Pens honor high school players of November
By
Bryanna McDermott / Pittsburgh Penguins
Joseph DiTullio (Pine-Richland), William Piacitelli (Kennedy Catholic), Nathan Hilzendeger (Trinity High School) and Kyle Wensel (Wheeling Central Catholic High School), who all received the honor for their respective division, were in attendance to watch the game and be presented plaques for their achievements.
DiTullio and Piacitelli, both seniors, were also elected as the Players of the Month in October. DiTullio, a forward for the Varsity AAA division, had five goals in five games during the month of November, and now has 12 points (6G-6A) on the season. Piacitelli, a forward in the Varsity-D2 division, helped Kennedy Catholic to a 4-0 record in October by scoring 10 goals and five assists during the month. He's currently second in the division in scoring with 36 points (21G-15A).
Hilzendeger and Wensel, also seniors and forwards, were awarded the honor for their performances both on and off the ice in November. Hilzendeger is currently fourth in the Varsity-D2 division in scoring, with 29 points (22G-7A). He posted 14 goals and five assists for 19 points in just five games during the month, registering three hat tricks during the span. Wensel leads Wheeling Central Catholic in the Varsity-A division in scoring with 18 points (9G-9A), posting five goals and five assists in three games during the month.
For the quartet of players, being honored on Monday night was a way of recognizing all of their hard work.
"I started playing when I first walked," Wensel said. "Since I'm a senior and this is my last year playing, to get this kind of award shows that all the hard work is paying off."
"It's been a bumpy ride," DiTullio said. "Different teams, different experiences, but it's fun. It's definitely fun."
As great as being honored for a lot of hard work is, the players also enjoyed getting to see a little behind-the-scenes during their visit.
"It was awesome," DiTullio said. "I've never been to the downstairs part of a rink like this before and it was so crazy to look at all the equipment and everything is perfect getting ready for the game. It's really neat to see."
For Hilzendeger, watching the Pens led to his own stint in the sport.
"I was a watching a Pens game with my dad and he asked me if I wanted to play this sport," Hilzendeger said. "Apparently I said yes and that's how this all started. So, I started playing when I was in first grade and I just have loved the game ever since."
Most importantly though, it's recognizing the talent and performances of young players.
"It's just nice to recognize what they're doing in their respective divisions on and off the ice," said Mike Chiasson, the manager of youth hockey programs for the Pens. "It's pretty exciting for the them to come down to see the Penguins, get honored and watch a game. We're happy to support them any way we can."
And it's also an experience these players will be sure to remember.
"It's really awesome," Piacitelli said. "It's the experience of a lifetime."
