JPII takes the Gold Division Championship - GNASH Cup

Pope John Paul II takes home Nashville Cup

By CHIP CIRILLO
Staff Writer

FRANKLIN — First, Pope John Paul II took the steam out of the rivalry.

Then the Knights took home the Nashville Cup after rolling to a 10-2 rout of archrival Father Ryan in the Gold Division championship of the GNASH League in front of an overflow crowd at Southern Ice Arena on Friday night.

JPII (20-1-1) dominated all phases of the game, outshooting the Fighting Irish by a 56-9 margin.

"The intensity was there, the passing was there and the hunger was there," JPII Coach Bjorn Svedin said. "So that's a good sign."

Center Ryan Sterrett led the way by scoring a hat trick for the defending state champion. The Knights' first line produced six goals as Anthony Golio scored twice and Daniel Adams scored once.

"We work really good together, and it's hard for teams to match up with us," Sterrett said.

"We move the puck really well and we cycle in the corners and we put the puck in the net."

Sterrett, Golio and Adams have each been named to the GNASH League All-Star team, and they played like it in the final.

JPII, Father Ryan (16-7-2), Ravenwood and Hendersonville have each earned berths in the Predators Cup state tournament.

Father Ryan goalie Alex Otts has been bombarded with 146 shots during the past three games.

The second-seeded Knights scored three times during a three-minute span to take a 3-0 lead in the first period, outshooting, fifth-seeded Ryan by a 21-4 margin.

Benjamin Booker scored a power-play goal and Sterrett scored a short-handed goal, increasing the Knights' lead to 5-0 midway through the second period. By the end of the period, second-seeded JPII boosted its lead to 8-1.

"We have three or four lines we can play," Svedin said.

"You don't really see any letdown. They all play hard-nosed, full-out hockey. That's how I was taught how to play the game and that's what I try to instill in these kids."

Photo Gallery

Visit the JPII page for more highlights