It is Groundhog Day for the De Smet Jesuit Spartans as they are playing in their third straight Challenge Cup Final game tonight at 8:30 at Centene Community Ice Center. It is their fifth final appearance in the last seven years
However, it is their first time in those five appearances that it hasn’t been against the SLUH Jr. Billikens who plagued them until their championship title last year. Starting goalie Alex Rivolta believes it’s going to be different without their Jesuit rival.
“It’s a little bit more fun when we get to play SLUH,” Rivolta said. “Marquette is just as tough of a team, if not tougher. We’re going to need to step up our game even more because they’re hungry.”
The Mustangs come into this game as the only team this season to tie De Smet in both of their regular season contests and round-robin game. They also are looking to bring home their first ever Challenge Cup and be the first public school to win it since 2011.
“They’re a very well-coached and disciplined team, ” De Smet Hockey Head Coach Anthony Cappelletti said. “They have a system and they stick to it which is why they’ve been really successful. They also have a really deep core and a good goalie.”
Playing in it last year and winning, I feel like we have the upper hand about knowing the atmosphere and fans. Leading up to state, I feel like we didn’t have a purpose. I think now coming to state we finally realize we’re a good team. We need to recognize that we have the skill and talent to be very successful tonight.”
— Senior Captain Jack Croghan
This is the first Challenge Cup Final with Head Coach Anthony Cappelletti who led the Spartans to a near-perfect regular season going 16-1-3 under his tenure. His only loss with De Smet occurred 117 days ago on Nov. 6 against CBC.
“I never really thought about having one loss, ” Cappelletti said. “We have to finish it off. It has been a battle every single game in the playoffs. You saw a couple one goal games and then we had to battle back to tie Marquette. We would love a blowout, but fans are probably in for a tight game tonight.”
Cole Heffington leads the team in points with three goals and three assists through six games played in the postseason. Braden Tillett has scored the most goals with four goals all coming in the round-robin games.
Theo Porter currently sits at three goals with two of his three coming in the previous game against Vianney where he scored both Spartan goals to advance them to the Challenge Cup Final.
“I really felt like that was a team performance,” Porter said. “I think everyone is always contributing and that’s what is so dangerous about us.”
Senior Captain Jack Croghan who is set along with six other seniors to play his last game wearing the De Smet crest, is ready to lead.
“Playing in it last year and winning, I feel like we have the upper hand about knowing the atmosphere and fans,” Croghan said. “Leading up to state, I feel like we didn’t have a purpose. I think now coming to state we finally realize we’re a good team. We need to recognize that we have the skill and talent to be very successful tonight.”
