FRAMINGHAM — The Littleton/Bromfield boys hockey crew rolled out one of many state’s most potent assaults and a stingy protection that was too typically overshadowed in what’s been a dominant 12 months for this system.
And on the largest stage this system’s ever performed on, Saturday’s state semifinal was no totally different.
Gavin Werling and Blake Hannon every scored twice for the No. 2 Tigers, who made their first Closing 4 look, and so they responded to an early deficit with 5 unanswered objectives for a 5-1 win over No. 3 Dover-Sherborn/Weston. Together with two assists, Werling broke this system’s earlier factors document (127) by reaching 130.
Extra importantly to him, although, Littleton/Bromfield is now headed to TD Backyard for the primary time, set to play No. 9 St. Bernard’s for both packages’ first state title.
“It truthfully means the world,” Werling mentioned. “Head coach Kevin Lizotte is the very best coach I’ve ever had. And the crew we’ve received behind us, the city we’ve received behind us, it’s unreal.”
“It’s a proud second,” Lizotte added. “It’s a extremely good group of youngsters. … I’m so completely happy for them. They simply, they do what it takes.”
It took lower than 5 minutes for the Raiders, who final gained a state title in 2024, to leap out to a 1-0 lead on senior Caleb Curran’s objective in entrance.
It took even much less time for Littleton/Bromfield to seize its first lead as soon as it lastly received clicking on the assault.
Werling sniped a top-shelf objective to the far nook from the highest of the correct circle with 5:17 left within the first, simply 1:26 earlier than Blake Hannon danced by means of site visitors up the intestine for a elaborate end simply contained in the left publish for a 2-1 lead.
“The response (to an early deficit) was get a fast one again after which hold the foot on the gasoline from there,” Werling mentioned. “And that’s precisely what we did.”
“The mentality of this crew is don’t stop, don’t surrender, battle till the tip,” Lizotte added.
The highest blew off within the second with Littleton/Bromfield on a penalty kill. Liam Glew dove in entrance of two photographs, earlier than Werling broke free for a shorthanded breakaway objective simply 1:37 into the body.
Hannon added his second lower than two minutes later, and Conor Glew completed off the scoring on a dish from Werling halfway by means of the third.
“We’ve received nice chemistry between each traces,” Werling mentioned.
With the efficiency, Littleton/Bromfield has scored at the least 5 objectives in each state event sport after scoring the second-most objectives in Div. 4 within the common season.
Lizotte seems nearer on the protection, which allowed Div. 4’s fewest objectives, as a degree of pleasure.
“The gamers that we put on the market can rating,” he mentioned. “We don’t surrender a number of objectives, and that’s what wins championships. … I cherished us going up 4-1, however I introduced the crew in there (and mentioned), ‘That’s not our id.’
“We’re a defensive-oriented crew. Begins with our goaltending, our D, and our forwards do a extremely good job defensively as properly.”
That particularly confirmed within the third.
Dover-Sherborn/Weston got here out with a significant spark to begin the third down 4-1, peppering Tigers goalie Jacob Dangel with eight photographs within the first three minutes. He completed with 13 saves within the body and 29 saves general.
“Jacob, he gained a state title in soccer as a goalie,” Lizotte mentioned. “He set the varsity document for many shutouts ever as a goalie. … We went down 1-0, you didn’t see him get annoyed. The crew, it feeds off him. He’s a senior, he’s a captain, he’s a pacesetter.”
