Sadowski lifts Kimball Union to title
Senior Jack Sadowski, an Arlington native, tallied twice and added an assist as No. 2 Kimball Union defeated top-seeded Cushing, 4-1, to capture the NEPSAC Stuart/Corkery championship at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center on the campus of Harvard University.
The Wildcats (32-5-0) won their first Elite 8 championship since the 2019 season.
Sadowski, a New Hampshire commit, increased his totals to 41 goals and 46 assists for the season. He scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory against Salisbury in the semifinal on Saturday.
“This is probably one of the best [wins] I’ve ever been a part of, one of the best teams that I’ve ever been a part of,” said Sadowski.
NEPSAC: Martin/Earl
Kent 3, Dexter Southfield 2 —
Senior Gio DiGiulian (South Burlington, Vt.) scored his second goal of the game with 47.8 seconds remaining to win the Martin/Earl Large School championship for No. 5 Kent over No. 3 Dexter Southfield.
The championship is the third in five seasons for the Lions (18-8-2).
“Just to be able to build a legacy and plant our flag, it’s not just a one-off thing but we’re a team that’s there every year and competing for championships — that’s the part that I’m really proud of,” Kent coach Dale Reinhardt said.
DiGiulian, an assistant captain, collected a loose puck in the slot, turned, and fired into the lower left corner for the deciding goal. The Cornell commit scored a point in all but two games this season.
“For my money, he’s the best player in New England, no doubt,” Reinhardt said. “His name will get called this June by an NHL team somewhere and it’ll be deserved. He’s just a rock star.”
NEPSAC: Piatelli/Simmons
Canterbury 3, Rivers 1 — In 1994, Padraic McCarthy was a senior on the first Saints squad to win a NEPSAC title. On Sunday at Harvard’s Bright-Landry Center, he guided his alma mater to its third — first since 1997 — on goals from sophomore Logan Martel, senior captain Ryan Stratton, and senior Sam Ciappa (empty-netter) in the Piatelli/ Simmons (Small) championship over top-seeded Rivers.
On the heels of a 12-16-1 season, the Saints (20-10-2) righted the ship.
“What a difference a year makes,” McCarthy said.
MIAA Division 1 State
Xaverian 4, St. John’s (Shrewsbury) 1 — Xaverian (17-4-1) could not have drawn up a better start to its second-round tournament game. Facing a St. John’s (Shrewsbury) squad without starting goaltender Dante Sousa because of injury, the fourthseeded Hawks scored 42 seconds into the contest and skated to victory at Canton Ice House.
It was Xaverian’s third win of the season over the 13th-seeded Pioneers (11-9-2). The Hawks will next face No. 12 Franklin in the quarterfinals Thursday night at Loring Arena in Framingham.
Colvin Callahan put the initial shot on Dylan Fanale from the right circle, and the rebound fell straight to Jack Fitzpatrick for his team-leading 14th goal of the season to send the sellout crowd into a frenzy before the fans could settle in.
“That gets the boys going, and that gets the whole arena going, and we were playing ahead the whole game,” said Fitzpatrick.
MIAA Division 2 State
Tewksbury 8, Plymouth North 1
— Sophomore Tyler Bourgea (2 goals, 1 assist) and senior Jeremy Insogna (2 goals) paced topseeded Tewksbury (19-3-0) to a second-round home win at Breakaway Ice Center against No. 16 Plymouth North (11-8-3).
MIAA Division 3 State
Shawsheen 3, Blackstone Valley
0— Senior captain Chase Darcey (2 goals) and sophomore Justin Thibert scored in the second period for the second-seeded Rams (20-1) and senior Mike Cedrone posted the shutout in net against No. 15 Blackstone Valley (18-4) at Hallenborg Pavilion in Billerica.
Somerset Berkley 6, Essex Tech
0— Senior Jack Rothwell opened the scoring late in the first period for the No. 12 Blue Raiders (17-2-2). Junior Mason Sullivan and senior Aydn Marcos scored two minutes apart in the second period to break away from No. 5 Essex Tech (13-8-1) in the second round at Essex Sports Center in Middleton.
MIAA Division 4 State
Nantucket 3, Bourne 2 — Senior Ryan Davis scored the tying goal 4:38 into the third period, then added the winning strike six minutes later for the No. 2 Whalers (17-4-1) in a second-round win over No. 15 Bourne (14-7-1) at Nantucket Ice Rink. Bourne’s Domenic Bonito and Ty Kelley scored in the second period.
Stoneham 6, Wilmington 0 —
Six scorers found the net for the No. 10 Spartans (10-11-1), who were led by senior Connor McIntyre (1 goal, 1 assist), senior Joe Aronis (1 goal, 1 assist), sophomore Dylan Kraso (1 goal, 1 assist), and senior defenseman Jack Sullivan (3 assists) at Breakaway Ice Center in Tewksbury in a second-round win over No. 7 Wilmington (7-13-1).