By: Ray Fisher 
Sunday, February 13, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Quaker Valley’s hockey team stopped the bleeding.

The Quakers ended a three-game losing streak by winning three of its last four games in January, skating past Wheeling Catholic, 9-3, Blackhawk, 4-1, and Chartiers Valley, 4-3, in a shootout.

QV improved to 10-4 to maintain its firm grip on first place in the PIHL Varsity A Northwest Division.

“We have overcome some key injuries to compete and inch closer to clinching the division title,” coach Kevin Quinn said. “We have four games remaining before the playoffs. We want to get healthy and achieve the highest seed possible.”

Quinn said his team played its best game of the year Jan. 18 against Wheeling Catholic.

“But that is in the past,” he said, “and we need to continue to try and improve, even if we have injuries.”

The Quakers have been sparked on the offensive end by the lines of senior Kyle Rice, junior Ben Carlson and senior Noah Mattie, and juniors Luke Flowers, Braeden Steffey and Riley Moore.

In fact, seven of the top 10 scorers in the division are QV skaters, led by Carlson at No. 3 with 17 goals and 11 assists (28 points).

“Ben has had an outstanding year,” Quinn said. “When he scores, we do not lose. He has embraced his role as leading scorer and pushes himself to be the best player he can be each game.”

Carlson said he likes QV’s chances going forward in the regular season and postseason playoffs.

“Our team’s performance so far has been exceptional,” he said. “Coming from not making playoffs last year to now being in a top spot across the league has been huge. While we did have some hiccups with lost games after a winter break, I think we’ve really been able to bring it together since then. The key for us winning three of our last four has been our desire to win, and people really getting back into that winning mindset.

“My expectations for the rest of the season are high. I know we have a very good team that’s capable of winning a lot going forward. Obviously, we’re looking to win every game we play, and I believe with the players, coaching and systems we have, that’s something we have the capability and desire to accomplish.”

The fourth through eighth scoring positions in the division are held by QV’s Braeden Steffey (10 goals, 14 assists), Kyle Rice, (11, 11), Max Quinn (7, 13), Moore (5, 13) and Mattie (5-11). Flowers, with nine goals and four assists (13 points), ranks 10th.

“Noah Mattie had two goals and the shootout winner over Chartiers Valley,” said his coach. “Noah along with Kyle Rice have had great senior seasons and are keys to our success.”

At the end of January, the Quakers were averaging 4.6 goals per game and had outscored the opposition 74-42.

Landon Buterbaugh, QV’s outstanding freshman goaltender, had posted a 2.51 goals-against average and .892 save percentage with four shutouts, stopping 339 of 380 shots.

“Landon continues to play well in net,” coach Quinn said, “especially stopping all three shots in the shootout win.”

Max Quinn, sophomore Will Watson and Steffey anchor the Quakers’ defensive corps. Hayden Earlewine, a senior and another top defenseman, has been out of the lineup with an injury.

When Steffey plays defense, sophomore forward Coleman Carey takes his place on offense.

“Max, our captain, Will and Braeden have played a lot of defense for us while Hayden has been injured,” coach Quinn said. “They’ve been excelling at both ends of the ice. Braeden has stepped up offensively, too.”

A defenseman who moves to center at times, Quinn believes the Quakers have “righted the ship” with its performance at the end of last month, as does his coach.

“I think we’re doing good and staying on the right track,” Max Quinn said. “There were a few hiccups along the road but those are gone now.

“The key to winning (three of four) was going back to what worked. Simple, fast and hard hockey. Our work ethic wins games for us. If we can keep on this path and keep working hard and playing as a team, it will be a fun rest of the season that could go anywhere.”

Quinn was an alternate captain two years ago and became the first sophomore in program history to wear a letter.

He is in his second season as team captain, and said his role is “to lead and keep everyone positive.”

After graduation, Quinn hopes to pursue a hockey career in juniors and at the college level.

Now that the calendar has flipped to February, PIHL teams will make their final push to qualify for the Penguins Cup playoffs.

Only two area squads have shots at earning postseason berths – and both are division contenders as well. Quaker Valley and Moon are among the top Class 1A teams. The Quakers (12-4-0) sit atop the Northwest Division with 24 points. Meanwhile, McDowell (7-6-0) is second with 14 points, but has three games in hand.

The Quakers, who have clinched a playoff berth, control their own destiny, though. After starting the year with wins in its first nine games, the team dropped three in a row. Quaker Valley bounced back with a 3-1 record in its last four. Defense has been the key for the Quakers, whose 42 goals against are the third fewest in Class 1A.

By: Ray Fisher 
Sunday, January 9, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Quaker Valley finished with a 6-11 record in the PIHL Varsity A Southwest Division last season.

That didn’t sit well with the Quakers.

The postseason absence provided QV with the impetus for a comeback this year.

Through nine games, QV was undefeated and comfortably atop the Varsity A Northwest Division.

“We always look to win our division and qualify for the playoffs. After last year’s miss, we prepared to be more competitive (this season), and we have,” coach Kevin Quinn said. “I’m very happy with the results so far, but we are far from a finished product. We know we have tough competition ahead, and we will practice hard to prepare for those challenges.”

Quaker Valley moved into the new division this season that also includes McDowell, Blackhawk and Beaver. 

The Quakers’ divisional opponents last year were Chartiers Valley, North Hills and South Park.

QV’s top two forward lines consist of senior Kyle Rice, junior Ben Carlson and senior Noah Mattie, along with juniors Luke Flowers, Braeden Steffey and Riley Moore.

“Ben Carlson has been great this year, scoring consistently and playing 200-foot hockey,” Quinn said. “He has been a very strong player for us.”

Carlson, who owns a 3.87 GPA and also plays lacrosse, started skating in hockey rinks when he was around 5. He is a third-year varsity starter at QV.

“I have high expectations for the team going forward,” Carlson said. “We want to keep winning and keep moving forward to securing the top spot in our division. At the beginning of the season, I expected a lot from the team and believed we could go to and win playoffs. We returned almost our entire roster, and we started off this year really strong from the standpoint of team chemistry.”

In his spare time, Carlson helps with the marketing for the Sewickley Community Center and also co-runs a lawn care business. He likes the composition of this year’s QV squad.

“The strengths of the team this year are our goaltending, strong defensive play and ability to run our systems in order to score some goals while giving up very few chances the other way,” he said.

At the start of the new year, Carlson led the squad in scoring with 19 points on 13 goals and six assists. Rice was next with nine goals and five assists; Mattie chipped in with one goal and nine assists.

Also, Moore had connected for three goals and nine assists, Steffey contributed seven goals and four assists, and Flowers added five goals and three assists.

“Both of our (top two) lines have produced and been responsible defensively,” Quinn said.

Freshman goaltender Landon Buterbaugh has sparkled in the net with four shutouts, a 1.89 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

“He has been a key addition to our group,” Quinn said, “and he has responded well to every challenge. He’s a fine young man and a great teammate as well.”

Buterbaugh, who stopped 198 of 215 shots he faced through nine games, has been flanked by the staunch senior defensive tandem of Max Quinn (4 goals, 7 assists) and Hayden Earlewine.

“Max and Hayden are our top defensive pair, but Will Watson has also been key contributor on D,” said QV’s coach.

Watson, a sophomore, had a goal and six assists.

The Quakers held a 47-17 scoring advantage over their opponents and were averaging close to 5.2 goals per game.

By: Don Rebel 
Sunday, January 9, 2022 | 7:24 PM

Here are the latest PIHL high school hockey standings through Jan. 9, 2022:

Class A

Northwest Division

Quaker Valley, 9-1-0 = 18

McDowell, 6-5-0 = 12

Blackhawk, 1-9-1 = 3

Beaver, 0-13-0 = 0

Northeast Division

Fox Chapel, 12-0-0 = 24

Hampton, 5-7-0 = 10

Freeport, 3-7-0 = 6

Plum, 3-8-0 = 6

Southwest Division

North Catholic, 9-3-2 = 20

Moon, 8-5-0 = 16

North Hills, 7-5-0 = 14

Chartiers Valley, 3-6-3 = 9

Southeast Division

Norwin, 10-2-1 = 21

Kiski Area, 8-5-1 = 17

Greensburg Salem, 7-5-0 = 14

Westmont-Hilltop, 5-5-0 = 10

Wheeling Division

Wheeling Central Catholic, 8-3-1 = 17

Wheeling Park, 3-8-1 = 7

Division II

North Division 

Bishop Canevin, 11-1-1 = 23

Burrell, 7-2-2 = 16

Avonworth, 7-3-1 = 15

Wilmington, 7-5-1 = 15

Neshannock, 4-4-2 = 10

Central Valley, 0-9-0 = 0 

South Division 

Carrick, 8-2-1 = 17

Ringgold, 8-4-0 = 16

Elizabeth Forward, 5-4-2 = 12

Morgantown, 4-5-1 = 9

Connellsville, 4-8-0 = 8

Trinity, 1-8-0 = 2

Joe Sager

Special to the Times

It’s unusual to have playoff hockey without Quaker Valley.

The Quakers sat out the past two postseasons, but have re-emerged this year. A 9-1 start has the program back on top of the Class A pack, like when it won five Penguins Cup titles (2006, ’08, ’12, ’13,’14) in an eight-year span.

“My expectations are always dependent upon the schedule. You just don’t know what’s out there and what the teams are like. So, I expect to prepare the group I have to compete and then we go from there,” said Kevin Quinn, the only head coach in Quaker Valley’s storied history. “We’ve done well in a lot of areas to win games so far. We’ve scored some goals and had good defense and goaltending. If you’re doing all those things, you should win some games.”

Already, Quaker Valley surpassed last year’s win total (six). However, the Quakers opened 2022 on Monday with its first defeat in a 5-1 setback to Moon.

“When you have a 20-game season, every game matters and there’s not a lot of room for error,” Quinn said. “We’re pleased with where we are but we’re focused on continuing it game by game. We’re certainly not overconfident and we’re certainly not thinking we’ve accomplished anything. We have a much more difficult schedule in January. We have many tough games ahead and we’re looking forward to that challenge.”

The five goals against were a season high for Quaker Valley, which features one of Class A’s top defenses with 22 goals against. Senior captains Max Quinn and Hayden Earlewine, along with Will Watson, have been the primary defensemen for the team.

“We’re really pleased with our defense. Those three play a lot of hockey for us,” Kevin Quinn said. “At times, we’re running three D and they have been excellent.”

KEITH BARNES

Tri-State Sports & News Service

There was a time not too long ago when teams feared seeing Quaker Valley looming on its schedule.

Though that may not have been the case in recent years, the Quakers have come full circle and are among the early favorites to make a run at the Class 1A Penguins Cup title.

“We’ve gotten off to a good start and I think we’ve gotten some good goaltending and some timely scoring,” Quaker Valley coach Kevin Quinn said. “But we’ve got a very difficult schedule ahead against some teams that are leading their divisions.”

Quaker Valley came into the week 8-0-0 — a position the team hasn’t been in for quite a few years — thanks in large part to the quick maturity of freshman goaltender Landon Buterbaugh, who has been a stalwart between the pipes. Buterbaugh has played every minute for the Quakers and had a 1.62 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.

“Honestly, I think we have a lot of faith in our freshman goalie and he’s been solid back there for us,” Quinn said. “We only had one goalie the last couple of years and, if he’s struggling, you don’t have any other options.”

That has not been the case this year as Buterbaugh leads the entire PIHL with four shutouts in his eight appearances.

“He’s an experienced player because he’s played amateur hockey and he is a confident player,” Quinn said. “Goaltending is one of those things where, when you come in, you’re not competing against seniors from a size standpoint like a skater. But he’s very confident and we’re doing a good job protecting in front of him.”

Having a freshman goaltender is symbolic of the fresh start Quaker Valley needed heading into the season. Last year, the Quakers missed the playoffs for the first time since Quinn helped form the program prior to the 1998-99 season.

From 2006 to 2015, the Quakers dominated Class 1A as they appeared in the finals seven times, won five Penguins Cup titles and captured two state championships.

Things got a little bumpier for the program after losing to Mars in the 2015 final. It was after that season the PIHL began its annual realignment process and both Quaker Valley and Mars were pushed up into Class 2A.

Even though Quaker Valley consistently appeared in the postseason, the Quakers have only been back to the finals once, in 2018, when they lost to Armstrong.

Getting back to the top of the mountain will take more than just a goaltender and Quaker Valley has the complete team to make it happen.

Though the Quakers don’t have a single scorer in the top 20 in Class 1A, they have a balanced attack led by junior Ben Carlson who has 10 goals and 15 points. Kyle Rice, with seven goals and 12 points, is the only other player to have more than 10 points, but Quaker Valley has 11 different players with goals this season.

Class 1A

1. Fox Chapel (10-0-0)

2. Quaker Valley (8-0-0)

3. Norwin (9-1-1)

4. North Catholic (7-2-2)

5. Moon (7-4-0)

First Published December 24, 2021, 5:30am

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 31, 2021 | 11:01 AM

Max Quinn is known for his hard-charging, high-energy attitude on the ice.

Both are reputations the Quaker Valley hockey senior embraces with fervor.

A defenseman who moves to center at times, Quinn is in his second season as team captain. He was an alternate captain two years ago when he became the first sophomore in program history to wear a letter.

“My duties are the same as they were my sophomore year and both my junior and senior years,” Quinn said. “I have to lead the team, get the positive energy up and keep the morale high. I personally like to lead by example, which is playing hard and bringing energy to the team.”

Quinn was lauded as the PIHL Class A Player of the Month for January last season. He scored five goals and tacked on seven assists in five games. He also reeled in his team’s MVP award last season.

Quinn plays in all situations but propels a QV defensive corps that also includes seniors Hayden Earlewine and Bob Carey, sophomore Will Watson and freshman Tommy Orie.

“Max has been a leader on and off the ice,” said QV coach Kevin Quinn, no relation to Max. “He works and competes very hard. He has been moved around positionally to help us.

“His strength is his passion for the game. He loves to compete. He is also very strong physically, which helps him win a lot of battles during the game.”

The 6-foot, 195-pound Quinn, who led the Quakers in scoring (13 goals, 13 assists) a year ago, focuses on hockey during the school year. The PIHL season is a long, grinding enterprise.

“I am a one-trick pony,” Quinn said. “Hockey is my only sport. I don’t have an offseason. I’m hockey for 10 months out of the year, and the other two are in the gym and doing lessons.”

One of Quinn’s fondest memories at Quaker Valley is a late-season game two years ago.

“It was probably that game against Mars my sophomore year to get us into the playoffs,” he said. “The environment was electric.”

Quinn said he hasn’t yet made any concrete post-graduation plans.

“I’m hoping to play juniors next year,” he said, “and I’m looking at some junior options.”

Off the ice, the 18-year-old skater is an avid outdoorsman. When he has time.

“I like to hunt and fish,” Quinn said. “I also like to hike and mountain bike sometimes, but I don’t get to do them very often.”

Quaker Valley opened the season impressively, blanking Beaver, 3-0, on Oct. 4 in freshman goaltender Landon Buterbaugh’s first game in a varsity uniform.

Buterbaugh has taken over at the goalie position for sophomore Holly Collins, the starter last year who has been out of the lineup with an injury this season.

“Landon has been a great addition to the team,” said his coach. “He’s a freshmen goalie who’s playing very well and has a bright future ahead.”

QV skated to a 5-4 victory against McDowell on Oct. 12 to assume early control in the Varsity A Northwest Division. It appears the Quakers, who finished 6-11 in 2020-21, and McDowell are destined to battle for the top spot in the division, which also includes Beaver and Blackhawk.

“We are an experienced team that needs to be clean-cut and use our system to beat (opponents),” said Quinn, QV’s senior standout. “Our strength is our ability to work hard. We have a bunch of kids that are grinders. It seems to be a strong suit for us.

“We are slowly getting chemistry and making everything go better and smoother. I’m surprised by the amount of goals we are scoring.”

Coach Quinn likes what he’s seen production-wise by his team in the early part of the season.

“We’re off to good start,” he said, “but a long season remains.”

The Quakers’ top two lines are seniors Noah Mattie and Kyle Rice with junior Ben Carlson, and juniors Riley Moore and Braedan Steffey with Luke Flowers.

Moore and Carlson sparked QV offensively in the early going with two goals apiece.

Mattie, Rice, Flowers and Steffey chipped in with a goal apiece from their forward positions. Rice and Flowers tied for second on the team in goals scored last season.

After a road game Nov. 1 at Greensburg Salem, the Quakers will play Hampton (Nov. 4) and Plum (Nov. 8) on their home ice at Baierl Ice Complex in Warrendale.

Quick start, experienced roster boost Quaker Valley hockey team

By: Ray Fisher 
Sunday, October 10, 2021 | 11:01 AM

After one game, the Quaker Valley hockey team already was ahead of last year’s pace.

QV lost its first four PIHL games last season en route to a 6-11 record and didn’t attain its first victory until Jan. 12 against Westmont Hilltop.

The Quakers opened the 2021-22 season Oct. 4 with a 3-0 victory at home against Beaver.

QV hockey is celebrating its 25th birthday. After fielding a junior varsity squad in its inaugural season, the Quakers have competed at the varsity level for the past 24 years.

Kevin Quinn, who has coached the Quakers since the program’s inception, said this year’s team is experienced and focused on having a successful season.

“We prepare each year to win our division, qualify for the playoffs and win the Penguin Cup,” Quinn said. “Even in our most lean years, we must strive to reach those goals.

“We have some seniors and juniors that have played a lot of varsity hockey.”

The Quakers have been working diligently on developing team chemistry during early-season practice sessions.

“With fall sports and other commitments, it is hard to develop,” Quinn said, “but we are working hard on it.”

Freshman goaltender Landon Buterbaugh registered the shutout in QV’s season opener in his first varsity game. Buterbaugh turned in a 13-save performance.

“We were pretty sloppy in the first game,” Quinn said. “We just couldn’t score. Landon did very well. He is an exciting addition to our varsity team and has a bright future ahead.”

Noah Mattie, Ben Carlson and Braden Steffey netted a goal apiece for the Quakers. Carlson and Steffey are junior forwards who ranked among the team’s leading offensive players in 2020-21.

Senior defenseman/forward Max Quinn led QV in scoring a year ago with 13 goals and 13 assists and was complemented by forwards Luke Flowers and Kyle Rice with 11 goals apiece. Flowers is a junior this season, and Rice is a senior.

Buterbaugh has taken over at the goaltending position for sophomore Holly Collins, who started in the net as a freshman last year. Collins has been out of the lineup with an injury.

The Quakers, who compete in Class A, have five seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and three freshman on the roster.

Senior leadership is provided by Mattie, from his forward position, Quinn, Rice and defensemen Hayden Earlewine and Bob Carey, who was credited with an assist in QV’s season opener.

Quinn, the team captain, and Earlewine, an alternate captain, are the anchors of the defensive corps.

“Will Watson also is a very strong defenseman who had a great freshman season,” Quinn said.

The Quakers top two lines consist of Carlson, Mattie and Rice along with the junior trio of Riley Moore, Steffey and Flowers.

Carter Siuciak, a junior, and sophomores Coleman Carey, John McHenry and Noah Kenneweg skate on third line.

“Quinn Figley is a freshman playing forward for us,” coach Quinn said. “Thomas Orie is a freshmen defensemen.”

Quaker Valley was a member of the PIHL Southwest Division last winter along with Chartiers Valley, North Hills and South Park. The Quakers have moved this year into the Northwest, which also includes Beaver, Blackhawk and McDowell.

“The Northwest is a new division for us,” coach Quinn said, “and we are ready the challenge.”

QV experienced a late start to its 2020-21 campaign. After the school went through a two-week shutdown because of a coronavirus exposure, the Quakers were able to practice only three times before playing their first game Nov. 9 against South Park. 

Two years ago, the Quakers qualified for the playoffs via a 7-7 record in the Class AA Northwest Division, and finished 7-11 overall.