Three Lampeter-Strasburg High School students played integral roles in helping Warwick capture the Central Pennsylvania Ice Hockey League (CPIHL) Viola Cup title with a dramatic 3-2 triumph over Penn Manor Feb. 26 in Hersheypark Arena.

L-S senior forward Gavin Tipping was the first player to raise the Viola Cup, an honor reserved for the winning team's captain. "It was a great feeling to be the first to lift the cup," he said. "Everyone was so deserving of it. Everybody on that team was a leader themselves, and I had fun going through the ups and downs with this great team."

Warwick assistant coach Anthony Greco said Tipping has been a leader since joining the team. "I've been on the coaching staff for all three years Gavin has been on the team," Greco said. "We could tell from the first day he was different and special. He commands the locker room and the players' attention. Multiple times during the season, the coaches would leave the locker room and let Gavin address the team on his own. That happened again before the third period (of the championship game). The coaches came back to the room, and they were in a circle with Brayden Toy leading them in prayer. Those kinds of things go a long way."

Warriors' goalie Ryan Trunfio and forward/defenseman Luke Carson are both juniors at L-S. "Playing with those two has always been fun," said Tipping. "We never took anything seriously until game day. We would always see each other in the hallway at school and mess around and talk hockey. They played great and were a needed force in our win. L-S had great support toward the three of us."

Trunfio made 40 saves in the title game, drawing praise from teammates and opponents. "(Warwick's) goalie, Ryan Trunfio, played amazing and kept them in the game," said Penn Manor senior Nick Michener. "It was a back-and-forth game, and either team could have come out victorious."

Trunfio seized the starting job in the first playoff game. "We were fortunate to have two grade-A goalies with Ryan and Austin Enslin," Greco said. "Ryan had the hot hand, so we stayed with him. We went undefeated in the playoffs, so Ryan was well-rested coming into the game. I think he would rather face 45 shots than 25."

Trunfio said, "Communication throughout the whole defensive corps was good. Everybody was nice to each other. Building a good relationship helped a lot."

Carson's versatility was on display in the championship contest. "Luke is one of the better two-way players on the team," said Greco. "He is our Swiss Army Knife. We started him at forward in the championship game, and then we moved him back to defense. He's adaptable and willing to do whatever he needs to do to help Warwick get a win."

Warwick High School senior Koby Zimmerman tallied the game-winning goal on a breakaway with 37 seconds remaining in regulation.

Penn Manor had two one-goal leads thanks to a pair of power play goals.

Noah Westermann put the Comets on the board 3:43 into the game by firing in a shot from the faceoff dot to the right of the cage.

Warwick answered eight and a half minutes later when Cole Breckenmaker scored from the right side of the net. Zimmerman picked up the primary assist and Tipping was credited with the secondary assist.

The Comets reclaimed the lead at the 7:06 mark of the second period as Jonathon Boozer scored off a rebound from a shot by Sebastian Elias.

The game's turning point came with 2:05 left in the stanza. A Warwick penalty gave the Comets a chance to score a third power play goal and go up by two scores, but it was the Warriors that seized the momentum. A pass from Hunter Popolis sent Zimmerman in on a shorthanded breakaway, and he tied the game.

Seeking the go-ahead goal, Penn Manor dominated stretches of the third period, but it appeared the game would be decided in overtime. That's when Zimmerman broke free, skated in alone on goal, deked the goalie, and slid a backhand shot into the net.

Penn Manor did not get a shot in the final 37 seconds. "(The title) means a lot," Trunfio said. "Being able to win one of the biggest high school cups around here is really special."