GROTON, Mass. — In the Groton/Lawrence Tournament Championship, Holderness took down Groton, 7-4.
The title game was a back-and-forth matchup, with momentum swinging to either side at a feverish pace. That all changed shortly after the puck dropped in the third period when Holderness senior forward Aaron VanWie found the back of the net for his second goal of the afternoon, knotting the game at 4-4. Then, only a few short minutes later, senior forward Caden Wells broke the tie and shifted the momentum back to Holderness.
It was momentum they would not yield.
After the game, head coach Alan Thompson commended his team's effort and ability to produce in a big spot.
"We haven't played a lot of tight games in the first five or six this season," Thompson said. "It was nice to see our guys, when it was tight, be able to rise to the challenge, then had the resiliency to stick with it."
"We felt like we were controlling the play. (Groton) did a good job of finishing their chances when they had opportunities, but we felt like we were controlling possession and having a lot of opportunities to score, and we felt like if we just kept on the gas, we would be OK in the end."
And Holderness was certainly resilient. Riding high and leading 3-1 after the first period behind goals by post-grad forward Pavit Mehra (Hopkinton, Mass.), VanWie, and junior defender Jeremy Poirier (Salem, N.H.), Holderness surrendered three straight unanswered goals to find themselves trailing entering the third period, 4-3.
Groton senior forward and captain Allan Fang finished the game with a goal and an assist, the latter of which to junior forward Zach Baker (Williston, Vt.) would give the Zebras the lead with 16 seconds remaining in the second period.
But that was the last goal for Groton on the day. Holderness' defense shined in the final period with solid play by senior defenseman Caeden Herrington (Manchester, Vt.), who finished with an assist and an empty net goal. All game long, Herrington was making the smart pass, making defenders miss at the point and plugging open shooting lanes.
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Poirier, crowned the MVP of the Groton/Lawrence Tournament, appreciated Holderess' victory and noted the team effort.
"It was awesome," he said. "Between the second and third periods, we found ourselves down. We responded very well. Overall, a great game for the team."
While Poirier gets to enjoy the tournament win and some hardware of his own, he understands that Holderness' job is far from finished this season.
"We're looking forward to getting back from the break and working hard, come early January. Our plan was to come here, do well, get after break, and keep it rolling for the rest of the season. That's the goal."
First Star
Caden Wells (Sr., Forward, Holderness)
Wells finished with three points on the day off of one goal and two assists. He was a consistent force offensively for the Bulls, and provided them with a spark at crucial moments. From good puck handling, great on-ice vision, and a pair of nifty assists, Wells came to play in their biggest game of the season to date.
His goal to break the tie in the third period would prove to be the difference maker and battle back Groton's late-game efforts.
Second Star
Aaron VanWie (Sr., Forward, Holderness)
Similar to Wells, VanWie had his hand in nearly all of the Blue Bulls' success Saturday afternoon. Adding two goals of his own, VanWie played with great physicality. Always making smart and unselfish plays, VanWie was efficient with the puck on his stick and not afraid to take matters into his own hands.
His goal at the start of the third period drew Holderness even with Groton, paving the way for his teammates to shut the door.
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Third Star
Caeden Herrington (Sr., Defense, Holderness)
While many of the plays Herrington made will not show up on the stat sheet, some will. Herrington maintained a high level of physicality all game long and was a catalyst for the Blue Bulls' shutout third period.
Whether it be clearing the puck, stepping into an open lane, or slowing the pace of play after a Groton chance, Herrington helped keep the game in control. Without his presence, Groton certainly could have clawed back into the game.
