Eric Sloan got a late start in hockey this past season. He was a starter on the Mt. Lebanon soccer team that made it to the PIAA Class AAA semifinals in mid-November.

	Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette Mt. Lebanon's Eric Sloan had 73 points this past season, breaking a 31-year school record. Click photo for larger image.

"But once he got going with us, he just steam-rolled," Mt. Lebanon hockey coach Paul Taibi said.

Sloan had a season like no other player in Mt. Lebanon hockey history. He also was a notch above any other player in Western Pennsylvania.

Sloan, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior center, is the Post-Gazette Player of the Year and leads the Stellar 6 all-star team.

Sloan set a Mt. Lebanon scoring record with 73 points, breaking the record of 72, set in 1973 by Pat McDermott. Sloan had 34 goals and 39 assists and led Mt. Lebanon to the Penguin Cup Class AAA championship and a second-place finish in the state playoffs.

"Big-time players always come up big and he came up big for us a lot of times," Taibi said.

In the Penguin Cup final against Meadville, Sloan scored two unassisted goals in the final seven minutes of a 3-0 victory.

As good as Sloan was, he might have played his final hockey game. He plans to play soccer at Allegheny College in Meadville.

"As the season went on, more and more colleges started talking to him," Taibi said. "But he had his mind made up on soccer."

The Stellar 6 was selected by the Post-Gazette scholastic staff. Here is a look at the other players on the team:

Timmy Johnson, Serra

A senior goalie, Johnson was a four-year starter who helped Serra win three Penguin Cup Class A championships and two state titles. This season, he had a 22-4 record, a 1.73 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.

"He just carried our team for many years," Serra coach Tom Mooney said. "He's probably the reason -- the greatest reason -- we were so successful every year. A lot of coaches said they are glad to see him leave."

Matt Quigley, Fox Chapel

Quigley is only a sophomore, but played as well as a seasoned veteran for Fox Chapel. A forward, Quigley had 26 goals and 20 assists in only 20 games.

"He's extremely fast, he has good hands and his shot is unbelievable," said Fox Chapel coach Keith Kearny.

Keith Clackson, Peters Township

A junior forward, Clackson led Peters Township in every offensive category and also helped the Indians to the Penguin Cup Class AA championship.

"If we needed a goal, he was our go-to guy. He was our ace for sure," said Peters Township coach Mark Cooper.

Dan Zabkar, Bethel Park

Many considered Zabkar the top defenseman in Western Pennsylvania, but he also had an offensive side to him. He had 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points and became the first defenseman known to lead Bethel Park in scoring.

"He's clearly the best defenseman in Pennsylvania," Bethel Park coach Jim McVay said.

"He's been a captain for two years. If you looked up leader or dedication in the dictionary, his picture would be right there."

Ryan Noone, Serra

Serra was usually in great shape defensively -- because Noone was in great shape. The Eagles used only three defenseman regularly and Noone sometimes played up to 35 minutes a game.

"He hardly ever came off the ice," Mooney said. "He's probably one of the best skaters you will come across at any level. He is just a superior skater with speed. That makes him a dominating player."