Verona/Glen Ridge ice hockey team is Kelly Cup runner-up

VERONA/GLEN RIDGE — As the head ice hockey coach at Verona/Glen Ridge high school, the top highlight for Ken Lilien came in February of 2015 when the co-op team beat Montclair Kimberley Academy, 4-2, to capture the McInnis Cup in the New Jersey Interscholastic Hockey League.

Last Friday evening, Feb. 21, at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange, Verona/Glen Ridge came close to earning another league crown. But in the Kelly Cup final, a scrappy Cranford High club pulled off a mild 3-2 upset. During regular-season play, Verona/Glen Ridge had defeated the team from Union County twice.

“In a championship game, anything can happen,” said Lilien, who at one time was involved in the sport of boxing. “We played well, but I guess Cranford just played a bit better.

“We had an apparent goal called back, and that might have changed the game. But things like that can happen in any game.”

For Verona/Glen Ridge, defenseman Zach Gold, a youngster from Glen Ridge, was the star, coming up with both team scores. Goalie Chris Kostas, another kid from Glen Ridge, also played quite well.

“Chris always seems to play steady in the nets,” said Lilien. “That’s why in any game, we always have a chance. I don’t know how we’ll do in the states, but hey, we could be a sleeper. In our division, the C bracket, Summit is the favorite.”

Last weekend, Summit beat Montclair, 3-2, to take the McInnis Cup in the NJIHL. Christian Brothers Academy beat Don Bosco, 2-0, in the 62nd Gordon Cup final, and Johnson rolled Frisch, 7-3, to earn the McMullen Cup title.

Along with Kostas and Gold, several other players have sparkled this winter on defense.

Leading that group has been Alec Vecchione, a talented senior from Glen Ridge. He always plays a very solid game on the ice.

“We try and put Alec on the best offensive player on opposing teams,” commented Lilien. “He takes a lot of pride in stopping the big offensive players on the teams we face.”

Jack Lonsinger and Vincent Eremita have also played well on defense for the team throughout the 2019-20 campaign.

Up front, Verona/Glen Ridge has also spotlighted some top players. That includes Chandler Otterbein and the Brennan brothers, Aiden and Rowan.

“Rowan is only a freshman, but he’s already an outstanding player,” said the coach. “The kid is just fearless on the ice.

“We’ve had contributions from a lot of kids this season, and that’s why we’ve been so successful. I think a special highlight was when we beat Millburn in the Cup semifinals. They had won the Kelly Cup in both 2018 and 2019.”

ICE CHIPS — In the Morris County Scholastic League last weekend, Morristown-Beard beat Randolph, 5-1, to earn the 45th Mennen Cup title. Mendham and Mountain Lakes also gained titles in the league… In 2009, Verona/Glen Ridge won the McMullen Cup, prior to Lilien’s arrival as head coach… Verona/Glen Ridge, seeded ninth, will visit eighth-seeded Northern Highlands in the first round of the Public C state tournament on Feb. 27 at Sport-O-Rama in Monsey, N.Y at 4 p.m. Northern Highlands won the Big North Silver Cup title last weekend. The winner will visit top-seeded Summit in the quarterfinals on March 2.