Bowling for the titles: Wellesley's female hockey invites itself into the division. 2 state title games for third consecutive year – Sports – Milford Daily News

With the victory, Wellesley (22-1) faces a familiar enemy in Canton (19-1-4) in Div. 2 state championship game. The Raiders defeated the Bulldogs two seasons ago and will seek a third consecutive title next Sunday at TD Garden.

BOSTON – Bliss Vernon is not a big melon.

"Sometimes it will go straight into the gutter and sometimes I will go on strike," she said.

The Wellesley High junior, however, makes a great imitation of a bowling ball.

In the Raiders' 3-0 victory over Medfield / Norton on February 29, senior captain Emily Rourke had a hat trick. After his third goal, Rourke celebrated with teammates Mackenzie O’Neil, Dani Cimino, Maya Desmond and Lauren Burke in a corner at Canton Ice House.

Vernon then made his presence felt.

Enter: Bliss the bowling ball.

"Bliss is going as hard as she can to come celebrate with us and kick her feet on the ice and fly away," said O’Neil. "Each person breaks down."

"We had so many people on the ice," said Rourke.

"Once I noticed everyone was fine, I knew it had to be Bliss," said Wellesley head coach PT Donato. "We had a viral moment in our hands."

VIDEO: Wissley's Bliss Vernon strikes to celebrate teammates' playoff goal

STRIKE

(video @ WellesleyStream) pic.twitter.com/G3taV8vIdr

– NHL (@NHL) March 3, 2020

It was a strike for Vernon and Wellesley. And the Raiders haven't spared an opponent since.

After a playoff victory over Westwood, seeded Wellesley faced No. 12 Falmouth in the Division 2 semi-finals on Sunday at Warrior Ice Arena.

The two teams failed to score in the opening period but Rourke's power play goal just 52 seconds from the second frame set Wellesley's wheels in motion.

It was one of two goals scored by the senior exhibition in a 6-0 win for Wellesley against Falmouth.

Besides being good with a hockey stick, Rourke also happens to be pretty good with a bowling ball.

"Emily Rourke is a very good bowler," said O’Neil.

The same goes for their coach.

Donato used to play in a candlelight league and owns a pair of bowling shoes.

"The coach is really good at bowling," said Cimino.

With the victory in hockey, Wellesley (22-1) faces a familiar enemy in Canton (19-1-4) in the division. 2 state championship games next Sunday. The Raiders beat the Bulldogs two seasons ago and will be looking for a third consecutive title at TD Garden.

"It doesn't age, okay? It doesn't age!" Donato yelled at his daughters as he waltzed in their locker room post-match.

VIDEO: Business is booming for Wellesley High women's hockey

Business is booming for the Wellesley High women's hockey team as @ raidersgpuck returns to TD Garden with a chance to win a third consecutive Division 2 State Championship @ wellesleysports @ MetroWestSportspic.twitter. com / Eh2z8Ltk6Y

– Tommy Cassell (@ tommycassell44) March 8, 2020

The game went back almost 16 minutes – in ice time – when Wellesley finally made it to the board.

With a power play, Vernon grabbed the puck near the boards by the right face-off circle at the end of Falmouth.

She then returned a backhand pass to Rourke, who skated behind her. Rourke mixed the puck back and forth on the ice and fired a left shot.

The puck squirted past Falmouth goalkeeper's left padding to give Wellesley a 1-0 lead in the second period.

"We were talking about taking all the shots you get," said Rourke, "even if it's not the best angle.… I didn't really think about where I wanted to put it. I just wanted to put it on the net. "

The goal was already seen for Rourke and Co. since, 366 days earlier, Rourke, then junior, had received a similar back pass from his classmate Bridget Noonan during a playoff game at the center of Boston Bruins training.

Rourke then shot a puck into the net to make it 1-0 as the Raiders beat Norwell, 6-1, in a division. 2nd quarter final state last year.

VIDEO: Emily Rourke scores strangely similar playoff goal for second consecutive year

A nice game from a pair of Wellesley juniors (@wellesleysports) as Bridget Noonan walks behind her and then puts a perfect screen on the Norwell goalkeeper as teammate Emily Rourke shoots one in the net to do it 1-0 @raidersgpuck w / 7 min left in [email protected]/Al2Ah9LsWZ

– Tommy Cassell (@ tommycassell44) March 8, 2019

And just like this playoff game, Rourke's score sparked a series of unanswered goals on Sunday.

Just over six minutes after his team's first goal, Cimino scored. The second-year forward from Wellesley initially requested a pass from a blue line teammate by tapping his stick on the ice three times.

Still, she didn't get a pass because a shot went wide and bounced off the back panel. Cimino was in the right place at the right time, however, as he grabbed the puck, slid it onto his right side and spun it into the net for a 2-0 lead with 7:52 to go into the second .

The Raiders racked up two consecutive penalties to give Falmouth some life with a 5v3 advantage.

Wellesley avoided the Clippers, however, and killed the pair of penalties. Subsequently, Wellesley managed his own power play as Vernon went from bowling ball to opportunistic scorers with a goal on a rebound with 1:25 left in the period.

VIDEO: Bliss Vernon jumps from bowling ball to scoring machine in Raiders' last playoff victory

END 2: Wellesley 3, Falmouth 0 as junior captain Bliss Vernon hits home a rebound to score on the power play to give @ raidersgpuck a 3-goal cushion @ wellesleysports @ MetroWestSportspic.twitter.com / uIqtWIvb3X

– Tommy Cassell (@ tommycassell44) March 8, 2020

"It was sort of the turning point in the game," said Donato.

Goals from O’Neil, Rourke and junior Devon Morton in the third period led to a 6-0 final and another trip to TD Garden for the Raiders.

"It is unreal. It really is," said Wellesley senior goalkeeper Liddy Schulz. "It never gets old."

It was not that long ago, however, that trips to the Garden did not arouse such joy from Wellesley. These excursions actually caused grief.

From 2014 to 2016, the Raiders lost in the Div. 2 state championship games each year. And some lines from these teams have infiltrated the Wellesley lineup in the past three seasons.

Vernon's older sisters, Sophie (3) and Olivia (2), have both lost in several league games. Cimino's older sister Alyssa was a junior goalkeeper when the Raiders fell to Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) in 2016.

"We sort of do it for them," said Donato. "I know their sisters are a little jealous but they are really proud of them."

Donato is also proud of his team. And why should it not be?

The Raiders return to the Garden with a chance to do three laps.

"There is nothing better than going to the garden," said Donato.

LISTEN: Wellesley's female hockey coach and goalie talk about everything on Cassell's Corner podcast

Tommy Cassell is a senior media reporter for the Daily News. He can be reached at 508-626-4405 or at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ tommycassell44.