Campuzano excels in B.I.H.G.

by Rich Gurbacki
Grand Island Dispatch, March 3, 2006

He was born in Japan, his mother in Cuba and his father in Ecuador. His grandparents live in New Jersey, his father in China and he on Grand Island. He has played in-line hockey all over the country, from California to New York and states in between.

David Campuzano, an eighth grader at Connor Middle School on Grand Island, plays for the Blue Falcons of the Buffalo In-line Hockey Group. A hat trick in last Saturday’s game against the Grey Ghosts earned him the league’s Player of the Week honors.

At times, in-line hockey can become very offensive-minded, a circumstance that suits Campuzano very well, as seen in the Feb. 25 game between the Falcons and the Ghosts. After Roy Waciewicz of Cheektowaga scored with just one second left in regulation time to lift the Ghosts into a tie, Campuzano tallied his third goal of the game as he netted the game-winner in the shootout to lift the Falcons to victory.

A First Team All-League selection in the B.I.H.G. fall season, the Grand Islander has excelled in highly competitive leagues across the country, receiving five Most Valuable Player awards in previous years. Needless to say that his level of excellence reached a new high in Western New York.

In other B.I.H.G. action, Taylor Setlock of Tonawanda found the net six times and led the Black Knights to a 10-6 victories over the Vikings. Sam Wiclacz of Buffalo tallied three goals for the Vikings.

Goaltender Matt Baran turned out to be the difference as the Red Raiders beat the Tornadoes 7-6. Justin Swan of Tonawanda and Josh Grant of Kenmore both scored three goals.

The Whitehawks erupted with 12 goals as they beat the Hurricanes. Brothers Joe and Mike Coyne combined for seven of the Hawks’ goals.

B.I.H.G. is perhaps the premier youth in-line hockey league in Erie County. The league plays every Saturday morning at the EPIC Center on Wehrle Drive in Amherst. New players are always welcome.

For more information, call 773-1188 or 689-4090.

Rich Gurbacki is a longtime youth hockey and baseball coach from Grand Island. A co-founder of B.I.H.G., he can be reached for constructive input at 773-1188.