Peters Township became the first team to beat two-time defending state Class AA champion Latrobe in a high school hockey game in two years.

The Indians defeated the Wildcats, 4-3, last Thursday, but they aren't intending for that to be the highlight of their season. Peters has its sights set a lot higher than that.

"We're keeping that win in perspective," coach Rick Tingle said. "It was a game that happened in October. It's early in the hockey season so we'll keep it in perspective.

"I don't think it means as much to our guys as maybe it took the monkey off Latrobe's back some."

The Indians have an immensely talented roster that only got deeper and stronger since last season, when they went 16-5-1 in the regular season.

Peters Township already was experienced and senior-laden and it added top-level talents in Matt Lison and Matt White. The Indians can put four forward lines and three defense pairings on the ice confidently. They are off to a 2-0 start heading into a game against Erie Prep tomorrow, and they are thinking big.

"The goal for the season is the same as it is ever year," Tingle said. "We want to win the Penguins Cup and we want to win a state championship."

Peters Township has one of the richest high school hockey traditions in the area. That is exhibited by the way that the Indians' roster contains six players who have had older brothers play for the team, including all three team captains (senior forwards Kevin Hough and Drew Rubeo and senior defenseman Ryan Tingle).

The other three current players who have had older brothers play for Peters are senior Matt Madore and sophomores Aaron McDonough and Ben Zalewski. Four of those six older siblings have won state championships, so it's little wonder the team has such a sense of pride and has set its goals so high.

"They know what to expect," Rick Tingle said. "It's a lot of the same things every year."

That includes White and Lison, whom Tingle said have fit in "seamlessly." Lison, a junior, was a standout for Bishop Canevin last season and has played for the Pittsburgh Hornets organization. White has played in the prestigious United States Hockey League and has Division I scholarship offers but wanted to spend his senior season at home with his high school classmates.

Each scored two goals in a season-opening win against Elizabeth Forward and White scored again in the win against Latrobe.

Among the team's 14 seniors are the line of Hough, Rubeo and Cody Gubala that already combined for four goals and eight assists in two games. White and Lison have been skating on a line with senior Jake Boss.

Like Hough and Ryan Tingle, Paul Henney has also been on the team for four seasons.

Seniors Reilly Moore and Rod Kern also lend experience to the blue line, and A.J. Hume and Sean McLaughlin are seniors who contribute up front (although McLaughlin has not yet played this season due to injury).

Juniors Mike Amelio and Denny Dachille and sophomores Jake Brown and Taylor Cox are part of a deep corps of defensemen and juniors Mike Glicksman and Evan Mitchell and sophomore Cole Schinder are forwards who contribute.

The Indians have four goalies who Tingle believes are capable of being starters -- junior Chris "Woody" Shell and seniors Tyler Borne, Cody Skraitz and Madore.

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