Tanyon Bajzer with a hat trick plus, Cam Bajzer scores his first varsity goal, St. Edward varsity hockey rolls past Avon Lake in Sectional Semifinal

C. Bajzer

Photos by Mrs. Kolenich

By Norm Weber

BROOKLYN – Under the Holy Cross banner, St. Edward High School is all about brotherhood, but sometimes that means literally biological brothers, which is what capped St. Edward’s 10-0 varsity hockey win over Avon Lake Sunday here in the John M. Coyne Recreation Center.

The Sectional Semifinal game ended early when sophomore Tanyon Bajzer assisted freshman Cam Bajzer on the 10^th goal arriving at 4:18 of the third period.

Cam was called up to the varsity from the JV team to get him used to the big rink.

“My brother told me that he was going to assist me on my first varsity goal and that’s what he did,” Cam Bajzer said. “I came in with the idea that I would score a goal tonight.”

Cam Bajzer has been one of the leading scorers on the JV team that is now gearing up for next week’s State JV Tournament.

“It’s a quicker game up here, but I can make the adjustments,” Cam Bajzer said.

Meanwhile, Tanyon Bajzer had his hat trick by the 3:59 mark of the second period and eventually wound up with four goals.

“This game was all about Cam,” said St. Edward Head Coach Troy Gray, who flipped Cam the game puck after the team said the Hail Mary in the locker room. “When we can get them the opportunity to play in this building it is a good thing. They have to learn that this is where we are going to play our most important games.”

Fellow freshman Gavin Keller also recently returned to the team and was in the starting lineup that was announced prior to the game.

“Young guys have to experience this and when you think about it we don’t have a lot of experience on this team,” Coach Gray said about his sophomore-laden group. “Any time we can get our guys to perform on this ice it is only a plus.”

Early tournament games like this that pit teams from the GLHL or the old Red North against Blue or White Division teams from the GCHSHL generally see lopsided scores such as this. However, one can’t take this as a throw-away game.

“We still play these games the way we normally do,” Coach Gray said. “We just have to make sure we don’t pick up any bad habits. We just have to win and make sure we look good when we do it.”

The Eagles certainly looked good on this night. They outshot the Shoremen, 50-5, including 21-1 in the first period, but still held only a 2-0 lead after the first 15 minutes went into the books.

Wasting no time in determining who was boss on this night, the Eagles (23-7-2-1) scored in the seventh second of the game, Tanyon Bajzer knocking it in with assists from Joe Wilber and Sean Kolenich.

Matty Smith scored at 3:29 with assists from Tanyon Bajzer and Carson Kostka.

The Shoremen (16-13-3) were called for tripping later in the period, but the Eagles could not capitalize on the power play.

After the intermission was when the Eagles really leveled the sledgehammer.

Again the Eagles wasted no time, scoring at 0:28 on a Wilber goal that was assisted by Keller and senior Tyler Budzar.

T. Bajzer

Then at appeared as if the Shoremen would get a break, St. Ed’s was called for elbowing and roughing, giving Avon Lake a 5-on-3 power play. Then they were washed ashore as St. Ed’s scored a 3-on-5 shorthand goal at 2:03, Tanyon Bajzer beating everyone to the goal, making at 4-0 with an assist from senior Ryan Willse.

Attaining the hat trick happened in a special way for Tanyon Bajzer, since he was assisted by Cam Bazer, the goal occurring at 3:59, making it 5-0.

It was Matt Dobrowsky sending the game to a running clock at 6:00 with a goal that was assisted by Tyler Fowles and Charlie Kirkholder.

Tanyon Bajzer’s fourth goal came at 9:56 with an assist from Wilber.

Dobrowsky scored on a breakaway as time was expiring in the period and the officials waved it off due to the running clock. During the break they reinstated it to make it 8-0. Smith and goalie Even Wrightsman assisted on the goal that was determined to have occurred at 14:55.

They had to make an ice cut just to get two quick goals in the third period and end the game.

Luke Newton scored at 4:05 with assists from Jack O’Sullivan and Kirkholder. Jake Dobrowsky also assisted on Cam Bajzer’s goal at 4:18.

In all, 16 Eagles had at least an assist or a goal. Wrightsman earned the shutout in goal with five saves.

They will now play the Avon-Parma Sr. winner at 8 Wednesday in a Sectional Championship/District Quarterfinal inside the John M. Coyne Recreation Center.

The Eagles (23-7-2-1) are 9-4-2 against Greater Cleveland area teams, 3-2 against the West Side, 6-2-2 against the East Side, 2-1 against teams from Parma/Parma Heights, 15-4-2 against Ohio teams, 2-0 against Toledo-area teams, 4-0 against Columbus-area teams, 1-1 against Lake County, 1-0 against Lorain County, 2-1-2-0 against schools whose campuses are on Som Center Road (Rt. 91), 4-2 at home, 15-4-1 on neutral ice, 5-2-1-0 on the road, 9-3 against out-of-state teams, and 7-2 against out-of-country teams.