Taber, Austin Prep blank Westwood

To this point in the season, Austin Prep has been in a class by itself in the girls hockey community. No matter which phase of the game, seemingly everyone has contributed during the Cougars’ incredible run.

And last night they turned to one of their youngest players to take down one of the strongest teams in the Division 2 ranks. Eighthgrader Samantha Taber became the latest to emerge, netting a hat trick as Austin Prep upended Westwood in a 7-0 rout at Canton Ice House.

“It was great, awesome,” Taber said. “The fans just make the team just 10 times better. And I just give it all to my teammates because they just really help me to improve.”

Austin Prep (9-0-0) also was helped by Aylah Cioffi and Isabella Saracco, who each had a goal and assist in the win.

For the first 10 minutes of the opening period, the Cougars looked to feel things out, facing a Westwood team that had been rolling over the last few weeks. But once the Cougars flipped the switch offensively, they quickly morphed back into their usual selves, reverting to the team that now has outscored opponents by an eye-popping 50-3 clip over their first nine games.

Taber got Austin Prep jump-started, burying a backhanded, unassisted tally on the breakaway to make it a 1-0 contest with 5:29 to go in the first.

“Definitely, we got off to a pretty slow start,” Austin Prep coach Stephanie Wood said. “We told our kids before the game that (Westwood) is a very good team. And they were going to come out hard and certainly make us work for those two points, which they did.”

Then the doors burst open. Just 2:24 later, the Cougars struck again, as Elise Lyons put one in to make it a 2-0 contest.

It was the first loss of the season for Westwood (8-1-2), but the Wolverines look like theymayhavedodgedabullet, despite the score. Senior captain Kat Keith went down during a pileup in the closing minutes with what appeared to be a major injury, and was assisted by trainers off the ice. However, Wolverines coach Ed Amico was quick to provide an update on the team star, saying she is day-to-day with an ankle issue.

Austin Prep outshot Westwood 30-16, closing things out in the final period with three straight in the last five minutes. Taber completed her three-goal night with 4:49 left in regulation, before her sister, Eryn, joined in on the scoring with with 2:09 to play.

Basketball

Pam Gonzales’ 12 points led St. Mary’s (9-3) past Austin Prep, 55-46, in a Catholic Central League tilt. …

Mary Kate McAleavey gathered 17 points and eight rebounds as North Quincy (2-8) took down West Roxbury, 57-19, in a nonleague contest.

John Rego’s 26 points sparked Bishop Connolly (7-1) to a 68-61 Mayflower League boys victory over Diman.