It could be said that Taft’s run to the NEPSAC Martin/Earl Large School championship provided a perfect storybook ending.
For some programs, missing out on the Elite 8 on the last night of the regular season could be crushing and leave a team with a lack of motivation heading to the Large School Tournament. But that wasn’t the case for Taft.
“This is the first banner-raising of any kind for Taft boys hockey,” said Taft head coach Ryan Shannon (Darien, Conn.). “We had a team dinner after the regular-season finale against Hotchkiss. We learned Westminster upset Belmont Hill and that we’d be in the Large School Tournament. Before we left that night, we set our minds on winning that.”
The Rhinos did just that, knocking off Kent, the defending Large School champions, in the first round. A semifinal victory over Tabor set the stage for a matchup in the final at Saint Anselm College’s Sullivan Rink against Salisbury, the behemoth of the prep hockey world.
Defenseman Alex Kenerson (Watertown, Conn.), whom Shannon described as his most reliable blueliner, scored the clincher in overtime as Taft won, 3-2. After a wild scrum in front of the Salisbury goal, Kenerson found the loose puck and buried it into the back of the net, setting off a wild celebration.
“It was a poetic finish, as we started the season with a team-building weekend up at Saint Anselm College with Total Team Development. (Westminster head coach) Tim Joncas set it up for a few teams, then we ended up winning it in the same building,” Shannon remarked.
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Taft had an older, veteran-laden group with strong leadership. The team’s four captains — J.J. Lemieux, Jackson Holl (Avon, Conn.), Zave Greene and Nick Lancaster (Darien, Conn.) — provided guidance and set high expectations for the entire team from the start of the season.
“We just had a good culture,” Shannon explained. “We never got off track. All credit goes to our four captains. Zave had been around and struggled through the COVID year. Those guys set the standard. As a coaching staff, we just supported it. The guys bonded well, and the season was based on trust.”
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The team’s most valuable player and only Division 1 college commit, junior goaltender Rudy Guimond, was a brick wall in net on most nights. While his talent and ability to stop pucks are unquestioned, his demeanor and approach gave off winning vibes.
“Rudy is a competitor. He’s stoic, laid back and calm. He has that laser-focus intensity. He’s the best talent I’ve coached in my six years,” said Shannon of the Yale University recruit who hails from Pointe-Claire, Quebec.
The only other player with a current college commitment on the team is Holl, who is slated to play Division 3 in the NESCAC at Bowdoin. A first liner with an abundance of skill, his development over the past few years speaks volumes to the job Shannon and his staff are doing in Watertown.
“He was playing Division 2 local high school hockey here in Connecticut just a couple of years ago. He looked like Connor McDavid out there at that level. His growth has been exponential, especially away from the puck and his habits. He’s had a steep development curve. He will bring a dynamic offensive skill-set to Bowdoin,” Shannon said of Holl.
Lemieux, one of the team’s other leading scorers, is the polar opposite of Holl. He’s big and more of a power forward. It might take him a little longer to get there, but Division 1 and Division 3 college teams have expressed interest and will watch him as he embarks on his junior career.
“J.J. is a unique player. He has good hands and shooting ability at his size. He’s just now growing into his body. Last summer, he married the weight room,” Shannon described. “He’s a special kid off the ice. He was elected as a school monitor by his peers. He meets with the administration and is a voice for his fellow students.”
Junior Derek Tremblay’s stock rose significantly throughout the season. Down the stretch and into the playoffs, the Quebec native showed playmaking ability.
“He was a guy who was off people’s radars coming from Quebec. The second half of the season was his coming-out party. He’s creative, fast and can play at pace,” Shannon said.
While Holl and Lemieux are graduating, Tremblay is a forward to build around for next year’s team. Shannon is expecting big things from rising seniors Archer Brown and Shane Mettler.
“Archer was a clutch center who came up with some key goals in big moments,” Shannon said. “Shane has the size and is a converted defenseman who now has a year of playing forward under his belt. Preston Hidy (Darien, Conn.) is another young, skilled forward. Brady Smith is a young defenseman who is twitchy and deceptive. Once he grows he’s going to be really good.”
While the present is shining bright, looking down the road, Taft hockey could be on the rise.
“This year has really changed the applicant pool with more guys from out west applying. Quebec and Finland, too,” Shannon said.
Taft’s academic requirements and the rigors away from the rink make recruiting a challenge, but Shannon sees that as a positive. It helps him find motivated students and young men beyond just the hockey rink.
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“It has to be the right fit here,” Shannon said. “We need guys who want to be challenged on and off the ice and held to a higher standard. It’s the challenge they sign up for when coming here. But the guys realize there are a lot of benefits and payback for doing well at Taft.”
