With its OT win over Central Catholic in a thrilling Super 8 final, Arlington (23-2-2) ends the season atop the Globe’s Top 20. The Spy Ponders won their final nine games en route to the title.
Mic Curran, who scored both goals, celebrates AHS win. / Globe photo
UPDATED, March 26: The Arlington boys’ hockey team beat Central Catholic, 2-1, in sudden-death overtime in the Super 8 championship game for the Division 1A state title Sunday, March 19, at the TD Garden.
Mic Curran scored both Ponder goals, the winner 15 seconds into overtime. It was the first time since 2010 a public school played in that final, and it was a first for AHS. Globe summary >>
MORE PHOTOS >>
Watch on ACMi >>
This marks the first hockey state championship since 1971. The Ponders went undefeated in 1967, part of the Ed Burns era (1947-1997). The ’67 team was honored in February.
Melissa Dlugolecki, AHS athletics director, wrote March 20: “A huge thank you to the community — accomplishments like this are the reflection of the commitment and hard work of a program — but also of the support and unity of a community.
“It was an honor for these young athletes to represent Arlington. Including all those who played before them, all those who will play after them and their town, which offers the resources and support for them to reach their potential. Extra special was the incredible showing of the teachers, coaches, staff and administrators who came to support.”
The Arlington High School Madrigal Singers performed in front of their largest audience to date.
At right, AHS Coach John Messuri holds trophy high in a photo by Deanna Savioli. For still more photos, see ArlingtonAthletics >>
AHS was just the third public school in the 27 years of the Super 8 to win the title, after Hingham in 2010 and Reading in 2008.
Add this match to those in the tourney that have gone into overtime, The Globe reports.
Ranking No. 4 in the tourney, the team also made school history by beating top-rated Malden Catholic, 2-1 in two overtimes Wednesday, March 15, at the Tsongas Arena, Lowell.
AC girls’ hoops lose in MIAA Division 2 final
The Arlington Catholic girls’ basketball team lost to Medfield in the Division 2 state final, 47-34, on Saturday, March 18, at Blake Arena, Springfield. Read a Globe summary here >>
The Cougars beat South champion Foxborough, 37-31, in the state semifinals Monday, March 13, at TD Garden. Read a Globe summary >> Medfield topped Pittsfield, 55-38, to reach the title match-up.
In North Division 2 AC beat No. 6 Hamilton-Wenham in the final, 49-38, Saturday, March 11, at Wakefield. The fifth-seeded Cougars (18-6) let a 20-point cushion slip away, momentarily losing the lead before closing with an 17-8 run to capture the title.
Trailing 29-12 at halftime, H-W (15-9) rallied with an 18-3 run to seize a 33-32 lead with 6:48 to play. But after a timeout, Arlington Catholic finished the game with a newfound energy. Sophomore Erin Donlan scored nione of her game-high 21 points to fuel the fourth-quarter spurt.
See ACMi rebroadcast of AHS-Malden Catholic hockey >>
Senior Kevin Ouellette scored a beautiful backhand 36 seconds into the second overtime, taking a pass from senior Jeff MacDonald and slipping the puck through MC junior goalie Brian Cannata’s legs. Read Herald summary >> Read Globe summary >>
Melissa Dlugolecki, AHS director of athletics wrote March 16: “We know that there’s a lot of hockey history in Arlington, but last night the Ponders added to the impressive resume when they defeated the No. 1 seed …. They will represent Arlington for the first time in AHS history in the Division 1A Championship game Tickets are $12 online or $15 at the door. Buy tickets here >>
The Madrigals will be singing the National Anthem before the game.
“It is both special and powerful when a team has the chance to wear a jersey and represent one unified community. Much of what has made their Super 8 run so meaningful is the support of the community. Whether it’s our local businesses, town departments, youth programs, youth coaches, alumni, teachers, staff, students or proud Arlingtonians, it’s been incredible to share and join so many varying and important contributors to this opportunity. A huge thank you from the team and the department for all the support.
“We hope to show the power of one unified community standing together behind their team on Sunday …. Go Ponders!”
The Ponders beat No. 5. Hingham, 4-1, on Wednesday, March 8. Senior captain Peter Scheschareg netted a hat trick to send the Spy Ponders (20-2-2) through to the Super 8 semifinals against Malden Catholic (15-4-3). AHS beat Hingham by the same score March 5. Read Globe game summary >>
Oosting places 7th at Nationals in 5,000-meter run
In the 2017 New Balance Nationals, a competition held this weekend in New York, Arlington High super sophomore Ryan Oosting placed seventh in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:01.96. The leader, from Tennessee, ran the course in 14:47.25, according to the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation.
In the two-mile run on Sunday, March 12, Oosting placed third in the Section 1 timed finals.
Oosting scored a new personal best: His two-mile time of 9:17:19 in the New England Meet on March 4 rated him seventh in the nation and the fastest sophomore in the United States.
AC boys’ hockey loses to St. Mary’s
In Divison 1 North first round, No. 10. Arlington Catholic boys’ hockey (10-6-4) lost to sixth-seeded St. Mary’s (15-7-2), 4-2, on March 8, at Tsongas Arena, Lowell. Read Globe game summary >> AC beat Burlington (16-4-2), 3-2, in overtime at the O’Brien Rink. Read Globe game summary >>
AHS boys’ basketball bested by Brighton
The Spy Ponders (No. 1-seed D2 North and 12th-ranked team in the state) lost to Brighton (17-5), 71-64, Tuesday, March 7, in Wakefield in the Div. 2 North semifinals, ending its season at 20-2. Read Globe game summary >> The team edged No. 8 New Mission at home, 64-61, on Saturday, March 4.
Read Scott Zwick’s detailed game summary >>
The No. 14 Arlington girls’ hockey team (10-7-3) lost to No. 3 Woburn (17-2-2) in the first round at Woburn, 1-0, on March 4. Read Globe game summary >>
MIAA basketball: Ponders crush Burlington in first round
Spy Ponders (20-1, No. 1-seed D2 North and 12th-ranked team in the state)secured an MIAA tournament first-round win with 84-64 drubbing of Burlington (11-11, No. 16 seed, D2 North) on Friday, March 2, backed by a packed gym full of rowdy students supporting their Arlington brethren, ACMi’s Scott Zwick reported.
After a slow start, the good guys nearly hung half a hundred (49) in the first half as super-sensational freshman Bensley Joseph was a whirling dervish of action on both ends of the court, making shots from inside and out, creating turnovers, blocking shots and dropping dimes. Dom Black was a stabilizing force on the boards and from midrange, sparking the team and playing with poise and conviction.
In the second half it was more of the same, as super-sophomore James Gascoigne returned from injury to provide an inside presence on the boards and scoring with an array of moves on the block. Sophomore Nick Karalis, Sophomore Jaden Dotten and junior Ben Wasco showed the determination and mettle of a team poised to make a deep tournament run and compete for a state title. The game’s outcome was never in doubt.
The ACMi Player of the Game was Joseph, and the Bing Bang Boom Award went to Black.
So it’s onward and upward for the No. 1 seed as they face No. 8 New Mission at home Saturday, March 4, at 7 p.m.Stay tuned for the ACMi rebroadcast of the game that will feature postgame intervenes with Joseph, Black, Colin McNamara and head coach John Bowler.
MIAA hockey: AHS girls, AC boys win
In MIAA girls’ hockey, No. 14 Arlington (10-7-3) beat 19th-ranked Peabody/Lynnfield (9-8-3), 5-1, in the preliminary round Wednesday, March 1, at Ed Burns Arena.
In the MIAA’s Divison 1 North first round, No. 7 Waltham (11-6-4) lost to No. 10. Arlington Catholic (10-6-4), 3-1, on March 1, at the Chelmsford Forum.
AC plays Burlington (16-4-2), which drew a bye in the first round, at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the O’Brien Rink, Woburn.
AHS faces No. 3 Woburn (17-2-2) in the first round at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 4, also at Woburn.
In MIAA Super 8 tourney, Arlington boys (18-2-2) rank No. 4, and the team faces No. 5. Hingham (16-4-2) in a Div. 1A first-round game atv 4 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Tsongas Center, Lowell. The Spy Ponders blanked the Harbormen, 3-0, on Feb. 12.
Two Div. 1 play-in games take place first, on Monday, Feb. 27, at the Chelmsford Forum, as No. 8 Marshfield (18-2-2) faces No. 9 Austin Prep (16-2-3) at 6 p.m., followed by No. 7 Walpole (21-0-1) vs. No. 10 Catholic Memorial (14-3-2) at 8 p.m. The detailed Div. 1A schedule is expected Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Read The Globe’s hockey preview here >>
AHS basketball tops MIAA Div. 2 North
The Globe’s MIAA boys’ basketball preview calls Division 2 North a deep one. “No bracket, perhaps in any of the state’s four divisions, is as deep,” it says.
Topping the division is Arlington, 18-0 in its league, and The Globe says the player to watch is Dom Black.
AHS Principal Matthew Janger wote Feb. 27 that the team has the No. 1 seed in Div. 2 North for the first time in school history.
The Ponder have a bye in the first round and play the winner of Burlington (10-10) and Tewksbury (5-15) at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at Arlington.
Of AHS, the preview asks: “Top seed Arlington’s lone loss came to Somerville on Jan. 17, but how will the Spy Ponders’ relative youth, save for senior leader Colin McNamara, fare against the speed of City League opponents?”
Oosting wins 2-mile, in N.E. meet
Janger also reported Feb. 27 that Ryan Oosting won the Division 2, two-mile championship with a time of 9:26.73. He broke that record and set another one in the All-State Meet, where he placed third in the state in the two-mile, with a time of 9:23.26. He will compete in the New England Meet on Saturday, March 4.
The Arlington Catholic boys’ hockey team fell to 8-7-3 with a 4-2 loss at Boston College High School on Friday, Feb. 24, away.
Arlington school sports: Feb. 1 through March 1, 2017
This summary was published Wednesday, March 1, 2017, and updated March 26.
Sports statistics are reported from those at BostonGlobe.com, unless a local coach reports directly to YourArlington. If you believe a number is in error, please contact the publisher >>
Would you like more, in-depth reports about Arlington sports? Contact the publisher >>
