Tewksbury, MA – It was Senior Day for the home team of Austin Prep taking on the road team from the South Shore in Archbishop Williams. This was the top D1 matchup of the day as both teams come in sporting 6-win resumes in this truncated and turbulent season. This game was played in the conventional three 15 minute periods that we’ve grown so accustom to over the years.
In the first period both teams had some jump, especially the Cougars who had just finished feting their teammates. Unfortunately the mood was soured quickly as Archies jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead three and a half minutes in. Junior forward Jackson Sylvester slid behind the net and noticed that senior forward Christian Koylion was open in the slot: he found him for the quick one-timer to break the seal. The period see-sawed back and forth in terms of possession with both teams created chances but Austin Prep would have the last word. Freshman forward Ty Wood dug a puck out of the corner and found a wide open 8th grader Jacob Duval who ripped one off the far post and in with 19 seconds left: 1-1 was the score at the end of 1.
The second period seemingly mirrored what we saw in the first: a lot of back and forth action with neither team really owning the game. Ultimately though the only score of the period came off a power play for Archies. With four minutes elapsed in the frame Sylvester dished a puck up the wall to a waiting sophomore defender Matthew Keenan who threw it on net and scored to make it 2-1. It certainly sounded like it hit a stick on the way in but it was hard to tell if it went of an AP player or potentially Koylion’s stick in the slot. Either way, the Bishops went to the locker room with the one goal lead. The third period would have to decide this one.
In the final frame, the Cougars capitalized on an early power play. A scramble ensued in front of the net and with bodies everywhere, senior forward Brady McGrath found the loose puck and banged it home after a couple of attempts to make it a 2-2 ballgame. For most of the period it was more of the same back and forth action with both goaltenders standing tall. The only notable slowdown came after senior forward Aidan McDonnell delivered a thunderous hit to Austin Prep defenseman Colin McGrath from which a shoving match ensued and both teams were penalized with a series of misconducts. But we returned to skate five-a-side with four minutes remaining. Things remained tied until the final minute when the prior goal scorer Koylion picked the puck up off the half wall, found some space and snapped a shot short side on the Austin Prep netminder with 26 seconds to go. The Cougars pulled their goalie, but it wasn’t enough time to mount a comeback: Archies pulls out a late W: 3-2.
Three Stars:
- F Christian Koylion, Archbishop Williams
- F Jackson Sylvester, Archbishop Williams
- F Jacob Duval, Austin Prep
NZ Notes:
- This was an evenly matched game. Both teams had equal chances and there was never a point where either team really dominated. Both teams have speed, size and active sticks – it was a great game on both sides.
- AP’s Jacob Duval is a problem matchup. If teams don’t key in on him, he will take over. His release is quick and his shot is accurate: last two games we’ve seen have been bar and in goals. If you leave him open, you’re playing with fire.
- AWHS’ Christian Koylion was a menace all game long. He pounced on loose pucks and he showed great vision to find the open man as he emerged from behind the net. That final goal was a product of taking the space he was given and ticketing a shot into a tight window for the game winner: nicely done.