Former Norwin standout fills scoresheet as college hockey freshman
Saturday, June 14, 2025 | 11:46 PM
Submitted | South Florida hockey
Norwin grad Mario Cavallaro had 39 points in 27 games as a freshman at South Florida.
Mario Cavallaro was a sophomore in 2022 when he played a key role in Norwin’s PIHL Penguin Cup championship run.
He scored the game-winning goal in the finals on an assist from his brother, Anthony.
But Super Mario was far from finished.
Cavallaro went on to play for the South Hills Amateur Hockey Association 16U team, playing with a broken arm, mind you, that was protected by a hard cast.
He then joined the Ohio Blue Jackets 18U program before zeroing in on a college career.
Now a starter on the hockey team at South Florida, Cavallaro found a spot on the AAU D2 team as the youngest player on the roster (18).
As if that accomplishment wasn’t impressive enough, the freshman was the second-leading scorer on the team and finished top 10 in the league in assists and points.
Cavallaro had 15 goals and 24 assists in 27 games.
“I know it sounds conceited but yes, I did expect to have the season I did,” he said. “I’ve always went into hockey with a confident mindset as it allows me to do things that I would otherwise not think I could. My confidence allowed me to step up in big moments and be a contributing factor to the team.”
Playing through his injury in 16Us is now like a blur to Cavallaro, but it kept him on the ice.
“It wasn’t easy to play with a broken arm. I played just three weeks after breaking it,” he said.
“It was all mental for me; I just wanted to play so bad that I powered through it. At times, I couldn’t even pass the puck at full strength. In the end, maybe not the smartest decision, but I wouldn’t take it back if I could.”
South Florida went from five wins last year to 20 this season and came in second in its division before making a run to the league finals and national playoffs.
The jump to college hockey was all about perspective to Cavallaro.
“Again, just a mindset thing,” he said. “When you trust yourself, acclimating to new environments is easy. I just wanted to contribute, so that’s what I focused on.
“It was amazing to be a part of it all,” he said. “In the beginning of the season, we weren’t even predicted to make the playoffs. In the end, we went to nationals because of how close our group of guys were.”
Cavallaro made the South all-star team among Division I, II and III players, and had a goal in the showcase game.
While he shined in his first college season, Cavallaro could be done playing as he turns greater attention to law school.
He is contemplating hanging up his skates.
“I’m not sure yet,” he said. “I love hockey, but I’ve accomplished everything I set out to do except the two trophies. With my arm never healing fully, it’s a tough decision. So, for now, it’s just a maybe.”
Stay tuned.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at [email protected].
Tags: Norwin
