BC High simply Super
Eagles claim title on Woods’ goal in OT
BOSTON — All season long, coach John Flaherty of the BC High Eagles said that his team had no quit in them.
Faced with yet another late deficit, BC High scored in the final minute to tie, and then 1:30 into overtime, coming back to defeat Pope Francis 2-1 in the Super Eight final last night at TD Garden.
“Tonight was truly a microcosm of our season,” Flaherty said. “We battled right until the end. We knew if we stuck with it, and we made the puck dangerous at certain times that we were going to have success.”
Seventh-ranked Pope Francis (21-5-3) was smothering the second-seeded Eagles (18-4-1) in the third period, clinging to a 1-0 lead.
Finally, with 51 seconds remaining in the game, BC senior Joe Dragon collected a turnover at the Cardinals blue line and ripped a shot through a sea of bodies, finding the back of the net to send the game to overtime.
It was 1:30 into the extra frame that Mike Adamson pinched at the attacking blue line, whacking the puck to Timmy Kelly, who made a heads up pass to senior Maverick Woods in the slot for a point blank chance that found twine and sent the Eagles’ bench into a frenzy.
“I saw Timmy going to the puck and I knew he would get it and find me,” Woods said. “Somehow he got it through to me and I knew I had to find the back of the net.”
“The two guys that scored are two seniors,” Flaherty said “Woods is the type
‘Words cannot describe it. Last game, last season — it’s amazing. There’s no better way to end it.’ — MAVERICK WOODS BC High overtime hero
of kid that epitomizes this group… For him to get this goal and to have this memory for the rest of his life, I could not think of any more perfect scenario.”
Pope Francis opened the scoring 12:08 when Max Cocchi found a streaking Makem Demers who skated in a fired off a wrist shot labelled inside the far post.
It’s the Eagles first Super Eight title since the program won back-to-back years in 2006 and 2007, and for the nine seniors including Dragon and Woods, this is the way they wanted to go out — on top.
“Words cannot describe it,” said Woods. “Last game, last season — it’s amazing. There’s no better way to end it.”
Said Flaherty: “This is just another phase in their life where they learn from this that you don’t quit. The character in that room is unbelievable. I’m very proud of them and how they responded.”