The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders were one of three ice hockey teams in New Jersey that were undefeated along with Delbarton Green Wave and Toms River East Raiders through the first thirteen games of the season before a 5-1 loss to Montclair Kimberley Academy on Jan. 14.
From last year finishing 5-17 and last in the Kelly Division of the NJIIHL Conference to first in the division with a 17-6-3 record, it is clear that the program is heading in the right direction again.
“We focused on being positive and not blaming each other,” senior captain Ryan Mauer told The Fanscotian. “We worked to pass the puck as a team better [as well].”
As a coherent unit, the Raiders put up stupendous numbers throughout the winter, tallying 117 goals compared to letting up only 56. The team averaged around five goals per game, having 13 different goal scorers across each grade. Moreover, 16 different players recorded at least one point (goal or assist), including starter junior goalie Lorenzo Tittanegro.
Head Coach Matt Gunther has had his share of triumphs and challenges behind the bench since 2013. The promising campaign is a tribute to his dedication to instilling an environment determined to improve. Gunther earned his 100th career win on Jan. 20 after a 3-2 overtime upset win against Cranford in the quarterfinal match of the Union County Tournament.
Unfortunately, the Raiders came up short 4-3 to top-seeded Governor Livingston on Jan. 22 in the semifinal round, ending their underdog story. The loss stung, but the focus was now on the in-season division tournament.
Coming in as the No. 2 seed, SPF was favored to ease into the final round of the bracket; however, no opponent can be overlooked, especially in a competition where hardware is on the line.
They took down No. 7 Oratory 5-3 in the quarterfinal round, followed by a 4-2 semifinal round win over No. 6 Montclair to punch their ticket in the final against No. 1 MKA.
Entering the third period down a goal, this was just another test of the Raiders’ ability to find ways to win hockey games. Leading goal scorer, Anthony Lorenzetti sniped two goals ten seconds apart with 5:30 left on the clock to shift the momentum in the hands of SPF.
The Cougars were given a golden opportunity to try and get back in the game, being on the power-play. Freshman Charles Sacchetti promptly buried their hopes after lasering a bullet into the empty net across the ice. Lorenzetti added another goal for himself, making it a hat trick for his 100th career goal.
The 4-1 comeback victory encapsulated the hard-earned effort for the first Kelly Cup and in-season tournament championship in the school’s history.
“[The win] was great. We’ve lost a lot in previous years, but come very close. It was an amazing feeling, and it was awesome to accomplish that,” Mauer said.
Senior captains Ryan Sacchetti, Lorenzetti and Mauer imprinted their names in the scoring sheet all year long, cranking up the offense to a whole new level. They combined for 112 points with one of them recording a goal or assist in 24 out of 26 games.
Junior Nick Movesesian and Charles Sacchetti stepped up as well, becoming auxiliary pieces to the thriving team. The two paired for 40 goals, 63 points and each secured a hat trick during the season.
On Jan. 28, Lorenzetti added to his historic career reaching the 150-point landmark and passing Class of 2017 alumni Jared Figueroa for the all-time point record with 151 points. He scored two of the four in the win against Oratory that night to establish a new benchmark in the Raiders hockey program.
Last year he scored his 100th and 101st point on Jan. 31 in a 3-0 win against Bayonne, scoring the first goal of the game and assisting on the second. He was the fourth player to achieve the mark. The fifth Raider to grasp a spot in the club was his fellow captain this winter.
Mauer scored and dished out an assist in a resounding 8-0 result against Montclair on Jan. 29 to join the 100-point circle. He expressed his pride in his individual feat and to be able to represent the program as his brother did.
“[Being one of five players to reach 100 points] feels good. I’ve seen a lot of really good players [including] my brother who played,” Mauer said. “It’s cool to be one of the guys that hit 100 points along with Anthony [Lorenzetti] and a good lineage of players.”
The hockey team certainly rebounded from a difficult prior campaign and they did it in grand style. From first in the division to several Raiders reaching milestone career point totals to winning the first Kelly Cup and in-season tournament in school history, the 2024-2025 season will indisputably go down in the history books.
