ITHACA, N.Y. — Ithaca High School’s varsity boy’s ice hockey team advanced to the state playoffs once again, thanks to a 5-0 victory in the Section IV championship on Feb. 25 over Broome County’s team.
They face off against the McQuaid Jesuit Knights, the Section V champion, at Rochester Institute of Technology on March 2 at 2:30 p.m. (streaming option available here). If IHS is victorious, they will advance to the semifinals on March 9 against the winner of the game between West Genesee and Orchard Park.
West Genesee was last year’s state champion and defeated IHS 2-1 in overtime earlier this season.
This week’s win was particularly monumental for IHS Coach Paul Zarach, who secured the 100th win of his career.
Junior forward Cameron Gaines scored two goals in the win over Broome to lead the team, with additional scores from senior Zach Snyder and sophomores Aidan Swarthout and Leland Walker. Goalie Blake Carlisle, a junior, tallied 21 saves for the shutout.
“We’ve had an awesome season, and hopefully Sunday was just the beginning of great things,” Zarach said. “Our core nucleus has done a lot of off-season work together and pre-season work, so add that in with the new kids and it’s a great formula for success this year.”
Most of the IHS players are familiar with the postseason, particularly the team’s five seniors. The Little Red has won the Section IV championship several years in a row because they were previously the only program with a varsity team. This means the team’s upperclassmen have playoff experience that Zarach said could prove valuable in the first round and potentially beyond.
Zarach said the team’s success this year has been maintaining a tough defense from years past while adding more offensive firepower. The team’s offense has already scored 35 more goals than in the 2023 season, while the defense has allowed three fewer goals in one more game than last year so far.
“The offense this year has really taken us to the next level,” Zarach said. “A lot of it has to do with experience, getting bigger, faster, stronger and growing and continuing to practice. The same kids who scored last year had more output this year. […] When you’re playing varsity as a 15-year-old, there’s some skill development and growth still to go, and you’re seeing that this year from our players’ experience last year.”
That experience has benefited the team throughout the year. During the loss against West Genessee back in late January, despite the outcome, Zarach said he felt the team’s potential shown through that game.
Zarach said playing a team of that stature into overtime gave the team some added momentum for the late-season stretch, and he thinks that game generated some buzz among players, parents, fans and the community as well that has remained consistent through the end of the regular season.
“We’re focused on playing our game, playing 51 minutes,” Zarach said. “Hopefully, we’re able to get some goals and opportunities and get out of there with a win. [McQuaid is] a strong program, they’ve got some good players. Anybody who’s still playing now, at the end of the year, has earned their place there.”
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