said. “We’ve got a team that hustles.”
Tonnos had outscored the opposition 18-6 in winning its previous three games.
“We were hoping for a different outcome, of course,” Titans coach Alyssa Berardocco said after the loss. “But that being said, I think the girls are motivated for the next couple of games we have this week. We want to get our record back on track. We don’t like this feeling.
“It was pretty somber in the dressing room because we had a great start to our season. We’re not going to let this hold us back. We’re definitely hopeful we can turn it around.”
In the boys’ half of the doubleheader, More (3-0-2) and Tonnos (3-0-1) skated to a 2-2 tie. Elsewhere, defending champion Bishop Ryan blanked the St. Mary Crusaders, 4-0.
Photos by Bob Butrym / RFB Sport Photography
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