Youth Sports Report:

Manatee downs Wharton for Central Division title

Posted Mar 7, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Mar 7, 2010 at 10:29 AM

BRANDON – A hat trick by Chase Anderson, and a strong goaltending performance by Jake Owens, gave Manatee a 4-2 victory against Wharton in the final of the Lightning Hockey Conference Central Division playoffs, capping the Golden Manatees’ first season in the league with a title.

Anderson gave the Golden Manatees the lead in the opening period, but the Wildcats hit back quickly, Jake Kools tying the game with 2:19 to play in the period.

Wharton had opportunities to take the lead on a power play, but Anderson took advantage of a defensive lapse, stealing the puck at the Wildcats’ blue line before moving in to give the Golden Manatees the lead short-handed.

Vasilli Malliaras gave the Golden Manatees a two-goal lead shortly after, and Owens did well to maintain that cushion as the Wildcats pressed to pull a goal back before the end of the second period.

“Jake did really well,” Manatee coach Phil Atkinson said. “I’m so proud of him, he almost brought a tear to my eye today because he just did a really phenomenal job.”

Anderson completed his hat trick early in the third period, and while the Wildcats pulled a goal back, Kools scoring his second, the Golden Hurricanes closed out the victory comfortably.

“We knew (Paul Lochner) and (Anderson) were their powerhouse,” Wharton coach Tom Leechin said. “They were the ones that scored most of their goals, and we knew we could try to get some pucks past their goalie, but he played exceptionally well today, and I think he was the difference in the game.”

Both teams will continue the postseason in two weeks, with Manatee aiming for a combined division state title at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar and Wharton travelling to Fort Lauderdale to compete in the pure division state championships.