DVHL Sandbagging

[Guest]

Lancaster’s peewee a team this year was like watching Bryce Harper take batting practice off a little league pitcher.  Their management team consists of the ‘smartest ppl in the room’ even when us parents tried to tell them before the year started they were an AA team.  Oh, and when the players leave Lancaster after they destroyed the competition, management cries tampering like they do every year.  This isn’t the reading royals anymore is it Andy?

[Guest]

According to the original post the stats show Lancaster always sandbags. As far back as I can remember I don't recall them ever having AA teams.

[Guest]

Their PeeWee AA team won districts 2 years ago.

[Guest]

Well that PW AA team from 2 years ago is likely much of the team that went 25-1 in Bantam this year (blowing teams out) ...playing A National??

[Youth Hockey Info]

My son's team played them twice, they were never in either game from start to finish in fact during the 1st game our own parents were screaming for a mercy rule. Their parents are even worse, one of the fathers from Lancaster stood in the middle of our parents hooting and hollering after each of the 11 goals they scored as if it was the first. The guy never shut up the entire game. Just about every team complained but,...... we have to remember, they're complaining to nobody because the DVHL doesn't care.

[Guest]

My son no longer plays at Lancaster.  Most of the kids from the Pee Wee AA followed the hockey director to Palmyra.  I think 3 kids on Bantam A team were on Pee Wee AA.

[Guest]

Maybe because I have been with the Hawks that I don't have an objective opinion, but I think they have way more of a track record fielding AA teams(even when they shouldn't have) over sandbagging. Yes, they had a PW A American team that went undefeated in 16-17. That team should have been National, but knowing that coach, I think it was more of underestimating the talent, than sandbagging.
The PW A American team in 15-16 was 2nd place. Looking back at that roster, most of those kids came up from a very bad PW B team from the previous season so declaring as A American was probably the correct choice. A few of those kids really took off that year. Again, wouldn't call that sandbagging.
The 16-17 PW A American was 15-4, but in 6th place. Looking at that roster, a lot of those kids came up from a below .500 Squirt A National team, so again, A American was probably the correct level to choose.
This year was the first time in forever they didn't field a Bantam AA team. They chose to play A National and were I think the 2nd place team. Should they have played AA, probably. I think the coach made the decision based off of his 2 previous AA seasons where those teams didn't compete well at all.
Look at the banners hanging in the Skatium, most of them are 10-15 years old. This club doesn't win much.

[Youth Hockey Info]

My son no longer plays at Lancaster.  Most of the kids from the Pee Wee AA followed the hockey director to Palmyra.  I think 3 kids on Bantam A team were on Pee Wee AA.

I did't know the exact makeup of the roster this season, we were told it was all 2nd year players by the coaches and manager. I looked at 16-17/17-18 point streak and this seasons SportsEngine stats over lunch. This past season's team was made up of 3 AA minor players and the rest were more or less second year majors. They definitely should've been 14U AA.

[Guest]

I agree.  From what I understand a majority of the parents and coach went to the hockey director over the summer and tried to get him to change his mind.  At that time he thought 2 forwards, 1 d-man, and the goalie were AA quality.  I watched a couple of the games.  The 2 forwards set the pace and controlled the game.

[Guest]

I've seen plenty of sandbagging teams over the years and the argument can probably be made that the top 1 or 2 teams in every division probably should have played up - but it is what it is.

That being said - the Lancaster PWA National Team sits on the Iron Throne of Sandbagging.  Its a complete disgrace that the coaches and organization had that team in A National instead of AA.  Every game was over within the first 5 minutes.  The team went 22-0, outscored opponents 164-30, averaged over 7 goals a game, had 8 shutouts (5 in a row at one point).  And mind you, this was all with the team playing at half pace because all games were over by the end of the first period.  Imagine if they played to full potential?

If your a team that's steamrolling the AA division and going 22-0 kudos to you.  You put your best against everyone else's best and your king of the hill and deserve all the accolades.  But I can't imagine being a parent on this team waking up in the morning and driving from Lancaster 2 hours down to the Blazers or Grundy only to play 5 minutes of hockey because your team is winning 5-0.

But ultimately nothing will change and the same thing will happen again next year.  Congratulations to Lancaster on the great season!!