BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer
With a trip to the NJSIAA Non-Public School final on the line on Sunday, the Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) ice hockey team was not about to let its guard down.
The Colts faced off with Don Bosco Prep, a team they had already beaten three times this year, and dropped a fourth win on the Ironmen, 5-2, with a solid all-around effort.
CBA (24-3-2) got on the board at the 3:23 mark of the first period when forward Mark Schofield hit the back of the net off an assist from sophomore linemate James van Riemsdyk. Then at the 12:23 mark, it was van Riemsdyk that padded the CBA lead, scoring on a rebound off a shot from defenseman Eric Castellazzo.
The score remained 2-0 into the second period, when Bosco got on the board with a Kevin Reich goal at the 11:37 mark. It remained that way through the second period, but once the third period began, the Colts earned themselves some breathing room.
Just 12 seconds into the final period, Castellazzo controlled the puck just inside the Don Bosco zone and threw the puck at the net, hoping for a deflection of a rebound. What he got was even better, as Don Bosco goalie Mark Stoffel allowed the puck to squirt between his legs, giving the Colts a two-goal lead once again.
The “lucky” goal seemed to rejuvenate the Colts, as just under two minutes later, Schofield took another pass from van Riemsdyk and fired a wrist shot past the Ironmen goalie for a 4-1 lead.
Don Bosco managed to score another goal to make it 4-2 at the 7:12 mark, but van Riemsdyk sealed it with an open-net goal at the 14:52 mark, his fourth point of the game.
It was a strong effort from the Colts, who outshot Don Bosco 26-18 on the day. CBA started the game a bit tentative, with Bosco clearly the aggressor, but CBA goalie Ryan DeCeuster (16 saves) was calm between the pipes, allowing the Colts to find their groove.
Monday night, they made it official, claiming the state championship with a 2-1 sudden death overtime win over Delbarton to win the state championship.
Costellazzo hit van Riemsdyk with a long outlet pass in the 53rd minute, and the junior converted it for the game-winner, setting off a wild celebration at the Continental Airlines Arena.
The win was a tremendous come-from-behind effort for the Colts, who managed to tie the game on their 38th shot with just 4:04 to play in the third period when Schofield notched an unassisted goal. That set the overtime session, and van Riemsdyk’s game-winner.
The win marked not only a state title for CBA, but also a tie-breaker among the two top teams in the state. CBA and Delbarton entered yesterday’s game deadlocked at 1-1-1 through three previous meetings, adding an extra dimension to Monday night’s final.
With the win, the Colts finished the year at 24-3-2. But more importantly, as state champions.