RallyNorth.net

Headers hope to take the wind out of Sailors in tonight's state semifinal

Thursday, March, 13 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

A lot of sectional champions | especially those that win it all after being seeded as low as 12th to begin the tournament | are happy just to advance to the state semifinals.

You might say the Marblehead hockey team, the current Division 3 North champs, are happy with their playoff result so far.

They are anything but satisfied.

"We've only accomplished one-third of what we set out to do," said junior wing Andrew Bates, describing the Headers' objective of winning the North, EMass. and eventually the state championships.

The upstart Headers (14-10) go after Part 2 tonight at Worcester's DCU Center (6 p.m.) when they face Division 3 South champion Scituate (12-6-5), the defending state titlists.

The winner advances to Sunday's state final at the TD Banknorth Garden against the winner of tonight's other semifinal between Central Mass. champ Gardner (18-1-4) and Western Mass. winners Westfield (14-5-2).

"We're telling our boys that it is just another team in a white shirt. That's how we have to look at it," said Header coach Bobby Jackson said of Scituate. "We have to make them play our style of game."

The Headers and the South champion Sailors aren't all that different. Both teams have a hard-nosed, defensive oriented style. Each overcame a low seed to claim the sectional crown (Scituate was 15th out of 17 teams in the South draw).

The Sailors were one of four of the five teams from the competitive Patriot League to qualify for the postseason. Scituate upended favored league rival Pembroke in the South semifinals | mirroring the Headers' first-round triumph over arch rival Swampscott.

"Scituate had a similar year to us. They weren't amazing, but they know how to win in the playoffs," said Bates, the Headers' leading scorer with 13 goals and 25 points. "They're playing with a chip on their shoulder right now."

The Sailors are also playing an emotional brand of hockey in honor of Tim Mahoney, a sophomore defenseman who was tragically killed in a car accident in February. Scituate has been starting only four skaters in the games since and has been fueled by Pat Mahoney, Tim's brother and a team captain.

Marblehead is keenly aware that they'll need to keep their wits about them as they match the Sailors' intensity.

"We don't want to change much; we need to play relaxed as we have all along," said Bates. "You can't let too much intensity build up because you get taken out of your element. We have to play our game."

That game has been a steady and strong on their skates for a team that rolls all three lines and a trio of defensive pairs.

That depth allows the Headers to keep fresh legs late in the third period, which they might need to slow down Sailors Danny Galvin (13 goals, 29 points), Pat Duggan (17 goals, 28 points) and Jamie Pratt (7 goals, 22 points).

"This is the most depth we've ever had," said Jackson. "It's almost the old 'rope-a-dope' strategy, where we're rolling all our lines and looking to wear (opponents) out."

Staunch goaltending has also helped Marblehead, with junior Aaron Reny riding two straight shutouts and 98:11 of scoreless hockey.

An emotional lift will be coming the Headers' way with the return of senior Eric Fader, who has missed the last two games with a dislocated elbow. Fader delivered inspiring speeches before the last two contests and is the squad's second-leading scorer with 10 goals and 18 points.

"He's a tough kid," said Jackson. "The night he got hurt, he was in his basement trying to shoot to see if he could play."

Challenging a team with the edge in experience is nothing new for Marblehead, which dresses eight freshmen and had its all-freshman 'Maroon Line' of Chris McLeod, Alex Whitmore and Justin Levine on the ice with 1:14 to go in the 1-0 North final against Concord-Carlisle.

Youth has worked well for the Headers, though, as have the lack of expectations that came with their 10-10-0 regular season record.

"There was no pressure on us, so we've been able to just go out there and play our game," said Bates.

Continuing to do just that might be the biggest key of all when the Headers take the ice tonight.

"We're on a roll, and I think success breeds that," said Jackson. "The biggest thing for us is to stay consistent in what we've done, with all 20 guys working hard and contributing."