The Observation Deck

Each year Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League holds their championships, as local teams play for the "Baron Cup."




LHS Rangers are introduced, as Mayfield Heights High looks on.


A score early in the first period, put Lakewood up.


Like polo on ice, the players skate hard and swap out regularly grabbing some air, while the coach plays the match-ups.




A good save by Lakewood's Goalie.


A good example of "loafing" around "the crease." Which means skating around near the opponents goal waiting for a shot on goal to help it get it, or grab the deflection.


And here "loafing" pays off. But for a great save by the goalie, this could have been another point.


Face off and that fast the first period ends.


With a 1 - 0 lead on Mayfield Heights the Rangers head to the locker room for a break.








Until you put on the skates, the padding, the helmet, and stood there while other shoot a hard rubber puck at you at the average of 100mph, can you understand 1) How tough it is, and 2) How mentally tough you have to be.

Unfortunately, by the end of the game, Lakewood was down one score, as the game ended with Mayfield Heights pulling it out, 2 - 1.

Good work Lakewood Rangers, tough, tough loss.

More photos at: http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/photobl ... n-cup-2017

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:Each year Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League holds their championships, as local teams play for the "Baron Cup."

Just in case there's one other person out there who was curious about this… yes, the Baron Cup tournament does honor Cleveland's vanished pro hockey team, the Barons. (Seemingly obvious, but now you can answer that trivia question without guessing.)

According to Case's Encyclopedia of Cleveland, "the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League was formed by Joe Prokop, a former Cleveland Baron. […] The highlight of the season was the Baron Cup tournament, in which the 8 best teams in the league played for a trophy donated by the Cleveland Barons in 1970." http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=H3

Great coverage Jim, and a shout-out for supporting our schools! While I've never played hockey, Friday nights in Lakewood for young people so often revolved around what was then called Winterhurst Ice Rink. Originally an outdoor facility, (and yes, I remember skating there back then!) when the new indoor double rink facility was completed, it was indeed the teen social place to be on Friday nights! When the organ music began the evening, (usually with a popular rock tune) it was off to the ice, and no skate keys were necessary!

Of course, you had your roller skate people (they had to go elsewhere) and your ice skaters. Some people did both, but I could only do ice skating.

For those of us having leg, foot, or ankle problems, things got hugely better when those heavy supportive plastic skates came out.

Anyone who might remember my dad, the late Lakewood music director Robert Rice, might be amazed to learn that he was an accomplished ice skater, and could do just about anything on the ice, even in his later years!

Good times, good memories!

Back to the banjo...

It was better when Winterhurst was outdoors. Broke my wrist in a not-so-controlled speed demon lay down to avoid flying off the ice into the concrete apron where the Zamboni garage was located. Executed to perfection until my hip and buttocks landed on my wrist. Last day of the season, spring of 1973-ish something or other. Afterwards went to a Cavs game with my dad, dropped my popcorn for lack of a grip, and decided to get an X-ray. Good times.

Thread drift Warning----

There was a Lawson's across the street from Winterhurst before the freeway was built. Dutch loaf, chipped ham, half gallon glass jugs of milk. Building better bodies 12 ways when you added the Wonder Bread!

The Baron Cup pre-dates the actual OHSAA state tournament.
The OHSAA didn't sanction hockey until the late 1970s.

During the 1970s most Ohio teams were located in the Cleveland area, so the Baron Cup was the most prestigious trophy in the game.

I can't say for sure, but it seems the Barons Cup has been eclipsed since those days. Similar to how the NCAA Hoops Tournament gradually outgrew the NIT.

More High School Hockey News.....

The OHSAA Tournament pairings have been announced.

Coming off its turnaround season, Lakewood will have a bye in the first round of the tournament. They will play the winner of the Midview/Amherst game in the second round.
The Lakewood game will take place at the Brooklyn Rec Center on February 18 at 7:30pm.

St. Edward is seeded #2 in the bracket, and also has a first round bye.
They will play on February 19 at noon against the winner of the first round Parma/Benedictine matchup.
That game, and all games in this bracket, will be played at Brooklyn Rec Center.

http://brackets.myohsaa.org/bracket.asp ... 108&not=23