Congratulations winning the U18
Mass State Hockey Championship. This tournament recently took place
at NESC in Marlboro with a total ten qualifying teams participating in a very
competitive round robin format with the top four finalist moving on to single
game elimination. The Vipers went 3-0 in round robin play and qualified as a
high seed leading into the final rounds with some stellar individual
performances. Now facing a very talented team Quincy (CM players) in the
semi-finals, the Vipers battled to an extremely exciting intense overtime win
set up by Somerville and McGovern to a Ryan Smith stretch breakaway goal to
advance to the championship game against the Coastal Whalers (Barnstable High).

 

 

 

With the championship on the line, the Vipers made it
entertaining once again by going ahead by three goals early by (Spagnole, Smith
& Monagle). However, the Whalers refused to quit and fought their way back
by tying the game early in the third period and going ahead with 8 minutes
remaining. With an immediate adjustment to a stretch off side break-out system.
The Vipers capitalized with Mike McPherson receiving a loose puck on the wall
and burying a two on one five hole to tie the game with four minutes remaining.
Moving into sudden death overtime, the vipers players immediately recognized the
instability of the Whalers fatigued defense and applied an aggressive dump and
chase off side system to apply constant pressure. In doing so, Bernie McGovern
executed this practice perfectly with Andrew Somerville crashing to the net
splitting the defense and picking up the puck for the one timer shot and a 5-4
Championship victory.

 

 

 

• The Vipers will now be moving on to participate in the
  National Championship series in Troy Michigan March 26^th, 2015.
  

 

 

 

This weekend was a true testament of a group of young men
recognizing and finding the ultimate “Will To Win”. Each and every
player elevated their level of play and sacrificed themselves for the common
goal of TEAM! It was an amazing half season, these experiences are
once in a lifetime and the ultimate success can only be measured in the journey
as those memories will certainly last forever. Coach Somerville…

 

 

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