- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 365,782
- Reaction score
- 43
This season’s story for Division 1 Massachusetts high school girls hockey will be finished Sunday when Hingham High takes the TD Garden ice opposite Bishop Stang for the state championship.
But who will be the author of the last chapter?
Will the story be about a Harborwomen hockey team that took over the top spot in the power rankings early in the season and never left?
Or will the story be a true Cinderella on skates tale about a Bishop Stang team dominated by underclassmen that started as the No. 15 seed in the bracket and somehow found a way to win it all?
We’ll all know the answer Sunday morning starting at 11 a.m. when the puck drops between No. 1 Hingham (23-1-1) and No. 15 Bishop Stang (14-5-1).
Hingham’s the Patriot League Keenan Division champion and a two-time state champion (2008, 2011). The only blemishes on its record are a 2-2 tie with Duxbury and a 2-0 loss to St. Mary’s in the final game of the regular season. Those were the 2024 state champions.
More: Something to shoot for: 100 career points in sight for Hingham's Addy Garrity
The Harborwomen quickly brushed the loss off and dispatched Wellesley and Shrewsbury in the opening games of the tournament. Things tightened up from there. Hingham needed a Callie Crean score with :58 left in regulation to beat Belmont, 2-1, and then held off a comeback from HPNA to win 5-3 and earn a spot in Sunday’s title game.
Bishop Stang dropped two games to rival Bishop Feehan in the first half of the schedule, but the young team created an incredibly short learning curve and kept getting better with a diverse group of scorers and some tremendous play in net. The Spartans opened the playoffs with a 4-2 win over Winthrop and then turned into the definition of a spoiler by upsetting three higher-seeded teams in a row.
All three of the teams were ranked in the top 10.
The run started with a 4-0 win over Notre Dame Academy (Hingham). Another shutout followed, and some revenge as well, with a 1-0 win over Feehan. In the state semifinals against Methuen/Tewksbury, Stang scored with :28 left to tie the game and then again in overtime to take a 3-2 win.
With just four seniors on both rosters, these teams could be matching up at the Garden for a championship more than one time. One thing each side will have to adjust to is the sightlines and the overall aura of playing in the Garden. It’s a different animal than playing at the Pilgrim Skating Arena or the Hetland Memorial Skating Arena like the team’s regularly do. But, as Hingham head coach Courtney Turner pointed out, “the ice is still the ice.”
More: Hunting Hingham: Rest of Div. 1 is looking up at these two South Shore girls hockey teams
“It’s actually pretty quiet when you get out on the ice,” said Turner.
Bishop Stang head coach Bill Theodore believes the high-intensity playoff games his team played this year at the Gallo Arena will help his team get ready for what they’ll experience on Sunday.
“(Playing at the Garden) is a new experience for everyone on the ice. Hopefully we’ll get out on the ice for warmups and get our feet under us,” said Theodore. “After that, we just need to show up and play hockey.”
Hingham got over a mental hurdle this season when it worked its way out of the Elite 8, a game that’s haunted them in past years.
“These kids have confidence in themselves and in their teammates,” said Turner. “Only two teams get to this point in this season, so enjoy it and keep doing the things that helped you get to this game. Whether you’re out on the ice for an extended period or a quick shift, make it count. Support your teammates and play your game. It takes a village to win a state title and every player on the bench will need to be a part of it.”
There are some extremely talented hockey players on the Harborwomen bench, not the least of which is senior captain and College of Holy Cross commit Caroline Doherty and the amazing 228 career points she had accumulated headed into the game against HPNA.
Doherty has 40 goals on the season but she’s not the only skater with impressive numbers. Sr. Addy Garrity and sophomores Crean and Hannah Lasch are all in double-figures in goals and have more than 30 points this season.
Assistant captain CC Flynn, a junior, and sophomore Shea Richardson are the cornerstones of a defense that can stop opposing offenses as well as score goals. They form an impressive wall in front of as good a goalie tandem you’ll ever see in sophomore Izzi Puleo and junior Izzy McGarr.
Bishop Stang has an impressive goalie duo of its own in freshman Vivienne Melo (8-3-1) and sophomore Isabelle Duarte (10-2). Duarte saw most of her action in the regular season. Melo has taken over the bulk of the work down the stretch.
“We’re a team that’s heavy on sophomores with some freshmen sprinkled in on the roster,” said Theodore. “It’s been quite a ride this year and I think a common thread is this is a team that just will not quit. We’ve had some puck luck, no doubt, but this team hustles and will not give up no matter what the score is. I think we’ve won 11 one-goal games this season, so they can deal with pressure.”
Senior Kacey Curran is at the top of the list with 25 points, spreading the wealth with 10 goals and 15 assists. Sophomore Isa Rioux (12 goals,13 assists) also has 25 points. Sophomore forward Madisyn Blanchard (13-10-23) and freshman Avery Frias (10-4-14) will also need to be watched in the offensive zone.
Theodore: “We’ve got to get pucks on the net and take advantage of our breaks. Hingham’s a dominant team with a lot of goal scorers. They play every shift at a high level and we need to be right there with them."
Turner: “Bishop Stang is an impressive hockey team. I don’t consider them an underdog at all. Their defense is impressive and they’ve got some players who can put the puck in the net. The rankings and records don’t mean a thing now. We’re the only two teams left.”
Six state title games in all will be played Sunday at the Garden. Tickets are good for all six games at a price of $20 plus fees. They are available for purchase through the TD Garden box office via TicketMaster. All six games will be streamed live on the NFHS Network.
Winthrop vs. Dedham (Div. 4 boys) will drop the puck at 9 a.m. Hingham vs. Bishop Stang follows at 11 a.m. and the rest of the schedule has Catholic Memorial vs. St. John’s High at 1 p.m. (Div. 1 boys), Billerica vs. Canton at 3 p.m. (Div. 2 boys), Nauset vs. Medfield (Div. 3 boys) has a 5:30 p.m. start and the final game of the day is a Div. 2 girls battle between Milton and Medfield at 7:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Hingham, Bishop Stang meet Sunday for Div. 1 girls hockey state title
Continue reading...
But who will be the author of the last chapter?
Will the story be about a Harborwomen hockey team that took over the top spot in the power rankings early in the season and never left?
Or will the story be a true Cinderella on skates tale about a Bishop Stang team dominated by underclassmen that started as the No. 15 seed in the bracket and somehow found a way to win it all?
You must be registered for see images
We’ll all know the answer Sunday morning starting at 11 a.m. when the puck drops between No. 1 Hingham (23-1-1) and No. 15 Bishop Stang (14-5-1).
Hingham’s the Patriot League Keenan Division champion and a two-time state champion (2008, 2011). The only blemishes on its record are a 2-2 tie with Duxbury and a 2-0 loss to St. Mary’s in the final game of the regular season. Those were the 2024 state champions.
More: Something to shoot for: 100 career points in sight for Hingham's Addy Garrity
The Harborwomen quickly brushed the loss off and dispatched Wellesley and Shrewsbury in the opening games of the tournament. Things tightened up from there. Hingham needed a Callie Crean score with :58 left in regulation to beat Belmont, 2-1, and then held off a comeback from HPNA to win 5-3 and earn a spot in Sunday’s title game.
Bishop Stang dropped two games to rival Bishop Feehan in the first half of the schedule, but the young team created an incredibly short learning curve and kept getting better with a diverse group of scorers and some tremendous play in net. The Spartans opened the playoffs with a 4-2 win over Winthrop and then turned into the definition of a spoiler by upsetting three higher-seeded teams in a row.
All three of the teams were ranked in the top 10.
The run started with a 4-0 win over Notre Dame Academy (Hingham). Another shutout followed, and some revenge as well, with a 1-0 win over Feehan. In the state semifinals against Methuen/Tewksbury, Stang scored with :28 left to tie the game and then again in overtime to take a 3-2 win.
You must be registered for see images
With just four seniors on both rosters, these teams could be matching up at the Garden for a championship more than one time. One thing each side will have to adjust to is the sightlines and the overall aura of playing in the Garden. It’s a different animal than playing at the Pilgrim Skating Arena or the Hetland Memorial Skating Arena like the team’s regularly do. But, as Hingham head coach Courtney Turner pointed out, “the ice is still the ice.”
More: Hunting Hingham: Rest of Div. 1 is looking up at these two South Shore girls hockey teams
“It’s actually pretty quiet when you get out on the ice,” said Turner.
Bishop Stang head coach Bill Theodore believes the high-intensity playoff games his team played this year at the Gallo Arena will help his team get ready for what they’ll experience on Sunday.
“(Playing at the Garden) is a new experience for everyone on the ice. Hopefully we’ll get out on the ice for warmups and get our feet under us,” said Theodore. “After that, we just need to show up and play hockey.”
You must be registered for see images
A view of the Harborwomen
Hingham got over a mental hurdle this season when it worked its way out of the Elite 8, a game that’s haunted them in past years.
“These kids have confidence in themselves and in their teammates,” said Turner. “Only two teams get to this point in this season, so enjoy it and keep doing the things that helped you get to this game. Whether you’re out on the ice for an extended period or a quick shift, make it count. Support your teammates and play your game. It takes a village to win a state title and every player on the bench will need to be a part of it.”
There are some extremely talented hockey players on the Harborwomen bench, not the least of which is senior captain and College of Holy Cross commit Caroline Doherty and the amazing 228 career points she had accumulated headed into the game against HPNA.
Doherty has 40 goals on the season but she’s not the only skater with impressive numbers. Sr. Addy Garrity and sophomores Crean and Hannah Lasch are all in double-figures in goals and have more than 30 points this season.
Assistant captain CC Flynn, a junior, and sophomore Shea Richardson are the cornerstones of a defense that can stop opposing offenses as well as score goals. They form an impressive wall in front of as good a goalie tandem you’ll ever see in sophomore Izzi Puleo and junior Izzy McGarr.
Dream run for the Spartans
Bishop Stang has an impressive goalie duo of its own in freshman Vivienne Melo (8-3-1) and sophomore Isabelle Duarte (10-2). Duarte saw most of her action in the regular season. Melo has taken over the bulk of the work down the stretch.
“We’re a team that’s heavy on sophomores with some freshmen sprinkled in on the roster,” said Theodore. “It’s been quite a ride this year and I think a common thread is this is a team that just will not quit. We’ve had some puck luck, no doubt, but this team hustles and will not give up no matter what the score is. I think we’ve won 11 one-goal games this season, so they can deal with pressure.”
Senior Kacey Curran is at the top of the list with 25 points, spreading the wealth with 10 goals and 15 assists. Sophomore Isa Rioux (12 goals,13 assists) also has 25 points. Sophomore forward Madisyn Blanchard (13-10-23) and freshman Avery Frias (10-4-14) will also need to be watched in the offensive zone.
Keys to the game
Theodore: “We’ve got to get pucks on the net and take advantage of our breaks. Hingham’s a dominant team with a lot of goal scorers. They play every shift at a high level and we need to be right there with them."
Turner: “Bishop Stang is an impressive hockey team. I don’t consider them an underdog at all. Their defense is impressive and they’ve got some players who can put the puck in the net. The rankings and records don’t mean a thing now. We’re the only two teams left.”
Six state title games in all will be played Sunday at the Garden. Tickets are good for all six games at a price of $20 plus fees. They are available for purchase through the TD Garden box office via TicketMaster. All six games will be streamed live on the NFHS Network.
Winthrop vs. Dedham (Div. 4 boys) will drop the puck at 9 a.m. Hingham vs. Bishop Stang follows at 11 a.m. and the rest of the schedule has Catholic Memorial vs. St. John’s High at 1 p.m. (Div. 1 boys), Billerica vs. Canton at 3 p.m. (Div. 2 boys), Nauset vs. Medfield (Div. 3 boys) has a 5:30 p.m. start and the final game of the day is a Div. 2 girls battle between Milton and Medfield at 7:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Hingham, Bishop Stang meet Sunday for Div. 1 girls hockey state title
Continue reading...
