3/6/05
Avon Blanks Cushing; Wins Second Straight Title
Salem, NH – Avon Old Farms beat Cushing 3-0, behind shutout goaltending from Jon Quick, to take the 2005 New England prep title, their second straight, and fifth in school history.
No other school has won more than two titles. All of Avon’s titles have come under head coach John Gardner.
Today’s game was a tense, defensive battle fought largely in the neutral zone, along the boards, and in the corners. While both teams were able to break in for occasional flurries, neither team was able to string together a lot of passes in equal-strength situations, nor sustain long periods of pressure.
Cushing, with strong team defense, from the goal out, gave themselves a chance to win, but Avon was simply stronger overall -- and loaded with seniors who’d won it once and were bent on doing it again.
While it was the senior Quick who was the difference in the game, Cushing junior goaltender Richard Bachman had another excellent game today, capping off a strong weekend.
As for the game, the first period was scoreless, but at the 9:33 mark, Cushing’s Aaron Bogosian took an interference penalty and Avon’s potent power play clicked into action. While the Winged Beavers didn’t score, the Penquins got a good look at Avon’s vaunted power play --- and took only two more penalties the rest of the day.
Unfortunately for Cushing, Avon cashed in on the next one. Forty-six seconds after Steve McClellan went off for holding, Avon’s Ryan Mero, from the right corner, fired a pass out front onto the stick of Sean Backman, who banged it home to make it 1-0. Defenseman Eric Quinlan also picked up an assist on the play.
At 13:10, Avon’s Dillon Rioux went off for holding. Then, 19 seconds later, Avon’s Steve Driscoll was called for a cross-check.
Cushing suddenly had a 5-on-3 for 1:41 -- and an opportunity to tie up the game.
But Quick was too good. Cushing had one particularly great chance, by Pat McLaughlin, but the senior goaltender from Hamden, Conn. robbed him.
The game was penalty-free from there on out.
Five minutes into the third period, the Winged Beavers had an excellent scoring opportunity as Matt Smalley made a great pass to John Mori, whose shot went just wide of the post.
Several minutes later, at the 8:06 mark, Cushing defenseman Kevin Kessler mishandled the puck at the blue line and Avon’s Joe Sides swooped in, picked up the turnover, and broke in alone, tucking it by Bachman with a neat backhander to make it 2-0.
With about five minutes left, Bachman was forced to make a couple of big back-to-back saves on Mori and Smalley to hold the game at 2-0.
In the final minute of play, Bachman was pulled for an extra attacker, but Avon’s Augie DiMarzo scored the empty-netter with 43 seconds remaining to salt it away.
Afterward, John Gardner, who joined his Wesleyan football teammate and classmate (’74) Bill Belichek in the pantheon of coaches who’ve won repeat titles, said he was “overjoyed” by the victory.
“I’ve felt a lot of pressure this year and I’m sure it transferred to our players. To repeat is a hard thing in sports.
“I thought we were focused. We played tough tough defense, and our counterattack is lethal with our speed.”
Gardner cited the work of Quick, who'll be moving on to UMass in the fall. "It all starts with him," Gardner said. "I don't know what his numbers are, but he's been outstanding all year. Also, our D stepped up and played great and our forwards were flying."
"I give Cushing credit," Gardner said. "Their goaltender in particular made a lot of nice saves. We had some odd-man rushes where he came up big."
Down the hall, Cushing head coach Steve Jacobs was, despite coming out on the short end, pleased. "I'm proud of our team, that's for sure. We lost to a great team. Our plan going in was to respect their speed, move it out of our end quickly, and play our game."
"We thought if we could get some chances, we'd be there at the end. We just couldn't get it past Quick. Defensively, we played solid. Bachman was outstanding. He beat two great teams (in the playoffs) and gave us a chance to win today. He's the real deal. A big-time goalie."
"And," Jacobs added, "Keith Yandle is the best D I've seen in the country. He and Bachman were the big reason we're here."
"The atmosphere and the level of play was tremendous," Jacobs added. "It was an outstanding game between two great teams, and a testament to prep hockey."
3/6/05
Nobles Repeats
Brookline, Mass. -- A goal at 6:45 of the third period by Broghan Cully lifted Noble & Greenough to a 3-2 win over a tough Choate squad -- and the 2005 New England Girls Title.
For Nobles, it was their second title in a row and, like the New England Patriots, their third in four years. So, yes, we can call them a dynasty.
On the winning goal, the play started when Pam McDevitt had the puck behind the Choate net. McDevitt passed it to Tracy Ferriter who passed it to Cully in the slot. Cully got enough on it to get it over Choate’s stellar goalie, Nicole Stock. That goal gave Nobles the 3-2 lead, and it held up.
Earlier, the first period looked like it might end scoreless. While Nobles outshot Choate, 16-6, and had a couple of power plays, they couldn’t get anything by Stock.
Then, with 52 seconds left in the period, Choate went up 1-0 on a power play goal by Judi Krakower, with an assist going to Hilary Knight.
At 2:44 of the second period, Ferriter made it 1-1, scoring for Nobles on a rebound, with assists going to Sarah Parsons and McDevitt.
Nobles went ahead 2-1 with 3:55 left in the second on a Leanna Coskren power play goal. The goal came about when Parsons took a shot that hit the Choate goalie’s stick and went behind the net. Erika Nakamura circled out of the right corner and hit Coskren at the back door. Coskren tapped it home to make it 2-1 Nobles, which is where the second period ended.
By the close of the period, Nobles had built up a two-period shot advantage of 38-17.
At 6:14 of the third, Choate, on the power play, tied it up at 2-2 on a rebound of a Caroline Boudreau shot from the point that hit a skate before Ashley Bairos put it home.
Just 31 seconds later, Nobles got it back, as Cully struck for the game-winner.
For the game, Nobles’ goaltender Kyle Stephens made 25 saves, while Nicole Stock had 46 for Choate.
Afterward, Nobles coach Tom Resor said, “We were able to get a lot of activity in front of Stock and find a way to get a couple of pucks behind her. It was also key to tie it up early in the second -- and then get that breathing room going into the third.
The other key,” said Resor, “was that we were able to answer right back. We didn’t have time to think that we were tied when Choate scored that third period goal.”
Indeed, it took Nobles just 31 seconds to get the lead back for good, and then take it on home.
Resor tipped his hat to his departing seniors Sarah Parsons and Carry Resor, who were five-year varsity players who won three championships and reached the semis twice; and Whitney Dziama and Nakamura.
***
3/6/05
Greenwich Academy Wins Div. II Crown
Brookline, Mass. – Greenwich Academy won the Div. II New England Girls Prep Hockey title here today, topping Kents Hill, 4-2.
Sophomore Bray Ketchum, who was named tournament MVP, had a goal and two assists. Others with multiple points were Torrey Taussig (2g), Erin Brawley (1g,1a), and Brady Keeshan (2a).
Ketchum, the sister of Salisbury forward Ben Ketchum, whose team was in the boy’s tournament in Salem, NH, got things going just 30 seconds into the game when she took a pass from Keeshan and fired a slapshot into the upper corner to give Greenwich a 1-0 lead.
After Kents Hill tied it at 5:37, Greenwich got it back as Torrey Taussig tucked a missed shot from Ketchum into the corner of the net with 1:07 left in the first period. That goal gave Greenwich a lead they would never relinquish.
Midway through the second period, Greenwich went up 3-1 when Brawley scored at the 7:05 mark.
After Kents Hill scored early in the third, Taussig scored from a scramble in front for the final 4-2 margin of victory.
Goaltender Jess Zublin kicked out 21 of 23 in the Greenwich net; Jill Doherty stopped 30 of 34 for Kents Hill.
Greenwich, the #5 seed in the tournament, edged #1 seed Governor Dummer, 2-1, in Saturday’s semifinal.
3/5/05
It’s Nobles and Choate – For All the Marbles
Noble & Greenough, on a third period goal by Sarah Parsons, topped Pomfret, 2-1. On Sunday, Nobles will play Choate, 3-2 winners over Cushing, for the New England Div. I prep school girls title.
The winning goal, with 8:53 remaining in the third, came on a 4x4 situation. Leanna Coskren picked up a loose puck to the left of Nobles goalie Kylie Stephens and beat a forechecker by banking it off the boards to Parsons. Parsons, a Dartmouth recruit, picked it up just outside the Nobles’ defensive blue line, skated it through the neutral zone, and heading down the left wing – her off-wing – beat her defender. Cutting in tight, she deked Pomfret goalie Jennie Bollonio, and scored five hole.
Earlier, after a scoreless first period, Julie Flynn put Nobles on the board with 2:38 left in the second, assists going to Jenny Cedorchuk and Whitney Dziama.
With 14 seconds remaining in the period, Pomfret tied it at 1-1 off a faceoff play, as Andrew Hunter drew the puck back to Micaela Long, who backhanded it into the upper corner.
Nobles outshot Pomfret, 48-18. Pomfret’s Bollonio, though she came out on the short end, was excellent in net.
3/4/05
Help Wanted
We're looking for reporting help for the girls' prep tournament this weekend. If anyone would be willing to do a game or two -- or more -- it would be much appreciated by many. And there's no heavy lifting involved.
This typist has to be at the Boys' tournament, but I have a cell phone, and can take calls. No writing is necessary. I'll also have a laptop there, so can post results at the conclusion of every game.
Please call Chris Warner at (617) 480-1755.
Thank you!
3/2/05
Today's Quarterfinals: Live Scoreboard
Here are today's quarterfinal matchups. We'll be getting updates througout the afternoon and will fill in the details as soon as we get them, so check back often.
DIV. I:
#8 Tabor at #1 Nobles, 3:00 pm: Nobles got goals from Broghan Cully, Maggie Suprey, Sarah Parsons (who also had 3 assists), Jenny Cedorchuk, and Pam McDevitt in a 5-0 win. Stephens had 22 saves for Nobles; Ford had 31 for Tabor. Final: Nobles 5, Tabor 0.
#7 Cushing at #2 Berkshire, 4:00 pm: Goalies: Bonnano (B) and Arsenault (CA). 2-2 after 1st. Zavisza and Holmes scored for Berkshire, and Tobin and Lawler for Cushing. Reported to be a fast-paced game. **** After second period, score remains 2-2. **** Lawler scored the game-winner for Cushing in the third, her second goal of the game. Final: Cushing 3, Berkshire 2.
#6 Choate vs #3 Loomis, 4:00 pm: Loomis outshot Choate, 39-16, but Choate senior goaltender Nicole Stock was excellent, only allowing one goal. Final: Choate 4, Loomis 1.
#5 Pomfret vs #4 Lawrence, 4:00 pm: Goalies: Muse (LA) and Bellonio (Pomfret). 0-0 after 1st. **** After second, Pomfret leads 1-0 on a Micaela Long breakaway goal. **** Long adds another in the third. Final: Pomfret 2, Lawrence Academy 0.
Div. I Saturday Semifinals Matchups (at Dexter and Southfield Schools, Brookline, Mass.):
#1 Nobles vs. #5 Pomfret, 2:00 pm
#6 Choate vs. #7 Cushing, 4:00 pm
Div. I Championship Game is on Sun. March 6, also at Dexter/Southfield. Game Time: 12:30 pm.
DIV. II :
#8 Brewster vs. #1 GDA: GDA 3, Brewster 0 (Final)
#7 Kingswood vs. #2 Gunnery: Gunnery 7, Kingswood 0. Kroleski (3 g), O'Connor (2 g), Biron (1g), Davies (1g) -- and a 23-save shutout by Michelle Chabot.
#6 Middlesex vs. #3 Kents Hill: Kents Hill 3, Middlesex 1 (Final)
#5 Greenwich vs. #4 Brooks: Greenwich 2, Brooks 0 (last goal an empty-netter)
Div. II Saturday Semifinals Matchups (at Dexter and Southfield Schools, Brookline, Mass.):
#1 GDA vs. #5 Greenwich, 10:00 am
#2 Gunnery vs. Kents Hill, 12:00 pm
Div. II Championship Game is on Sun. March 6, also at Dexter/Southfield. Game Time: 10:30 am.
3/1/05
Calling All Blackberries
We’re going to do things a little differently for the quarterfinals this year. We’re going to attempt to post updates at the end of every period of every game, both Div. I and Div. II, and both girls and boys.
We’re looking for volunteers, most especially volunteers with Blackberries who would be willing, when each period ends, to send a short e-mail to us with the score at the end of each period and, if known, goal scorers. It’s fine, if something seems newsworthy, to add additional info. The important thing, however, is to get the basic info in, so people can get scores in what will be pretty close to real-time.
If anyone has a Blackberry and would be willing to help out, please email cwarner@ushr.com and let us know which game you will be attending. Also, if you do NOT have a Blackberry, but would be willing to phone in scores at the end of periods, please email us and let us know because we may be able to use you, too, either as a principle reporter or as a backup. After all, not everyone has a Blackberry, but virtually everyone has a cell phone.
The goal is to keep the whole hockey community up to date, and give those who can’t be at the games timely information. With your help we can pull this project off. It should be fun.
