Teen Goalie's 41 Saves Win West Morris First Title in 8 Years

Tyler Hill stood on the ice at Mennen Arena Wednesday night, soaking in a moment few high school hockey players ever experience twice.

The West Morris senior just joined one of the most exclusive clubs in New Jersey high school hockey. He's now won both the Haas Cup and the Halvorsen Cup, a feat accomplished by fewer than a dozen players in state history.

West Morris erased a one-goal deficit in the final period to beat Park Regional 3-2 and claim the school's first Halvorsen Cup title. The victory came after heartbreaking finals losses in 2012, 2015, and 2018.

Senior Shiva Kuttikat tied the game with just over seven minutes left in the third period. His turnaround shot found the net despite Park Regional's relentless pressure and 43-19 shot advantage.

Minutes later, Kuttikat's floater deflected off teammate Rhone Armijo for the game-winner with 3:08 remaining. The goal sparked pure joy on the West Morris bench.

But the real hero wore the goalie pads. Freshman Mark Dybas faced a barrage of shots in his first high school playoff game, stopping 41 of 43 attempts.

"I was a little shaky at first," Dybas admitted after the game. "It was my first high school playoff game. They had a big student section. Definitely nervous a bit, but I really settled down and just got the job done."

For Hill, the moment carried extra weight. He won the Haas Cup with West Morris in 2023, beating the same Park Regional team.

"I didn't understand how important that was and how big that was for me moving forward," Hill said. "I thought it was easier than it was. The next two years showed how hard it was to come out and win."

Why This Inspires

Hill's journey shows the true value of perseverance in youth sports. After winning early, he faced two years of setbacks that taught him championship moments are earned, not guaranteed. His story reminds us that the sweetest victories often come after we've learned what losing tastes like.

Only three other groups of players have accomplished this rare double in New Jersey hockey history. Madison's Jack Ticknor, Kent Sanchez and Ryan Bagley did it between 2015 and 2018, while Mendham had several players achieve it in back-to-back years.

The Wolfpack now set their sights on the state tournament, facing Ramapo on Monday. Kuttikat made their intentions clear: prove West Morris can compete with anyone in New Jersey.