Montour: The Spartans are coming off of a 14-1 clubbing of Greensburg-Salem last week, continuing an offensive outburst that has yet to be contained.
Why I like Montour: The South/East teams are used to tight-checking, close games. A wide-open offense could expose weaknesses in the Eagles defense that haven’t been seen before.
South Park: The Eagles defeated Sewickley Academy 7-4 in the opening round, using a balanced attack to subdue the Panthers on home ice.
Why I like South Park: The North teams are used to wide-open offenses and a very steep fall from the top four teams exists. Montour showed issue with how Meadville and West Allegheny controlled close, tight checking games, and South Park will need to do the same to have a shot at taking down the No. 1 team.
Thomas Jefferson: The Jaguars led Freeport 7-1 at the end of one frame in round one en-route to a 14-2 rout of the Yellow Jackets.
Why I like Thomas Jefferson: The tenacity of the Jaguars, coupled with the fact that Meadville is not South Fayette, leads me think that the explosive offense that Thomas Jefferson is capable of can outpace the Bulldogs at the finish.
Meadville: The Bulldogs defeated Norwin 10-2 at the MARC in the first round.
Why I like Meadville: The Bulldogs are conditioned to win, and the Jaguars tend to break down defensively at inopportune times. If Meadville gets off to an early lead, it could cause trouble for Thomas Jefferson.
South Fayette: The Lions defeated Blackhawk 10-0 in the round of 16.
Why I like South Fayette: This matchup is unlike any of the others, as both teams are known for varying levels of close games. South Fayette just knows how to win games in any format, and they’re going to need to pull a strong offensive game here. That, they are capable of.
North Hills: The Indians defeated Westmont Hilltop 6-3 last week.
Why I like North Hills: Intrigue surrounds this squad. Ethan Isaly continues to impress. Ian Keller and Liam O’Neill lead the offense. If they try to isolate the Lion’s attack and can get in Bruce Hardman’s head, North Hills has a legitimate shot at the upset.
West Allegheny: The Indians defeated Chartiers Valley 4-0 in week one of the postseason.
Why I like West Allegheny: Revenge. The 2018 season ended with a controversial overtime loss to Indiana, and thats something that nobody still on the roster has forgotten, as well as explained to those who haven’t.
Indiana: The other Indians defeated Fox Chapel 6-1 last week.
Why I like Indiana: A tough, well balanced offense with just enough grit and intensity to create problems for West Allegheny, as well as enough depth to create problems for matchups could be an issue for Joshua Ferry.
