BOSTON — Sunday was a day few people who attended the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association hockey championships at the TD Garden will ever forget.
Three of the six games needed more than regulation, including the marque tilt of the day between BC High and Pope Francis. It took four overtimes to decide the Eagles as winner of the 2019 Super 8.
It was a fitting result for the top two teams in the state. All four games the teams played this season were decided by a goal or less. BC High won twice and Pope Francis won once and one game ended in a tie. However, it was the Eagles that won the most important game for a second straight season.
Senior Cormac Hayes gave Pope Francis a 1-0 lead at the 3:04 mark of the first period. He found some space out front and quickly finished off a feed from below the goal line.
In a game that was eerily similar to last year’s Super 8 final, the Eagles trailed for much of the game. But, with the goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, BC High forced overtime. Joseph Kramer slammed home a one-timer from the left wing circle after receiving a pass from his older brother, Thomas Kramer, who was at the right wing circle. Joseph’s twin brother, Peter Kramer, had the secondary assist.
In the fourth overtime, freshman defenseman Declan Loughnane dashed into the zone down the left wing and cut towards the middle before slipping a slap shot into the short side between the goaltender and the post.
Loughnane appeared to win it in the first overtime when he beat the goaltender cutting down the right wing, but the referees ruled it hit the crossbar. The Eagles hit two more posts in the overtime sessions before ultimately finding the twine.
Loughnane notching the game-winner was poetic justice as the right-shot defenseman has consistently been one of the best prospects in Massachusetts high school hockey this winter.
BC High goaltender Chase Congdon made several huge saves, including one in the fourth overtime where he slid over to make a terrific kick save.
While Pope Francis fell short for a second consecutive season, give credit to the Cardinals. Senior right wing Jon Tavella was arguably the best player in the Super 8. He’s on the smaller side, but he plays with a huge heart. He does it all. He’s quick, hunts pucks, kills penalties, and makes plays. He might not be a Division I prospect, but any Division III team would be lucky to have him.
His linemates, fellow seniors Makem Demers and Max Cocchi, were also good all season. The Cardinals will lose a lot of talent, but the cupboard isn’t bare. One exciting underclassman is forward Brandon Spaulding, who scored a couple of big goals in March.
Duxbury finished off a terrific season with a 3-1 win over Winchester in a game that started over an hour late due to the epic quadruple overtime. Junior Friend Weiler had a hat trick to lead the Dragons to the championship in Division 1.
Canton entered the record books as the Bulldogs skated to the easiest win of all on Sunday. Brian Shuman’s team downed Tewksbury, 6-2, to win the Division 2 championship. Canton finished 25-0-1, becoming one of just a handful of teams in state history to win 25 games or more and be undefeated.
Star junior John Hagan had a hat trick and was on the ice for all six goals. Senior Ryan Nolte, Hagan’s center, was there every step of the way. Chris Lavoie, a junior on the third line, also showed well.
Both girls games went to free hockey, including a thriller in Division 1 that saw Methuen/Tewksbury knock off top-seeded Austin Prep in double overtime. Senior Carolyn Curley had the game-winner, assisted by classmate Julia Masotta, who finished the season with 81 points. Junior goaltender Kaia Hollingsworth made three highlight reel saves in the first overtime, including two glove saves that left everyone in the building gasping.
Wellesley was a 3-2 overtime winner over Notre Dame Academy of Hingham in the Division 2 Girls’ final while Wachusett tripped up Hopkinton, 3-2, in the Division 3 Boys’ final.
