Middleton, MA – Every year four of the top MA HS programs in the state converge in the Merrimack Valley for a Tournament in honor of St. John’s Prep and BC alum Peter Frates, with all proceeds going to the Frates Scholarship Fund. In the first game of this year’s Frates Winter Classic there was a 5 minute feeling out period for both Pope Francis and Central Catholic before the action really picked up. Pope Francis owned the pace and puck possession throughout the opening period but only one goal was scored with 6 minutes left to play. Off a Pope Francis defensive turnover, junior forward Matthew Lajoie was given a gift right in front of the net, which he deposited top shelf to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead. There were a couple of other chances at the other end that Pope Francis nearly converted but one goal is all that the scoreboard showed after one.
In the second period, Central Catholic came out and looked to establish the tempo. They were able to control the early going and they had a PP to work with as well but they came up empty on the man advantage. On that same PP, Pope Francis gained the zone and cashed in when Matthew Ashe took a shot from the point that was tipped in front by Zach Reiser to tie the score. That was all the scoring for the second which meant that the third period would decide the winner.
For the final frame, it got a bit rougher out there with both teams seeking an early edge. Ultimately there were a lot of neutral zone pickoffs and heavy contact but it was the trio of Makem Demers, Max Cocchi and Brandon Spaulding who really galvanized the Cardinals. Midway through the period, they forced the puck deep in the zone and cycled it for almost two full minutes before Central Catholic could get a clear. The goal to decide the game was forward Cormac Hayes sending defenseman Zach Reiser in on a breakaway. Reiser fended off a backchecker and lifted it over the Red Raider goalie’s shoulder under the bar. Final score: 2-1 Pope Francis.
They will get the winner of BC High vs St. John’s Prep while Central Catholic will play in the Consolation Game at 3:10 pm at Essex Sports Center.
NZ Take:
Like many Pope Francis teams that have come before, this team is creative, quick and has good vision with the puck. They will be a top contender for the Super 8 and in this game they elevated their offensive play to another level that Central Catholic could not reach. Central Catholic has good athletes as they always have in years past, but they struggled to set up in the offensive zone in this game because they didn’t possess the puck as much.
In terms of standouts, senior linemates Max Cocchi and Makem Demers played a strong, aggressive game and forced Central Catholic to stop them which caused many matchup problems. We thought defenseman Zach Reiser was one of the top players in this game: he is a defender but he plays a roving role, like a forward, and has very active feet.
For Central Catholic, their D core played well here, making clean outlets and pushing the puck back up the ice quickly. Senior D Stephen Birch looks to have added a step over the summer and played with good pace. Senior D Joe Carney was heavy on pucks and won battles to cut down on odd-man opportunities. We also thought sophomore D Tyler DiBurro was clean in and out of his breaks and made sharp feeds to keep the offense rolling.
Three Stars:
- D Zach Reiser, Pope Francis
- F Max Cocchi, Pope Francis
- F Matthew Lajoie, Central Catholic