The Knights bested the West Virginia East Vipers 5-4 in the championship match inside WesBanco Arena, battening down the hatches after trailing in the first period, and hanging on for a win in the final seconds.

Wheeling Central was playing catchup throughout the first period. They trailed 1-0, then tied the game 1-1 after a goal from Gary Hatfield assisted by Zach Vitlip with 6:19 in the first period. They trailed 2-1, then tied the game 2-2 on an unassisted goal by Aden Cooey with 4:30 to go in the first. The Vipers struck again with seconds to go before the end of the first period, Wyatt Arnoult putting West Virginia ahead 3-2.

The Maroon Knights would not allow another goal until there were less than two minutes left in the game.

Wheeling Central tied the game 3-3 with 11:47 showing in the second period, Landon Prager scoring on a Vitlip assist. Then they took their first lead of the game less than two minutes later, 4-3 after Vitlip scored himself off a feed from Logan Pielech. Pielech dished another assist to Cooey to increase Wheeling Central’s lead to two while the Vipers were held in check.

photo by: Nick Henthorn

Wheeling Central’s Ashton Glover defends the goal Sunday during the 19th annual West Virginia State Bob Otten Hockey Tournament. Glover had 36 saves in the title game.

Wheeling Central’s Ashton Glover recorded 36 saves, being under fire the entire game but seldom letting anything through.

“Ashton, he’s kept us in a lot of games this year, especially with our league,” Wheeling Central head coach PJ Ratcliffe said. “This’ll be his fourth year for us and we obviously appreciate the time we’ve had with him. He’s kept us in games that we had no business being in, and he did the same thing today.”

Wheeling Central was out-shot 22-40 Sunday against the Vipers.

Defensive playmaking was the key for Wheeling Central through the entire two days. The Maroon Knights first beat Linsly on Saturday, then dealt Wheeling Park- who made it to the state title game last year- a defeat Sunday morning.

“What was different for us today, especially in the early game playing Park for the third time this season, we were better defensively,” Ratcliffe said. “Way better defensively on our own end, trying to protect the puck, trying to make them play a 200-foot game. Park’s had a heck of a season, and with the Martinsburg team it was kind of the same thing. We got outshot, but we had obviously a couple good looks and we were able to cash in.”

photo by: Nick Henthorn

Wheeling Central’s Zach Vitlip, pictured with his tournament and title game MVP plaques Sunday after winning the 19th annual West Virginia State Bob Otten Hockey Tournament.

With time ticking away and anticipation building for Wheeling Central, the Vipers’ Kelon Everhart put one through the back of the net, unassisted with 1:48 left to play. It would be a very tense final 1:48 for the Knights. With under a minute to go, and the puck on the Knights’ side of the ice, Wheeling Central got a timeout.

“That’s why I called a timeout, just telling the kids to tighten up a little bit, make the smart play, get the puck out of our own end,” Ratcliffe said. “That way we didn’t have to go to overtime and make it interesting. It’s great for the school, it’s always fun when we can do this for the hockey program.”

Despite a frantic effort from the Vipers, Wheeling Central’s defense held strong one last time to seal the victory.

Vitlip was named tournament MVP, as well as being the Knights’ championship game MVP, scoring one goal and assisting on two for Central.

“Zach’s a heck of a player,” Ratcliffe said. “He plays big-time travel hockey up in Pittsburgh along with a couple of my other kids. He really set the tone this weekend, he’s had a great year. He always brings his best, plays his hardest, he was a huge difference-maker for us this weekend.”

photo by: Nick Henthorn

Wheeling Central’s Bode Burge fights for the puck along the boards Sunday during the 19th annual West Virginia State Bob Otten Hockey Tournament.

This is Ratcliffe’s second title as head coach at Wheeling Central. He also won two as a player.

While Wheeling Central defeated the Cadets and the Patriots to get to the title game, West Virginia East defeated Morgantown on Saturday and then beat Charleston Sunday morning. Morgantown had defeated Wheeling Park in last year’s title game.