Holderness and Kimball Union are no strangers to one another playing eachother twice each season and then matching up in three of the last four Lakes Region Championship games with KUA winning all three (4-2 in ’25, 5-1 in ’23, 4-2 in ’22).
Kimball Union was host as they had the top seed from their impressive regular season run and both squads had major playoff implications on the line. A win for Holderness could potentially put them in the mix for the Elite 8 and a win for Kimball Union could have potentially given them a home seed in the playoffs.
Holderness opened the scoring just five minutes into the contest where Michael Delaney made a pass across the point to Sawyer Graubins who read the defense – saw a lane – walked in towards the top of the circles and made a slick pull-drag move and quick release wrist shot through traffic and just inside the far post to give the Bulls the lead.
Kimball Union didn’t slump after the goal – if anything it motivated them and finished the period strong with back to back goals within 30 seconds of eachother to regain the lead. The first goal was from Jackson Davies on a quick rebounder off a low wrister from the point from Charlie MacLeod. The second was on the power play when Anthony Leech walked the blue line – quick lateral and had a sneaky quick release wrister just over the goalies pad through heavy traffic.
The second period was a back and forth affair with a lot of penalties called which disrupted the flow of the game. Credit to Kimball Union who killed off three consecutive penalties over an eight minute period but would give one up on their own power play just a few minutes later. Jack Welby crashed the net off a turnover and scored a nice one-touch off a centering pass cross slot to tie the game.
It was Henry Prowse that gave Holderness the lead with just under three minutes remaining in the period off a quick snap shot from the point throw a net front crowd. Kimball Union responded instantly scoring just two minutes later on Charlie MacLeod wrist shot off a 2v1. He looked off the pass – saw the goalie had come out to challenge and fired it low far side and just snuck under the goalies pad.
The third period saw both teams with quality chances but neither was able to capitalize and the game went into overtime. The overtime didn’t feature many grade A chances and both teams looked a bit tired as Holderness was rolling four defense for most of the game due to injuries.
The game then headed into a shootout where both teams first shooters scored, Kimball Union’s Joshua Phillips scored on a patient cut-back deke and Holderness’ Michael Delaney scored on a 5-hole wrister. Sawyer Graubins would score for Holderness as the second shooter on a slick deke move that got the goalie to slide and then cut it back and snuck it around the pad. That would be the deciding score to win the shootout and give Holderness their second Lakes Region Championship in three years but their first time beating Kimball Union in the final.
The game ended in NEPSAC tie so neither team quite got the boost they were hoping for from a playoff perspective but it was an exciting finish. Kimball Union advances to the Elite 8 but will be on the road for their first round game and Holderness School captures the #1 seed in the Small School Playoffs. Of note, the last time KUA did not win the Lakes Region Tournament they went on to win the Elite 8 in 2024.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images