La Salle Hockey Program History
The sport of hockey at La Salle had its birth in the early 1970’s when it was formed as a club sport practicing at the Wissahickon Skating Club and played only non-league games. At the time, hockey was not highly regarded as a sport by any school, including La Salle. As a result, the team was not allowed to use the La Salle name and skated as the “Springfield Township Explorers”.
In the mid-seventies, the Explorers joined the Suburban High School Hockey League (SHSHL) which then operated out of the Wintersport Arena in Willow Grove. Still known as the Springfield Township Explorers, the team was allowed to wear the official school colors, blue and goldand played against such rivals as Abington, Plymouth Whitemarsh, Upper Dublin, Roxborough, William Tennent, Archbishop Wood, Bishop McDevitt, Council Rock, Upper Moreland, Lower Moreland, and Germantown Academy.
In 1976, the team was at last allowed to use the school name though it remained a club sport. As a show of appreciation, the team adopted the block “L” as its logo, replacing the golden arrow which had previously appeared on jerseys. For the first time, a Junior Varsity program was added.
By the late seventies, the Suburban League had grown to thirty teams arranged into four divisions. La Salle was grouped with Roxborough, North Catholic, and traditional rival, Bishop McDevitt. In 1978-79, the team made its first appearance in the playoffs, losing in a valiant effort to a powerful Abington team. That same year, La Salle participated in a new Catholic League sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. La Salle joined McDevitt, Ryan, Bonner, North Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty to form the league, but despite strong interest in an all Catholic High School League, unresolved problems, not the least of which was the lack of support by the administrations of the schools, caused the league to fold after one season.
The arrival of the 1985-86 season saw a dramatic change in the La Salle program. At odds with the disrupted Suburban League, La Salle opted to join the newly formed Northern Scholastic Hockey League (NSHL), which operated out of Wintersport. LaSalle joined North Penn, Abington, Archbishop Wood, and now reestablished William Tennent as charter members of the Northern League. Unfortunately, La Salle’s first year of varsity play in the Northern League would also be its last. After another year of player shortages and a losing season in 1986-87, there was a movement to disband the club. Finally, it was decided to compete on the J.V. level and stay in the Northern League. The 1987-88 season ended two years of Junior Varsity competition and the beginning of a new league affiliations.
For the 1988-89 season, the Explorers joined the Inter County Scholastic Hockey League (ICSHL). Though the first season of Inter County league play would result in only one win, a core group of players was assembled that would begin the rebirth of hockey at La Salle. In 1989-90 the team took the ice with a new coach, alumnus Peter Nolan. Armed with a new confidence, the team posted a winning record and missed the playoffs by one point. It would be the last time a La Salle team would fail to make the playoffs! Now skating both Varsity and Junior Varsity teams, the Explorers were poised for success in 1990-91. The 1990-91 team posted as impressive regular ICSHL season, losing only three times in fifteen outings. A winning tradition was beginning, and there was a growing pool of talented players in the club.
The 1992-93 season saw the inauguration of the popular “Friday Nighters” at the “House of Pain”, better known as Wintersport. The team also began to play an annual Alumni game and a charity game at Christmas. A second consecutive undefeated ICSHL regular season followed, as did trips to the League Championship game and the Flyers’ Cup Tournament. Off-ice, the Explorers gained their most important victory; full recognition as a Varsity Sport, one of the few High School supported hockey programs in the Delaware Valley. La Salle Hockey had truly arrived.
Throughout the 90’s and 2000’s the La Salle Hockey program has consistently been one of the top teams in Eastern PA. La Salle has won the Flyers Cup Championship seven times (1996, 1998, 1999 (AA), 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012) and the Pennsylvania State Championship four times (1998, 2008, 2009, 2012). Program numbers have remained very strong averaging 60 – 80 players per season. Healthy rivalries against Malvern Prep, Cardinal O’Hara, Father Judge and Holy Ghost Prep form the backbone of the “AAA” league schedule. La Salle’s non-league schedule is the most challenging of any HS hockey program in the state. Current and recent NL opponents include: Hill School, PA - Lawrenceville, NJ - Wyoming Seminary, PA - Portledge School, NY - Delbarton, NJ - Fairfield Prep, CT - Mount St. Charles Academy, RI - Bishop Guertin, NH - Brunswick School, CT - Gloucester Catholic, NJ - St. Augustine’s, NJ - Bergen Catholic, NJ - Christian Brothers Academy, NJ - Don Bosco Prep, NJ - Morristown-Beard, NJ - Princeton Day School, NJ - St. Peters Prep, NJ- St. Ignatius, OH - St. Edwards, OH - Meadville HS, PA - St. Francis, OH - St. Mary’s, NY - Bishop Hendricken, RI - La Salle Academy, RI
The Varsity Team participates in the annual Mount St. Charles Academy Invitational Tournament in December.
Former La Salle Players that have advanced to NCAA Division 1
Tyler Kolarik Harvard University Graduate
Chad Kolarik University of Michigan Graduate
Adam Berkle Bowling Green University Current
Adam Schmidt Holy Cross Current
Ryan Tyson UCONN Current
Terrance Wallin UMASS-Lowell Current
Gabe Antoni Bentley Current
Nicholas Cruice Union College Current
Connor Varley Penn State Current
Drew Smolcynski Committed to St. Lawrence Currently in USHL with Indiana
Dan Pyne, class of 2008 and recent goaltender at Drexel University played for the 2010 World University Team.
