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Bob Spitzer has been named coach of the McDowell hockey club.

Spitzer has coached the Harbor Creek club team for the past four seasons. Since joining the PIHL for the 2010-11 season, the Huskies have gone 30-10 in open division games and 6-2 in the playoffs.

Spitzer is McDowell’s third coach in three seasons. Bob Hammers coached the team in 2011-12. He followed Nels White, who coached the team for five seasons.

Spitzer played for the Cathedral Prep and Mercyhurst College club teams.

Happy birthday to Sarah Angelo of Harbor Creek. She is celebrating her 18th today.

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If you’d like to submit a student-athlete’s name for a Summer Varsity Birthday wish, send an e-mail to sports@timesnews.com. Include the athlete’s name, school, birthday, age and sport(s).

Happy birthday to Morgan Hall of Harbor Creek. She turns 18 today.

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If you’d like to submit a student-athlete’s name for a Summer Varsity Birthday wish, send an e-mail to sports@timesnews.com. Include the name, school, birthday, age and sport(s).

Harbor Creek Huskies
Coach (season): Ryan Smock (18th season)
2010 overall record: 15-6
2010 region record (place): 10-2 (second)
2010 playoff results: Lost in District 10 Class AA pool play.
Top players lost: Julie Brooks, Nicole Detar, LeAnn Kozak, Jenn Fannin
Top returning players: Heather Reichenback, Taylor Palowski
Assistant coach: Dan Quiggle
Outlook: Harbor Creek was hit pretty hard by graduation with four all-region members gone. Jenn Fannin was a first-team pick at middle hitter, while second teamers Julie Brooks (middle hitter), Nicole Detar (setter) and LeAnn Kozak (outside hitter) are gone as well. The Huskies have some experience back in all-region outside hitter Heather Reichenback and all-region libero Taylor Palowski. Reichenback provides senior leadership, while Palowski had big contributions as a freshman last fall. Harbor Creek has seven juniors returning this season that will need to contribute right away and come together as a team. The Huskies will be smaller than usual this fall so serving and defense will be huge keys to their success.

Schedule
September
6 at Titusville 7:15
8 Eisenhower 7:15
12 at Iroquois 1:15
13 McDowell* 7:15
20 Strong Vincent* 7:15
22 at Mercyhurst Prep* 7:15
27 Central Tech* 7:15
29 at Villa Maria* 7:15
October
3 Seneca 7:15
4 at East* 7:15
6 at McDowell* 7:15
10 Iroquois 7:15
13 at Strong Vincent* 7:15
18 Mercyhurst Prep* 7:15
20 at Central Tech* 7:15
24 at Seneca 7:15
25 Villa Maria* 7:15
27 East* 7:15

Wednesday: Hickory, Iroquois

– Tom Reisenweber

Harbor Creek Huskies
Boys
Coach (season, record): Joe DiSanto (7th season, 81-38-7)
2010 overall record: 11-7-1
2010 region record (place): 8-3-1 (co-champion)
2010 playoff results: Lost 2-1 to Hickory in the District 10 Class AA quarterfinals.
Top players lost: Jordan Tredrea, Steve Bostwick, Alex Tischenko, Zach Shumaker
Top returning players: Cory Kuzilla, Tyler Peterseim, Addam Bostwick, Koltin Hammer
Assistant coaches: Dave Schumacher, Keven Beringer
Outlook: Harbor Creek coach Joe DiSanto is looking for more offensive output from his team this year. The Huskies finished with the lowest amount of goals in program history last year but their stellar defense resulted in one of the lowest goals against totals in program history. Harbor Creek’s staunch defense was a big reason why the Huskies were able to claim a share of the region title. Goalkeeper Steve Bostwick posted six shutouts and made the all-region second team but he has graduated. The Huskies have three possible replacements for Bostwick who will compete for the starting job in camp. Sophomores Nate Angelo and Zach Wainwright as well as junior Nick Barclay all saw some playing time in goal last year and will likely see the field either in goal or on defense.

Harbor Creek will also need to replace Jordan Tredrea, Alex Tischenko and Zach Shumaker, who graduated. Koltin Hammer, a sophomore forward, is back after scoring seven goals and dishing out five assists last year as well as defenders Cory Kuzilla and Addam Bostwick and midfielder Tyler Peterseim. Hammer was the Huskies’ leading scorer last year and is looking to have another big year on the varsity level. Harbor Creek enters camp looking to replace five starters which should create an intense competition for playing time.

Schedule
September
2-3 Harbor Creek tournament
6 Iroquois 6
10 at Meadville 2
12 East 6
14 at Fort LeBoeuf* 4
20 Central Tech* 6
22 at Girard* 5:30
24 Warren 11 a.m.
26 General McLane* 6
28 at North East* 4
October
4 Saegertown* 6
6 Fort LeBoeuf* 6
10 at Central Tech* 4:30
12 Girard* 6
18 at General McLane* 7
20 North East* 6
26 at Saegertown* 4

Girls
Coach (season, record): Dale Claypoole (22nd season, 279-119-11)
2010 overall record: 17-3-0
2010 region record (place): 12-0-0 (champion)
2010 playoff results: Lost 4-0 to Mercyhurst Prep in the District 10 Class AA semifinals.
Top players lost: Kelly Reese, Nikki Rzodkiewicz
Top returning players: Kristin Markiewicz, Kellie Nowakowski, Megan Yount, Steph Corey, Kaylee Lewis, Chrissy Zdaniewski, Sarah Angelo, Melissa Tarquinio, Morgan Hall
Outlook: Harbor Creek will have one of the most experienced teams back this year after minimal losses in the offseason. All-region defender Kelly Reese graduated and the Huskies did lose goalkeeper Nikki Rzodkiewicz. Rzodkiewicz was an all-region selection at keeper but decided to concentrate on softball this year. Junior Tash Brigham and sophomore Katie Seremet could be in line to replace Rzodkiewicz in goal.

Harbor Creek has plenty of experienced players back this season. Seniors Kristin Markiewicz, Kellie Nowakowski, Megan Yount, Steph Corey, Chrissy Zdaniewski, Sarah Angelo, Melissa Tarquinio and Morgan Hall could all be impact players this fall as well as junior Kaylee Lewis. Markiewicz, Nowakowski, Young, Corey and Lewis are all returning all-region selections, while Markiewicz and Nowakowski were named to the all-district team. Markiewicz, an all-state selection, had 27 goals and 24 assists last year, while Nowakowski was named the team MVP on defense. Corey (16 goals, 12 assists), Young (14 goals, 10 assists) and Lewis (11 goals, 7 assist) were big-time contributors last year and could be once again this fall. The Huskies have the talent and experience to make a run in the playoffs and could be a big threat to Mercyhurst Prep in defending their D-10 title.

Schedule
September
2-3 Harbor Creek tournament
7 at Seneca* 4
15 Fort LeBoeuf* 6
19 Fairview* 6
21 General McLane* 6
24 at Warren 11 a.m.
27 at Girard* 5:30
29 North East* 6
October
1 at Villa Maria 2:30
3 Seneca* 6
11 at Fort LeBoeuf* 4
13 at Fairview* 4:30
17 at General McLane* 5:30
19 Girard* 6
25 at North East* 4
27 Iroquois 6

Wednesday: Hickory

– Tom Reisenweber

Harbor Creek Huskies

Budziszewski

Coach (season, record): Dan Budziszewski (30th season, 156-125-3)
2010 overall record: 4-6
2010 region record (place): 2-4 (fifth)
2010 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 10 playoffs.
Top players lost: D.J. Cartney, Tim Schwenk, Cody Bootes, Andy Swindlehurst, Adam Weismiller, Mike Beskid, Tom Schauble
Top returning players: Drew Barko, Austin Griffith, Preston Meade, Chris Merritt, Lucas Morton, Jake Newara, Brandon Phillips, Mitch Schauble, Paris Warner, Tyler Bretz, Anthony Concilla, Mark Fachetti, Adam Renshaw, Jon Ward, Josh Kita, Jake Pound, Aaron Reese, Spencer Zeyfang
Assistant coaches: John Ballard, Mark Brooks, Jake Wilczynski, Marty Dale, Andy Grove
Outlook: Head coach Dan Budziszewski mentioned right away that Harbor Creek must get off to a better start this year. The Huskies started 2010 with five straight losses and came one upset of Fairview short of making the playoffs. Harbor Creek can’t afford that kind of start in a brutal Region 4. The Huskies first must replace several standouts, including Tim Schwenk and D.J. Cartney. Schwenk was an all-region defensive back and Cartney made all-region on the offensive line. Also gone to graduation are starting quarterback Cody Bootes, Andy Swindlehurst, Adam Weismiller, Mike Beskid and Tom Schauble.

Harbor Creek does have some experience in backfield returning this fall. Tyler Bretz led the Huskies in rushing last season with 721 yards and eight touchdowns. He will likely be joined by Austin Griffith at quarterback. Griffith’s top target could be Lucas Morton, who led the Huskies in receiving last fall. Brandon Phillips, Mitch Scahuble, Preston Meade and Paris Warner are back to anchor the line, which must give Harbor Creek time to find holes to run through of find open receivers.

Adam Renshaw returns after a stellar sophomore season. He was the Huskies’ second-leading tackler in 2010 and could be an impact player as a linebacker. Another shot in the arm for Harbor Creek could be Sean Kuzilla. Kuzilla was a solid running back for Fort LeBoeuf last fall before transferring. The Huskies have 12 starters returning this season and if they develop some of the underclassmen, they could surprise a few teams.

Kuzilla will immediately head back to Waterford with the Huskies to open the season before Harbor Creek plays an important game at Girard. The YellowJackets are perennially a playoff team and the Huskies will likely need to beat them to get in this year. It doesn’t get any easier for Harbor Creek after that with home games against General McLane and North East. If the Huskies can finish September with even two wins, they should be in the race for a playoff spot at the end of the year.

Schedule
September
2 at Fort LeBoeuf 7
9 at Girard* 7
16 General McLane* 7
23 North East* 7
30 at Warren 7
October
7 Titusville 7
14 Seneca* 7
21 at Northwestern* 7
28 at Fairview* 7
November
4 Central Tech 7

Saturday: Hickory

– Tom Reisenweber