BHS Six Eliminated by Dartmouth in Tourney
Mar 28, 2016 02:17PM ● By Kenneth Hamwey
BHS's Nick Dulac
written by KEN HAMWEY, Bulletin Sports Editor
An enjoyable and successful season came to an end for Bellingham High’s hockey team when top-seeded Dartmouth erupted on offense and defeated the Blackhawks, 11-6, at Hetland Arena in New Bedford in a first-round clash of the Division 3 South playoffs. Bellingham entered the game as a No. 17 seed and already had a tourney victory after downing Wareham/Carver in a preliminary game. The Blackhawks also played without their starting goaltender, Josh Morse, who was stricken the night before the game with a viral condition.
In spite of facing the prohibitive favorite without Morse, coach Ken Bertoni’s forces grabbed a 1-0 lead two minutes into the game, thanks to Sean Williamson’s lightning-quick wrist shot that beat Dartmouth goalie Tyler Martin from the right side. The Indians, however, tied the contest a minute later when Scott Shorrock beat Bellingham goalie Rob Geromini, who filled in admirably for Morse. Bellingham regained the lead on a goal by Dylan Boucher, who unleased the puck from the right corner.
Dartmouth, led by Shorrock’s hat trick and five assists, bounced back with the next four goals and led after the first period, 5-2. The second stanza, however, turned into a fierce-checking, highly-aggressive matchup that featured a host of penalties, including a double-minor that led to two Dartmouth goals when Bellingham was short-handed. After two periods, the Indians had an 8-3 lead, but the Blackhawks never quit, scoring three times. Dartmouth ended the game, getting an empty-net goal for the final 11-6 margin.
Bellingham was led by Owen Haley, who had two goals and one assist, while Williamson, Robidoux, Kyle Holland and Boucher each tallied a goal. “Our kids never quit, playing hard right to the end,” Bertoni said. “I’ve got nothing but praise for every one of our players. We rallied for Josh, who was ill, and I thought Rob [Geromini] played with lots of heart and courage in goal.” Bertoni, who was the Tri Valley League’s coach of the year, said he’d trade that award in a second for a trip to the tourney finals at TD Garden.
Senior defenseman Matt Alexander, who was a TVL honorable-mention all-star, said afterwards that the Blackhawks played with heart and determination knowing they were at a disadvantage. “We knew we had a tough opponent and it’s not easy in the playoffs,” he said; “but we played in determined fashion, and we tried to leave our mark on the program. It was difficult playing without Josh, but Rob played determined and courageously.”
The Blackhawks finished their season at 11-10, and their appearance in the tourney was their first in 14 years, dating back to 2002.
Before facing Dartmouth, the Blackhawks downed 16th-seeded Wareham/Carver by unloading a barrage of goals in a 10-2 triumph at Asiaf Arena in Brockton. Bellingham wasted little time, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after the first period and taking a 6-2 advantage after the second stanza.
Senior forward Nick Dulac, who was selected to the Tri Valley League’s all-star team, led the offensive attack with three goals and two assists. Williamson had two goals and one assist; Holland netted a pair of goals; and Alexander contributed two goals and two assists.
“Nick, Sean, Matt and Kyle played with intensity,” said Bertoni. “They were on a mission to get the job done and advance to play Dartmouth. “Our kids were ready to go. We came out strong and played a great game from start to finish. I was very pleased with their effort.”
Morse played a steady, consistent game in goal, making 14 saves and handling several 2-on-1 situations in admirable fashion. “Josh was very dependable, especially stopping Wareham/Carver when they mounted those 2-on-1 advantages,” Bertoni said.
Her finish earned her All-America honors, and her time enabled the Bellingham High senior to have the fifth fastest 800-meter run in the country. Her time also is a BHS record and her all-time personal best. She also is No. 1 all-time in the 800 for Massachusetts. Edwards finished 2.71 seconds behind Samantha Watson of Henrietta, NY, who took first place in a time of 2:05.11.
“After a slow start, I took the lead in the second lap, then maintained a pace running in the 3-5 spots,” Edwards said. “I felt good before the race. Although I was nervous, my preparation and training gave me a calm feeling. The 800 is a race where you have to maintain a fast pace. You have to stay in it and not fall too far back. There’s no room to relax.”
Securing All-American status goes to those finishing in the top six. That was one of Edwards’ goals and the other was achieving a personal best. “I was ecstatic to reach those goals, and it’s amazing and humbling to be fifth fastest in the country, have the best time in the state and have set a school record,” Edwards noted. “By passing up the New England meet, I was able to focus on switching gears from the 1,000-meter run to the 800. When I get ready for the outdoor season, I’ll be running mostly the 800 and the mile.”
Peter Lacasse, Edwards’ coach at Bellingham, labeled her effort as “a smart race,” and noted that she ran the first half of the race in 64 seconds and the second half in 63. “She tried to speed up the pace after the first lap and she did a good job of maintaining her position among the leaders,” he said. “Sarah was ready and she stayed positive as she battled in a field of 38 girls.”
Edwards will be competing next fall as a freshman on scholarship at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
Edwards wrapped up her state indoor track season by finishing second in the 1,000-meter race in a time of 2:47.61, the third fastest time for that distance in the country. The Blackhawk senior lost by .63 seconds to Ariel Keklak of Lincoln-Sudbury. Carr’s time in his 1,000 was 2:37.09, good for 17th place and a personal best.
“Sarah ran really well,” said BHS coach Peter Lacasse. “She trimmed seven seconds off her previous best, which was 2:54.33. “Not only does she have the third fastest 1,000 time in the country, but she also owns the third best time ever in Massachusetts. In the last lap, Sarah shifted into high gear and had a great kick that enabled her to pass three runners. This race was one of the most exciting ones I’ve watched in 22 years of coaching indoor track. Three of the girls who ran the 1,000 ended up with the second, third and fourth all-time fastest clockings in the state.”
Although pleased with cutting seven seconds off her previous best effort and happy with her state and national ranks, Edwards said was disappointed with the way she ran at the mid-point of the race. “I struggled mentally in the middle laps,” she said. “That’s what traditionally happens and it occurred again. If I had pushed harder in the middle laps, I would have won. I’m delighted with all the accolades and high ranks, but I would have preferred to finish first.”
Carr, who’s only a junior, completed his first year of indoor track on a high note. His time was a half-second off a Bellingham record. “Alex had such a good season in track,” Lacasse said. “I’m looking forward to his having a great spring season.”
The 4x400 relay team, comprising Carr, Will Schmith, Kyle Marquez and Nick Michaud, placed 23rd in a time of 3:37.64.
Ken Bertoni, who’s been Bellingham’s coach for the last nine years, was chosen as Coach of the Year. “It’s an honor to be selected,” he said. “It means a lot to be chosen by your peers, and the award is also a reflection on how hard our kids played.”
Bellingham High senior Paul Beera, who averaged 15 points a game, was selected as a first-team Tri Valley League all-star in basketball, and senior Meghan Cook was chosen honorable-mention on the girls squad.
TVL coaches voted Sarah Edwards as the MVP in indoor track. Edwards runs the 600, the 1,000, the mile and two-mile events. The only other honor the girls managed to achieve was finishing in a third-place tie in the league for sportsmanship. The girls tied with Holliston and Ashland. On the boys side, Alex Carr (1,000) and Will Schmith (hurdles, high jump) earned first-team honors while Darius Shubert (1,000) and Nick Michaud (300) were second-team selections. The boys team tied with Norton for first place in sportsmanship.
“My goal will be to build the program and gain respect in the Tri Valley League,” said Henderson, who earned his bachelor’s degree in international business from Assumption College in 2015. “We had a good turnout for sign-ups, about 40 girls, and that makes having a junior varsity team very realistic. We’ll reach out to the youth program in town and try to accommodate the girls who are playing at that level.‚Äù
Henderson played defender in soccer and was attackman in lacrosse. He was a teammate of Tyler Smith, the BHS boys lacrosse coach, when the pair played at the interscholastic level. Henderson works for the postal department in Johnston, RI.
An enjoyable and successful season came to an end for Bellingham High’s hockey team when top-seeded Dartmouth erupted on offense and defeated the Blackhawks, 11-6, at Hetland Arena in New Bedford in a first-round clash of the Division 3 South playoffs. Bellingham entered the game as a No. 17 seed and already had a tourney victory after downing Wareham/Carver in a preliminary game. The Blackhawks also played without their starting goaltender, Josh Morse, who was stricken the night before the game with a viral condition.
In spite of facing the prohibitive favorite without Morse, coach Ken Bertoni’s forces grabbed a 1-0 lead two minutes into the game, thanks to Sean Williamson’s lightning-quick wrist shot that beat Dartmouth goalie Tyler Martin from the right side. The Indians, however, tied the contest a minute later when Scott Shorrock beat Bellingham goalie Rob Geromini, who filled in admirably for Morse. Bellingham regained the lead on a goal by Dylan Boucher, who unleased the puck from the right corner.
Dartmouth, led by Shorrock’s hat trick and five assists, bounced back with the next four goals and led after the first period, 5-2. The second stanza, however, turned into a fierce-checking, highly-aggressive matchup that featured a host of penalties, including a double-minor that led to two Dartmouth goals when Bellingham was short-handed. After two periods, the Indians had an 8-3 lead, but the Blackhawks never quit, scoring three times. Dartmouth ended the game, getting an empty-net goal for the final 11-6 margin.
Bellingham was led by Owen Haley, who had two goals and one assist, while Williamson, Robidoux, Kyle Holland and Boucher each tallied a goal. “Our kids never quit, playing hard right to the end,” Bertoni said. “I’ve got nothing but praise for every one of our players. We rallied for Josh, who was ill, and I thought Rob [Geromini] played with lots of heart and courage in goal.” Bertoni, who was the Tri Valley League’s coach of the year, said he’d trade that award in a second for a trip to the tourney finals at TD Garden.
Senior defenseman Matt Alexander, who was a TVL honorable-mention all-star, said afterwards that the Blackhawks played with heart and determination knowing they were at a disadvantage. “We knew we had a tough opponent and it’s not easy in the playoffs,” he said; “but we played in determined fashion, and we tried to leave our mark on the program. It was difficult playing without Josh, but Rob played determined and courageously.”
The Blackhawks finished their season at 11-10, and their appearance in the tourney was their first in 14 years, dating back to 2002.
Before facing Dartmouth, the Blackhawks downed 16th-seeded Wareham/Carver by unloading a barrage of goals in a 10-2 triumph at Asiaf Arena in Brockton. Bellingham wasted little time, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after the first period and taking a 6-2 advantage after the second stanza.
Senior forward Nick Dulac, who was selected to the Tri Valley League’s all-star team, led the offensive attack with three goals and two assists. Williamson had two goals and one assist; Holland netted a pair of goals; and Alexander contributed two goals and two assists.
“Nick, Sean, Matt and Kyle played with intensity,” said Bertoni. “They were on a mission to get the job done and advance to play Dartmouth. “Our kids were ready to go. We came out strong and played a great game from start to finish. I was very pleased with their effort.”
Morse played a steady, consistent game in goal, making 14 saves and handling several 2-on-1 situations in admirable fashion. “Josh was very dependable, especially stopping Wareham/Carver when they mounted those 2-on-1 advantages,” Bertoni said.
Edwards Earns All-America Honors
Sarah Edwards ended her indoor track season in style by finishing fifth in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:07.82 at the New Balance National Scholastic Championships at the New York City Armory on March 13.Her finish earned her All-America honors, and her time enabled the Bellingham High senior to have the fifth fastest 800-meter run in the country. Her time also is a BHS record and her all-time personal best. She also is No. 1 all-time in the 800 for Massachusetts. Edwards finished 2.71 seconds behind Samantha Watson of Henrietta, NY, who took first place in a time of 2:05.11.
“After a slow start, I took the lead in the second lap, then maintained a pace running in the 3-5 spots,” Edwards said. “I felt good before the race. Although I was nervous, my preparation and training gave me a calm feeling. The 800 is a race where you have to maintain a fast pace. You have to stay in it and not fall too far back. There’s no room to relax.”
Securing All-American status goes to those finishing in the top six. That was one of Edwards’ goals and the other was achieving a personal best. “I was ecstatic to reach those goals, and it’s amazing and humbling to be fifth fastest in the country, have the best time in the state and have set a school record,” Edwards noted. “By passing up the New England meet, I was able to focus on switching gears from the 1,000-meter run to the 800. When I get ready for the outdoor season, I’ll be running mostly the 800 and the mile.”
Peter Lacasse, Edwards’ coach at Bellingham, labeled her effort as “a smart race,” and noted that she ran the first half of the race in 64 seconds and the second half in 63. “She tried to speed up the pace after the first lap and she did a good job of maintaining her position among the leaders,” he said. “Sarah was ready and she stayed positive as she battled in a field of 38 girls.”
Edwards will be competing next fall as a freshman on scholarship at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
Edwards, Carr Excel at All-state Meet
Bellingham High’s Sarah Edwards and Alex Carr turned in tremendous efforts in the MIAA’s All-State track meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on Feb. 20.Edwards wrapped up her state indoor track season by finishing second in the 1,000-meter race in a time of 2:47.61, the third fastest time for that distance in the country. The Blackhawk senior lost by .63 seconds to Ariel Keklak of Lincoln-Sudbury. Carr’s time in his 1,000 was 2:37.09, good for 17th place and a personal best.
“Sarah ran really well,” said BHS coach Peter Lacasse. “She trimmed seven seconds off her previous best, which was 2:54.33. “Not only does she have the third fastest 1,000 time in the country, but she also owns the third best time ever in Massachusetts. In the last lap, Sarah shifted into high gear and had a great kick that enabled her to pass three runners. This race was one of the most exciting ones I’ve watched in 22 years of coaching indoor track. Three of the girls who ran the 1,000 ended up with the second, third and fourth all-time fastest clockings in the state.”
Although pleased with cutting seven seconds off her previous best effort and happy with her state and national ranks, Edwards said was disappointed with the way she ran at the mid-point of the race. “I struggled mentally in the middle laps,” she said. “That’s what traditionally happens and it occurred again. If I had pushed harder in the middle laps, I would have won. I’m delighted with all the accolades and high ranks, but I would have preferred to finish first.”
Carr, who’s only a junior, completed his first year of indoor track on a high note. His time was a half-second off a Bellingham record. “Alex had such a good season in track,” Lacasse said. “I’m looking forward to his having a great spring season.”
The 4x400 relay team, comprising Carr, Will Schmith, Kyle Marquez and Nick Michaud, placed 23rd in a time of 3:37.64.
TVL All-stars Selected
The Bellingham High hockey team, which qualified for tournament play for the first time since 2002, had six selections. Forward Nick Dulac was chosen as Bellingham’s only first-team all star. Six honorable mention selections included defenseman Matt Alexander and forwards Kyle Holland, Owen Haley, Jason Robidoux, Sean Williamson and Dylan Boucher.Ken Bertoni, who’s been Bellingham’s coach for the last nine years, was chosen as Coach of the Year. “It’s an honor to be selected,” he said. “It means a lot to be chosen by your peers, and the award is also a reflection on how hard our kids played.”
Bellingham High senior Paul Beera, who averaged 15 points a game, was selected as a first-team Tri Valley League all-star in basketball, and senior Meghan Cook was chosen honorable-mention on the girls squad.
TVL coaches voted Sarah Edwards as the MVP in indoor track. Edwards runs the 600, the 1,000, the mile and two-mile events. The only other honor the girls managed to achieve was finishing in a third-place tie in the league for sportsmanship. The girls tied with Holliston and Ashland. On the boys side, Alex Carr (1,000) and Will Schmith (hurdles, high jump) earned first-team honors while Darius Shubert (1,000) and Nick Michaud (300) were second-team selections. The boys team tied with Norton for first place in sportsmanship.
New Girls Varsity Lacrosse Coach
Sean Henderson, a 2011 graduate of Bellingham High, is the new coach of the girls varsity lacrosse team. The 22-year-old Henderson, who played soccer and lacrosse at BHS, replaces Lynn Miatt, who decided to step down earlier in the year.“My goal will be to build the program and gain respect in the Tri Valley League,” said Henderson, who earned his bachelor’s degree in international business from Assumption College in 2015. “We had a good turnout for sign-ups, about 40 girls, and that makes having a junior varsity team very realistic. We’ll reach out to the youth program in town and try to accommodate the girls who are playing at that level.‚Äù
Henderson played defender in soccer and was attackman in lacrosse. He was a teammate of Tyler Smith, the BHS boys lacrosse coach, when the pair played at the interscholastic level. Henderson works for the postal department in Johnston, RI.
