KINNELON-JEFFERSON-SPARTA (KJS UNITED)
Head coach: Jeff Myhren, 19th season (205-145-38 career record)
Division: MCSSIHL-Mennen Division
Last year: KJS United had its best season since becoming a tri-op in 2020-21, as it finished 17-5 overall with a perfect 8-0 mark in the Halvorsen Division. It won the Halvorsen Cup with a 5-2 triumph over Mendham, and put together a strong run to the semifinals of the North, Public Co-op tournament, where it fell to eventual Public Co-op champion Morris Knolls-Hills, 5-3.
Key losses: The most notable loss for this team was the graduation of goaltender Rylan Gibbons, who was a First Team All-Haas pick last year and finished with a .907 save percentage. He was a three-year starter for this program and established himself as one of the top netminders in the area, if not the entire state.
It also lost some very talented players up front, highlighted by Anthony Prunty (23 g., 16 a.), Anthony Pandiscia (12 g., 16 a.), Logan Winslow (8 g., 14 a.), Adam Stefancik (16 g., 19 a.), and Joey Kopec (10 g., 4 a.). Defensively, it lost Aiden Parlapiano (2 g., 6 a.).
Forwards: While it lost some talented players up front, KJS has its share of young, up-and-coming players, like sophomore Braydon Sisco. Sisco finished with 18 goals and 15 assists last year, while Michael Pandiscia is also a sophomore who had 6 goals and 14 assists. Junior Cormac Gibbons also showed some promise as a sophomore with seven goals and four assists last year. Look for junior Eddy Brown to also be a newcomer who will have an impact this year.
Defense: KJS will return an experienced group of defensemen, led by sophomore Jake Prunty (7 g., 18 a.). Junior Alex Roslan (1 g., 9 a.), senior Joe Marino (5 a.), junior Cooper O’Neil (4 a.), and sophomore Matthew Stack all were key pieces of this team last year who figure to be even better this season.
Goaltending: While Gibbons will be a tough player to replace, senior Brian Sisti was his backup the last couple of seasons and put up very solid numbers in limited action, including a .906 save percentage last year. Senior Andrew Corrado will also see some playing time in the crease as well.
Outlook: Last year’s season will be a tough act to follow for KJS United, as it makes the move up to the Mennen Division while having to replace some key players from the best season in the short history of this tri-op.
But this squad definitely has a good amount of potential, with strong goaltending and an experienced group of defensemen. Add in the forwards like Sisco, Pandiscia, and Gibbons who all have bright futures, as well as a talented player in Brown, this is a team that should not be overlooked in the tough Mennen Division. If this team continues to develop at the rate that it has, expect it to be right in the thick of things and qualify for the Mennen Cup playoffs in its first year in the division.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 