Hockey championships under the best ever

By Alex Sponseller

In last week's column I said that I have treated too many championship matches to really choose a favorite or best. The hockey championships of the last weekend may have shattered those feelings.

The bishop Hendricken Hawks came back in the third period and then eventually won in triple overtime hours to achieve their fifth straight state title. In the earlier game on Sunday, the East Greenwich-Toll Gate Co-op het Division II championship when the Portsmouth defeated in the extension in what was a back and forth a match from the opening two minutes later.

Each of these games was epic and I have to say, that was probably the best day of hockey play -offs I have ever treated. I am not sure how I would stack each of the two games separately, but in terms of one overall day I would place it at the very top of the list if I think about the 10 years that I have been full -time in this area.

The two games were similar because they needed extra periods, but the way they arrived there was completely different.

In the first match Portsmouth took the lead in the opening period, EG/TG responded, Portsmouth replied back and it was a 3-3 score on the way to the extension. The Avengers wasted little time to win the victory while scored the game winner for less than a minute in the extra period.

The first time the teams faced each other, for example/TG achieved the 7-4 victory. These two teams were offensive Juggernuts and the championship played exactly as we expected. Fast, high -scoring attack. It was a thriller from start to finish.

In the later match, the Hawks fell 1-0 early and lower with 2-0 with less than seven minutes in regulations. The Prout defense was on his head until that point and a shutout was on the table late in the third period.

We saw the power of Momentum unfolding while the Hawks rattled two goals to force overtime. From there you saw fatigue going while the pace were slowed down, legs were heavy, shots were not that crispy. It took until the third extension before there was anything to break, and luckily for the Hawks they received the opening and Frank Tillinghast.

A wild shootout and then a comeback of the third period, followed by overtime, to determine two championships. It was an incredible day to be a sports fan.

In terms of Big Picture things it was the first title of EG/TG as a cooperative and it was Toll Gate's first hockey championship since 2005, it came almost 20 years to the day.

The Titans had been polished a bit in recent years. They spent time with Pilgrim and then moved to East Greenwich. They spent time in Division I and Division II.

It seems that they have found a house in East Greenwich and in Dii. I do not like redschools and this annual game of Coöp musical seats. As soon as a partnership works, leave it alone. Two years ago I was very pronounced about my frustrations with Toll Gate and Pilgrim Peeding Ways.

EG/TG will be the title defender next season. Let them stay together and continue to build. Division II is very competitive and these children clearly have a special group.

The streak continues for Hendricken.

Despite losing a large core led by MVP Griffin Crain, this year's group seamlessly defended the title with Cullen and Mason Crain, Tillinghast, Aiden Craft and keeper Avery Picchione. This year's success is proof of the depth of this group that continues to watch championship players on an annual basis.

While Prout was approaching the victory, my internal Take was that the Hawks were just a little too young and would be at the top the next winter. That was washed away in an instant, and now I will have the rest of division to do with what will be largely the same core next season.

Hats off for Prout, who finished the regular season with the top seeds and neck and neck with Hendricken. I feel that these two will be back in the championship competition in March.

Congratulations to every team and thanks for a day to remember.

I have to give one last shoutout before I unsubscribe.

At the end of each of these games, especially the Di -Final, the teams and fans were in a frenzy. The players had to be hit for the award ceremony, fans had to be pulled off the glass and kept on their seats, the ice had to be hurried while the media were looking for his post game interviews. That is the simple description, but it became pretty chaotic.

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League representatives, led by Tom Marcello, have done an excellent job by letting the fans have fun while retaining the order. It was clear that by the end of the night that the security and riil employees were worn after three consecutive games, but they maintained a level of professionalism that was pretty impressive, to be honest, given the scene that took place.

It is not easy to contain so many excited people in one building, but Marcello and his staff deserve the honor for what in reality is sometimes a thankless job. Well done.