Hockey gamers get used to early morning ice time, however seldom does such an essential competitors happen at an early hour. The Watertown Excessive Faculty boys hockey crew will play for a State Championship starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday in opposition to Sandwich on the TD Backyard.
Raiders’ Head Coach John Vlachos mentioned the 2021-22 season has been a crew effort.
Watertown’s power is the general crew protection, Vlachos mentioned, from the goalies (who change off each different sport), to the defenders to the forwards.
Even early within the yr, the teaching workers had a sense this can be a particular yr for the Raiders. Assistant Coach Tom Johnson mentioned he recollects Vlachos saying “We’re going to the Backyard!” when the season was nonetheless younger. Vlachos mentioned he knew the crew was particular after the Belmont sport. Whereas Watertown misplaced 3-2, the Marauders solely misplaced one sport throughout the common season, and bought the seven seed in Div. 1.
The Raiders have many contributors this yr. For the Ultimate 4 victory over Stoneham, junior Casey Williams was in internet, and within the Spherical of 8 it was senior Jared Norton. After the semifinal win, Williams mentioned the plan for the State Ultimate is for the goalies every to play half the sport.
The vast majority of the Raiders scoring has come from the primary line of sophomore Alec Banosian, senior Mason Andrade, and junior Anthony Venezia. Banosian leads Watertown with six targets within the Event (with a minimum of one in every sport), plus three assists. Andrade has 4 targets together with the sport winner within the Ultimate 4, together with 4 assists. Venezia has but to seek out the again of the web, however he’s the Raiders’ help chief within the Tourney with six.
Different prime scorers throughout the run to the Backyard have been junior Maurcio Souza (three targets, two assists), senior Michael Cormier (three targets), sophomore defender James Erickson (three targets, three assists), and senior defender Nathan Grasp (one aim, 4 assists).
Watertown (14-9-1) is the second seed within the MIAA Div. 4 Event, and can face fourth seeded Sandwich (17-4-1), which handed top-seed Norwell its second lack of the season in a 3-2 double time beyond regulation victory within the Ultimate 4.
The Blue Knights’ prime scorers within the Event have been Colin McIver (5 goals0), Jack Connolly (4 targets), and Caleb Richardson (4 targets). Defender Drew MacKinnon scored thrice, whereas goalie Mitchell Norkevicius posted a shutout in opposition to Shawsheen within the Spherical of 8.
Tickets can be found on-line by clicking right here.
Observe the motion reside from the Backyard right here!