Submitted Photo Pictured is the NCCYHA Fredonia Steelers 12U PeeWee MOHL team after winning the WNYAHL playoff championship on Sunday in Cheektowaga.

The NCCYHA Fredonia Steelers 12U PeeWee MOHL team was crowned playoff champions of the WNYAHL on Sunday in Cheektowaga.

“I am thrilled to have our group end the season in this fashion,” stated Steelers head coach Scott Hazelton. “It was a complete effort from start to finish. The development of this group has been outstanding, both mentally and physically, since September. I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

During the regular season, the Steelers finished in second place with a record of 19-1-1, only trailing the Wheatfield Blades who earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a record of 21-0-1.

Semifinal playoff games were held last Saturday.

Semifinal game one saw top seed Wheatfield Blades take on No. 4 Cheektowaga Warriors. Wheatfield advanced easily with a 16-1 victory. In the second semifinal game the Steelers played No. 3 Olean Arrows advanced to the finals with a 6-4 win. The Steelers were led by Emmett Williams with 3 goals and one assist, Max Hazelton with two goals and Connor Brentley with one goal.

In Sunday’s Championship game, the undefeated Blades and the Steelers skated evenly in a scoreless first period.

Wheatfield struck first, just 16 seconds into the 2nd period, but minutes later Hazelton evened up the game with a slapshot from the left faceoff circle, assisted by Mason Miller.

Wheatfield would strike next, but the Steelers closed out the 2nd period in dramatic fashion. The Steelers scored twice with a goal from Williams on the powerplay, assisted by Marcus Parmentier and then Parmentier scored a buzzer beater assisted by Landon Trippi in the final half second of the period as the horn sounded.

In an extremely intense 3rd period the Steelers’ Hazelton found the back of the net one more time with assists by Connor Brentley and Emmett Williams to take a two-goal lead with ten minutes left to play.

Defensively, the Steelers locked down the high-powered Blades offense that had scored 233 goals during the year. Dominick Austin, Cameron DeLaO, Mason Miller and Marcus Parmentier played outstanding on the back end, taking away any chance of a comeback for Wheatfield.

Nico Fadale closed the door in net earning the 3-1 win and the championship for the Steelers.

Notes: With four goals during the playoffs, Emmett Williams topped the century mark, finishing the season with 102 goals… The Steelers offense led the league in scoring, amassing a total of 262 goals on the year while only allowing a total of 35 goals against… During the regular season, the Steelers and Blades tied 2-2 in Wheatfield in November and the Blades defeated the Steelers 6-5 in January at Steele Hall for their only loss of the league season.