CARDINALS MAKE HISTORY! Boys Hockey Crowned D1 State Champs

Our Cardinals are very familiar with playoff hockey and the TD Garden. They have been there before and have been close, painfully close, to winning a state championship.

THE 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME resulted in an overtime loss to BC High and the 2019 game resulted in the longest MIAA playoff hockey game in history and a four overtime loss to the Eagles once again. In 2020, Coach Brian Foley and a very talented team were again headed to the championship game. Set to play against Arlington, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the game was canceled just 3 days before it was to be played. The magical season abruptly ended with a co-champion title.

Three years later, another historic run allowed our boys hockey team to once again play in the championship game. It was by no means an easy road to get there as our Cardinals won three consecutive postseason games by a one goal margin. These victories were the result of a fearless and tenacious team, supported by sophomore goalie, Nick Ritchie, who kept the Cardinals in the game.

On March 18, we put our championship game history behind us, said our prayers, and packed up bus loads of students, family, and friends to head back to Boston. Following almost three full periods of intense play with a tied game, fearing a return to overtime, senior captain Josh Iby scored the winning goal with 25.6 seconds to go. Iby was assisted by Mossy Kearney ’24. For the first time in school history, the Cardinals became D1 State Champions, defeating Xaverian Brothers High School 3-2. “It’s absolutely incredible. We didn’t just want it for us. We won it for that team a couple of years ago. All those seniors, all the alumni before us. We’ve had so many chances to win it. We finally managed to take the title and we were able to win it for our school and everyone that came before us” said Josh after the game.

Coach Foley was overwhelmed with text messages from former players, congratulating him on achieving the state title. “A lot of those kids were feeling like there was some unfinished business and so they’re a part of this and it’s good that we were able to win it for, not only this team, but all of our former teams and alumni” said Coach Foley.

While this tremendous accomplishment by our boys hockey team filled all members of our tight-knit community with great pride, the pride traveled well beyond Pope Francis Prep. It was 1952 when a Western Mass hockey team last won the top prize. The 2023 Cardinals are thrilled to bring the title back to Western Massachusetts!