Orange County finishes as runner-up in high school hockey league

A regulation game wasn’t enough time — and neither was the first overtime.

Instead, it took two overtimes for the Orange County and Lake Mary teams of the Central Florida High School Hockey League to decide the league’s championship, with Lake Mary edging Orange County, 6-5, to take the title Saturday evening at the RDV Ice Den in Maitland.

It was an exciting game that saw several lead changes, with a goal by Orange County’s Cameron Cipollone in the contest’s final two minutes of regulation sending it to overtime.

“It was a very tight game and I was proud of them,” T.J. Scammon, a Dr. Phillips resident and member of the Orange County coaching staff, said. “It was one of those games that, as a coach, you just kind of sit back and watch … there’s not a lot of coaching that you have to do because they’re doing everything right.”

Orange County was led by goalie Craig LeVasseur’s strong night in goal — one that saw him record 38 saves as he consistently battled off the strong Lake Mary attack effort. Two nights earlier, in a 2-0 win over Jacksonville in the semifinals, LeVasseur recorded 23 saves.

The game was broadcast locally on Bright House Sports Network, an added thrill for players like rising Dr. Phillips senior Dillon Scammon.

“It’s an awesome feeling knowing that we might actually have some people watching us on TV,” Dillon Scammon said. “It’s just a great feeling knowing that it’s [hockey is] actually getting out there in Florida.”

Dillon Scammon dislocated his shoulder during the contest and had to sit out of the

third period and both overtimes. Dillon Scammon and Cipollone were the Orange County squad’s leaders on offense, both of whom were in the top six in the league’s scoring leaders (Scammon finished the season with 15 goals and 3 assists, Cipollone had 13 goals and 6 assists).

Dillon Scammon was joined by three other players for the Orange County team from within The West Orange Times’ coverage area — Tyler Tanski, Blake Frazier and Zac Smith are all West Orange students.

The championship was the third consecutive title for Lake Mary.

For players who largely all also play on a travel or club hockey team of some sort, the CFHSHL holds a special place as season where they can enjoy playing with and against familiar faces — a fact that makes the season’s end bittersweet.

“Playing locally, I’m playing against my friends,” Dillon Scammon said. “We just mess around and have a good time — having a good time in this sport, that’s all that really matters, right?”