That’s a wrap on the high school hockey season.
On Sunday, the MIAA state championships took over TD Garden in what’s always one of the best days on the Massachusetts hockey calendar.
No. 1 Hingham took home the Division 1 girls crown with a 5-2 win over No. 15 Bishop Stang. It was the Harborwomen's third title and first since 2011. Meanwhile, in Division 2, it was No. 13 Medfield winning their first state title with a 3-0 shutout over No. 6 Milton in the nightcap.
Every year, there are players who step up in the clutch for their teams. This season was no different.
Here are 12 standouts from the girls championships who stepped up when the lights were brightest. Evan Marinofsky and I will have standouts from the boys action later this week.
Caroline Doherty
Hingham, F, senior
Of course it was Doherty showing up on the biggest stage. The Holy Cross commit capped off a decorated high school career with a hat trick, finishing with 152 goals and 234 points for her four years. She had some excellent chances before breaking through, whether dangling into the slot in the first or a redirect early in the second. Her first goal was a dominant effort. After getting the puck deep in her own zone, Doherty motored up the ice, blowing by everybody to get in alone before tucking it in on her forehand. Her second was a perfectly-placed wrister inside the left post from the high slot on the power play. She finished the natural hat trick late in regulation, dangling a defender in the corner before going short-side.
CHAMPS: Hingham overpowers Bishop Stang in D1 | Medfield shuts out Milton in D2
Kamryn Perachi
Medfield, G, junior
Perachi was sensational in the postseason as she helped the Warriors upset the first, fourth, fifth and sixth seeds as part of their tournament run. Her performance in the championship was the cherry on top, finishing with a 34-save shutout. It was her third clean sheet of the playoffs, matching her output during the regular season, and she only allowed three goals in five tournament games. She came through with saves in key moments and was sharp from the start of the game. The junior got better as the game went on, and she was excellent in the third period, remaining poised amid heavy pressure around her net and doing a good job of tracking pucks. Milton threw everything at Perachi, including 29 shots over the final 40 minutes, and she had every answer.
Maeve Kelly
Medfield, F, senior
Each of Medfield's goals came from forcing turnovers and making Milton pay. Who better to set the example than one of the Warriors' captains? After an extended shift in the offensive zone for Medfield, Kelly delivered a vital early blow to Milton. The senior stole the puck out high and motored back toward the net. She danced around a defender to cut into the slot before putting a shot on net. The rebound jumped right back to her, and she buried it.
Isa Rioux
Bishop Stang, F, sophomore
Rioux's speed was a big factor for the Spartans, and she got them on the board early. On the power play, Rioux got lost in coverage in the slot as she was in a perfect spot to bury Olivia Medeiros' feed off a rebound. The offensive sequence all started with Rioux's speed through the neutral zone, gaining the offensive zone with possession and setting up shop. She also set up a great chance early on, pouncing on a turnover and feeding Kacey Curran in the slot.
CC Flynn
Hingham, D, junior
Flynn kept things simple and was a steady presence on the blue line throughout the game for Hingham. She never dropped too deep in the neutral zone, which allowed her to step up on a couple of loose pucks and send them back in deep. She also played heavy defensive minutes early in the third, including the entirety of a key penalty kill, before Hingham opened up their lead. At the end of the kill, she made a great play behind her net to spin off a forechecker and get a clear.
Callie Crean
Hingham, F, sophomore
Crean constantly pushed the pace and generated some good looks for Hingham. She was critical to the Harborwomen snatching momentum as she set up Hannah Lasch's equalizer in the first. Crean motored wide down the right side of the offensive zone, curled around the net and sent a feed in front for Lasch, who put it home.
GIRLS BRACKETS:Â Division 1Â |Â Division 2
Vivienne Melo
Bishop Stang, G, freshman
The 5-2 score won't indicate how good Melo was for Stang against Hingham, but she was their best player for most of the game. Things just got away from her and the Spartans at the end. She was strong early as the Spartans weathered a wave of early pressure from Hingham, standing tall against several Grade-A chances in middle ice. She robbed Doherty twice. The first came after Doherty dangled into the slot in the opening frame. Melo stuck with her, pushing to her right, and made a big pad save. The second came early in the second, lunging to her left to snag Doherty's point-blank redirect bid with the glove.
Hannah Lasch
Hingham, F, sophomore
Lasch was a big play-driver and impactful in all three zones for Hingham. She came up in a huge spot moments after Stang opened the scoring. Coming off the bench, Lasch smartly trailed the play and got into open space in the slot. She was in a perfect place to get to Crean's centering feed for a shot on net. Melo made the first save, but Lasch had the wherewithal to stick with it, quickly firing in her own rebound to swing the momentum back in Hingham's favor.
Brooke Reilly
Medfield, F, senior
Reilly might have been Medfield's most dangerous forward on the balance of the game. The senior captain had a chance in the first to stuff home a loose puck around the crease during a frantic sequence in front of Milton's net. In the second, she did it all to set up Genna McDonald's goal on a 2-on-1. Reilly forced a turnover in the neutral zone before going the other way on the rush. She slipped a slick feed under a stick to McDonald, putting it in a perfect spot for her to catch and release. Reilly continued to come through with chances. At the end of a long shift in the second, she hustled to win a race before setting up a one-time look in the slot. In the third, Reilly got another look on a 2-on-1 before another dangerous shot in the high slot.
Kacey Curran
Bishop Stang, F, senior
Curran was at the center of some of the Spartans' best chances. She found open space in the slot and would have had a great look in tight off the feed from Rioux, but she fanned on the one-timer. Curran kept with it, though. She got another good look off the rush later in the first. In the third, she made a fantastic play to dangle around a defender and get a quality shot alone inside the dots on the power play. Izzi Puleo made a great save.
BOYS BRACKETS:Â Division 1Â |Â Division 2Â |Â Division 3Â |Â Division 4
Anne Flippo
Medfield, F, freshman
Flippo missed a good chunk of the season with injury, but she came through in the clutch throughout the playoffs. That was no different in the D2 championship as she sealed the win for Medfield. Flippo forced a turnover at center ice, poking the puck free and winning a footrace before scoring on the empty net from a sharp angle along the boards. It was a microcosm of the up-tempo pace and energy she brought all game, and it was good to see her rewarded in a key spot. Earlier in the third, she made a great hustle play on the back check to cut off Stone and prevent a potential break.
Sabrina Stone
Milton, F, junior
Stone was arguably the best player on the ice in the D2 title game. She was everywhere for Milton from the moment the game started. The junior got a great look just seconds into the game, driving past a defender in a 1-on-1, protecting the puck and getting a Grade-A look on Perachi, who made the save. She was constantly getting into the scoring areas, thanks to her high pace, and she created opportunities around the net and in middle ice. One of her best looks came on a rush with Nayeli Thayer, getting a pass in the slot and barely missing her spot. Stone also made a desperation play around the crease, diving to swipe away a loose puck as Milton tried to claw back from the initial 1-0 hole.
