Healthy RFA comes out flying. Possible rematch with New Hartford looms after win

Maybe even as complete a team can play all season.

"Everybody is finally good now, and we are going to be hard (to beat) now," said RFA junior tri-captain Max Bartell.

"We’ve been preparing for two weeks for this game. We did everything perfectly tonight," he added.

Near-perfect they were.

Bartell had a goal and two assists while Garrett and TJ Reilley combined for two goals and three assists and the Romans played aggressive defense to go with their strong netminding from Mike Endres as the No. 3 seeded Black Knights pummeled the second-seeded Corcoran Cougars, 6-3, on Thursday night at Meachem Arena.

RFA, which improved to 12-7-2 overall with the win, snapped their two-game losing streak and will face the winner of tonight’s quarterfinal game between No. 1 seed New Hartford and fourth-seeded Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-Dewitt at 6 p.m. at the New Hartford Recreation Center in the semifinals next week.

The higher seeded team will host the game.

Bartell got RFA off to a fast start with two assists in the opening frame as the Romans mounted a 3-1 lead with scores from junior forwards TJ Reilley and Ryan Fanelli.

Fanelli slapped in the second Rome goal in off a rebound from Corcoran goaltender Jason Frier to bring the score to 2-1 with 3:40 left in the first for Rome.

Bartell then ripped a shot on net 36 seconds later that Frier gave up yet another rebound on and Garrett Reilley was there to tap in to light up the lamp and put the Black Knights ahead by two goals.

The visitors, which defeated the Cougars 3-2 in overtime in the two teams only matchup of the season, carried their two-goal 5-3 lead into the final seven minutes, where the Romans’ defense had to test their mettle.

For the rest of this story check out the Rome Sentinel.