In prep school hockey, Salisbury and winning are synonymous. Coach Andrew Will’s teams always win a lot of games and usually are in it at the end.
However, with all that success came heartbreak over the previous two seasons. The Crimson Knights were edged by rival Kimball Union by one-goal margins in the championship game in both 2018 and 2019.
This year, Salisbury was able to exact a little bit of revenge en route to the school’s sixth prep school championship.
After a 21-3-1 regular season, Salisbury earned the No. 3 seed and the right to host KUA in the quarterfinals of the Stuart/Corkery Elite 8.
The Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to advance to the semifinals with a 7-4 win over their nemesis from Meriden, N.H. From there, it was on to a semifinal game at Avon Old Farms, another behemoth. Senior Matt DeBoer’s overtime goal lifted Salisbury to a 4-3 win. In the final, Salisbury asserted itself atop the mountain with a 4-0 win over Dexter Southfield.
“As a team, we tried to focus on this group and this year,” said Will. "We focused on the goals to get to the last game and hopefully win. It was extremely exciting and tremendously rewarding for the work the boys put in."
Winning this year’s title after coming so close the previous two years was extra sweet for the players who had been at the school for three years.
“It certainly did for that group of kids who had been on the team the previous year or two years. It was extra special to win that final game. There was definitely a little extra appreciation,” Will said.
Salisbury always has a lot of talent, but this year’s team didn’t feature as many high-end skill players as in past years. It was a balanced attack and a team effort to win the ultimate prize in prep school hockey. That was evident in the final when the third line scored the only goal of the first period.
“We had a deep and talented team, but with this group, it was a team effort,” said Will. “We needed different guys to step up at different times. That was what made it enjoyable. We weren’t just relying on a top line, a top ‘D’ pairing or just the goalies.
“The makeup required that we get contributions from everyone. We still had a lot of talented players. It was tremendously rewarding to see it all come together.”
First-line center and Vermont commit Lucas Mercuri was the team’s most skilled player and leading scorer. He scored a goal in the championship tilt after tallying three goals and dishing out two helpers during the first two tournament games.
“Lucas is a pretty exciting player. He has so many tools. Lucas stepped up in big games. We’ve seen that in the two Flood Marr championships and the championship game last year and this year,” Will said.
“He’s been a leader for us offensively. He wants to win. He’s motivated and has a lot of pride to be the best hockey player he can be. There was no doubt he was going to do whatever it took to win.”
DeBoer, Mercuri's right wing, had the aforementioned game-winner in the semifinal and another goal in the championship game. He’s a player whose game really took off over the course of his three seasons at Salisbury.
“Matt is a three-year guy who continues to get better and better. His role and contributions have continually increased,” said Will.
“He has the size and strength. He does a great job winning battles, getting guys pucks and getting to areas where he’s a threat to score. He scored big goals for us. He’s a competitive player who is going to be a great college player at Holy Cross.”
Quinnipiac commit Jake Quillan was often the most underappreciated player in prep school hockey over his two years. He played some on the first line, but he primarily centered the second line and played a pivotal role.
“Jake is a phenomenal 200-foot player. One of his greatest attributes is his hockey sense. Jake brings the same effort and compete day in and day out. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. His consistency is remarkable,” said Will.
“He ended up second in points, but he consistently produces offensively. We use him in all situations, whether it be even strength, power play or penalty kill. If we needed a guy out for a faceoff protecting a lead, he’s out there. He’s dependable and consistent. His contributions were essential.”
Another key offensive player in Salisbury’s tournament run was junior Dean Bauchiero. The Southington, Conn., native had two goals and two assists. Bauchiero is a testament to the ability of Will and his staff to help players develop. He was one of three players on Salisbury’s roster to earn their commitments during the season.
“Dean is a phenomenal kid. It’s really exciting to see the progress and development in his game. He’s a big, strong, raw forward who has really worked hard to improve and round out his game,” said Will.
“In particular, his skating and his skill have improved. Those are areas of his game that he’s diligently worked at to get better. He understands his strengths. He knows what he needs to do well. He’s coming into his own. He’s going to get better and better. He’s taken over more of a prominent role with our team. Brown has landed a really exciting player.”
With Mercuri, Quillan and DeBoer all moving on, Bauchiero is expected to be even more of a leader for Salisbury as the school looks to add to its trophy collection.
@JeffCoxSports
