PIHA Semi Pro Finals: Arizona, Propel Shine as Round Robin Heats Up on Opening Day

The 2025 PIHA Semi Pro Finals opened with a full day of round robin action on Friday, as all six division champions hit the floor for their first two games. With a three-game preliminary format leading into a single-elimination playoff, every point carried weight—and the opening matchups delivered a mix of statement wins, gritty battles, and emerging storylines.

Here’s a detailed look at how each team fared through Day 1:

Propel MG (2–0): Statement Wins Over Raleigh, Arizona

The Keystone Division champion Propel MG put together arguably the most complete day of any team in the field, going 2–0 with dominant performances over both Raleigh and Arizona.

In their opening game, Propel knocked off the Raleigh Title Wave Mops 5–2 behind a hat trick performance from forward Matt Morelli, who scored all three of his goals in the second half. Propel opened with first-period tallies from Trevor Cear and Scott Huber, and built on their lead with consistent puck movement and zone control. Goaltender Hunter Frattaroli was sharp, stopping 21 of 23 shots in the win.

Later in the day, Propel met the previously dominant Arizona Yotes and completely flipped the script. With a suffocating defensive structure and relentless forecheck, Propel blanked Arizona 6–0 and outshot them 28–17. Six different players scored for Propel, including Bryce Witman, Zach Tarantino, and Frank Cear, with Frattaroli earning a shutout in a 22-save performance.

Arizona Yotes (1–1): Hot Start Cooled by Propel

The Arizona Yotes stormed into the tournament with a commanding 5–2 win over the Empire State Labeda Legends, looking every bit the part of a title contender. Arizona’s offense was clicking early, led by forward Zach Hoffman, who scored twice and added two assists. Brydon Frisk, Aydin Schwetz, and Kyle Drews also contributed points, while Eric Hernandez allowed just two goals on 11 shots.

But in their second game, Arizona ran into a buzzsaw in Propel MG. The Yotes never found their rhythm offensively and struggled to keep up with Propel’s balanced attack. The 6–0 loss was a wake-up call for the Rocky Mountain South champs, who now need a strong finish in their third round robin game to lock in a favorable playoff seed.

Raleigh Title Wave Mops (1–1): Recovered After Tough Opener

It was a tale of two games for the Raleigh Title Wave Mops. In their opener, they were outmatched by Propel MG in a 5–2 loss despite goals from Stephen White and Jared Holst. Raleigh kept things close in the first period but couldn’t slow down Morelli and the Propel attack in the second.

Raleigh bounced back in a big way with a 4–2 win over the Long Island Empire Snipers. The Mops struck early and often, with goals from Chris Mahaffey, Alex Robinson, Michael Curtis, and Alex Sauer. Goaltender Justin Schomburg made 15 saves, including several key stops in the second half as Long Island pushed late. Raleigh’s depth shined in the win, as eight different players contributed to the scoresheet.

Empire State Labeda Legends (1–1): Rebounded with Tight Win Over Mile High

After falling 5–2 to Arizona in their opener, the Empire State Labeda Legends needed a response—and they delivered in their second game, earning a gritty 3–1 win over the Mile High Blizzard.

Nick Collins opened the scoring in the first, and Jack Ryan added to the lead in the second. Collins sealed the game with an empty-netter late. Goalie Matthew Lazaro was solid, stopping 19 of 20 shots in a clean, mistake-free performance. Empire State now sits in solid position at 1–1 heading into Saturday.

Long Island Empire Snipers (1–1): Open with Shutout, Slip Against Raleigh

The Long Island Empire Snipers had a promising start to the day, shutting out Mile High Blizzard 2–0 in their opener. Goals from Vinny Pontrello and James Rieger were enough to secure the win, while goaltender Brett Eoviero was perfect, stopping all 14 shots he faced.

In their second game, however, the Snipers were on their heels against Raleigh, who controlled possession and scored in transition. Despite goals from Will Lalor and Nick Casazza, Long Island couldn’t dig out of an early 2–0 hole and dropped the game 4–2. At 1–1, they remain in playoff contention with a crucial third game on the horizon.

Mile High Blizzard (0–2): Searching for Answers on Offense

It was a frustrating Day 1 for the Mile High Blizzard, who went winless and managed just one goal in two games. The Rocky Mountain North champs were blanked 2–0 by Long Island in their opener, and then fell 3–1 to Empire State despite a second-half goal from Colton Davis.

Goalie Ryan Wass-Tursick kept the Blizzard in both games with 31 total saves, but the offense never found its footing. Mile High now faces a must-win game on Saturday morning to avoid an early exit from playoff contention.

Standings After Day 1 (Unofficial):

What’s Next: Saturday Showdowns Before Playoff Seeding

Each team will play their final round robin game on Saturday morning, with playoff seedings determined shortly after. With five teams sitting at 1–1 and just one remaining unbeaten, the standings are wide open—and Saturday’s results will determine who gets a favorable path and who may be facing elimination early.

Expect every shift to matter as these six champions battle for a chance to lift the Semi Pro crown.