Norwood Bombs Natick, 8-0; Hebner Hat Trick
Clifford Defense Star In NHS Second Straight Win
By FRANK WALL
The Norwood High hockey squad put on a great team effort Saturday as they rolled to an easy win over Natick, 8 – 0, at the Four Seasons Rink in Walpole. Before a packed house of 4000 fans, it was the best performance of the year for the Locals as they jumped off to a quick three-goal lead in the first period.
Pacing the Norwood attack was Richie Hebner, Bobby Donahue, Bill Hasenfus, and Pete Oberlander. Hebner potted three goals; Donahue had two as did Hasenfus. Pete Oberlander set up three Norwood goals with assists. The final Norwood goal was scored by Bobbie Clifford. Neil Higgins had a rather easy night in the Norwood hets for he was called on to make only nine saves. He is now the lowest scored on goalie in the Bay State League.
Norwood opened fast as Bill Hasenfus lit the lamp at just 45 seconds then followed goals by Donahue and Hebner. Norwood mentor Don Wheeler was pleased with his team’s performance. Both lines scored and the split attack was worked to perfection. The prettiest goal of the game came on a great two-way pass play from Bill Ha-senfus to Capt. Donahue in which Donahue threaded the needle with a high hard one that was a beauty.
In the Natick net, Art Yeaden was called on to make 19 saves as the Norwood puck-sters pressed all night. The Norwood defense was again outstanding as Bob Clifford, Jack Cronin, and Rusty Tobin formed a solid wall in front of Higgins. Wheeler used his third line for most of the final period. Sophs Harry Pascoe and Ed Graham and freshman John Ranalli played three turns. Norwood also used Kenny Reddick and Mario Ranalli. In the last period Neil Higgins was lifted and senior goalie Dan Moloney got a crack at the nets. The locals, after a disappointing loss to Needham in the opener, are now flying high with two straight shutouts.
GAME RESUME
The game opener with Wheeler using a front wave attack led by Capt. Donahue, Hasenfus, and Oberlander with Cronin and Clifford on defense and Neil Higgins in the cage. Norwood opened when Donahue hit Pete Oberlander with a pass. Obie’s shot went wide, but lightning was soon to strike. Pete Oberlander went in on Yeadon, fired a hard one that was
stopped by Bill Hasenfus who drilled it home with only 45 seconds gone in the game.
The Hebner, Richie Graham, Tom Shea line came on and couldn’t muster a drive while Hebner went to the brig at 1.34, Donahue, Clifford, Hasenfus, and Cronin stopped the Redman cold. Hebner came back on to fire a bullet that Yeadon gloved.
Maxwell had Natick’s first shot at the three minute mark but “Higgy” gloved it. At 5:05 Natick was a man short, the local a line of Hebner, Donahue, and Hasenfus were all over the net but couldn’t put it in the cage. Tim McEnder-fer had a clean breakaway on the Norwood sophomore goalie, but Higgins stood his ground kicking the puck out in a ereat save.
Norwood made it 2-0 at 8.11 on a beauty of a goal. Pete Oberlander hit Billy Hasenfus with a pass on his left wing, Bill fed it over to Captain Bob Donahue in a perfect pass, and the Norwood captain made no mistake as he fired it into the upper left hand corner of the cage. Norwood had a 2-0 lead.
Just 26 seconds later, Norwood made it 3-0 as Richy Hebner banged in a Tommy Shea rebound for a big 3-0 lead. As the first period ended Norwood was really flying high.
SECOND PERIOD
Natick came right down as Kevin Horton had a shot which “Higgy” kicked out. Bob Clifford made a fine rush, but his shot went wide. At 3:01 Hebner lit the light again. Pete Oberlander who had just come on the ice carried it in feeding Hebner who rapped the puck in the corner for his second goal of the night.
Bob Sabean had a good chance for Natick, but Neil kicked it out. Donahue and Hasenfus tried three shots in a row at the Natick net but Yeadon kicked them out. At the five minute mark, Hebner was fighting for the puck behind the Norwood net when big Pete Pallota. flattened him. Hebner, shook up, was seeing stars the rest of the night but he continued.
At 6.19 McEnderfer went to the brig and Hebner just missed as his blazer hit the post. At 8.03 Hebner got another penalty but Norwood turned the tables and scored. Captain Bob Donahue picked the puck up at middle ice, neatly stickhandled it by the Natick defense, and had Yeadon at his mercy. Donahue made no mistakes, he rocketed it by Yeadon from 10 feet out. Norwood now had a 5-0 lead At 9.54 Hebner got another penalty but Rusty Tobin and Jack Cronin held the fort as the period ended with Norwood way ahead.
THIRD PERIOD
In this period Coach Wheeler emptied the bench. After Norwoid’s first line quickly applied the pressure with Hasenfus and Donahue just missing, Coach Wheeler inserted his third wave of Harry Pascoe, Ed Graham, and John Ranalli. This threesome held their own. Then it was Mr. Hebner on the warpath again as he took a pass from Richy Graham in middle ice, rolling right by the Natick defense he came in all alone on Yeadon and let go a backhander that found the strings for a great goal at 5.28. It was Hebner’s third of night and fourth in the first three games.
Less than a minute later Norwood made it 7-0, as third liner Harry Pascoe passed it out to the points and Bill Hasenfus, who had just come on the ice, picked up the puck and fired a rocket that caught the corner from 15 ft. out for his second of the night Norwood finished off the scoring at 7.34. Hebner passed from behind the cage to Bob Clifford out front who rapped it in.
LINEUPS
NORWOOD — G, Higgins; Id, Clifford; rd, Cronin; Iw, Oberländer; rw, Donahue; c, Hasenfus. Spares, Hebner, Shea, Tobin, R. Graham, Pascoe, J. Ranalli, E. Graham, M. Ranalli, Reddick, Molone-y.
NATICK—G, Yeadon; Id, Casey; rd, Pollota, Iw, Mc-Endefer; rw, Sabean, c, Horton. Spares, Maxwell, Lilja, Kozlowski, Keniry.
Goals—Hebner 3, Donahue 2, Hasenfus 2, Clifford 1.
ASSISTS — Oberlander 3, Hebner 1, Shea 1, Hasenfus 1, Pascoe 1, R. Graham 1.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)