RANDOLPH SQUIRTS WIN 2006 HAGGERTY TOURNAMENT 

In a hotly-contested Thanksgiving weekend tournament at the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Randolph Junior Rams Squirts triumphed in the Haggerty Ice Hockey Tournament. The Haggerty Tournament is held in honor of the late Paul Joseph Haggerty.  Haggerty was a 1991 graduate of the United States Military Academy and an assistant coach with the Army hockey team.   

In their first game of the tournament on Friday morning, the Junior Rams were overmatched by a very physical team from Bronxville, NY.  Bronxville jumped ahead with two goals early in the first period, and added another before Randolph answered with two goals by Matthew Villar.  Despite Randolph’s more aggressive play in the second and third periods, Bronxville was able to scratch out two more goals and defeated Randolph 5-2. 

After the disappointing loss, the Junior Rams were treated to a walking tour of the historic West Point campus by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Accardi, an alumnus of the Academy, and his son Aidan.  Inspired by the Accardis and the spiritual presence of Abraham Lincoln, Randolph played their second game of the day with a renewed vigor.  Although Army scored the first two goals of the match, Randolph came roaring back.  Randolph’s high-powered offense of Jonathan Abrams, Matthew Bruno, Eric Kaden, Matthew Koop, Noah Leinwand, Kenneth O’Brien, Garrett Stenberg, and Matthew Villar pummeled Army with over 30 shots on goal, posting unanswered goals by Kaden, O’Brien, Bruno, and Abrams to emerge with a 4-2 victory.   

On Saturday, Randolph faced off against Navy, the winner to play Bronxville for the championship.  The Junior Rams immediately took control of the game, with center Jacques St. Germaine winning the opening face off, threading through Navy’s defense, and blasting a wrist shot past Navy’s goaltender.  The Junior Rams built a lead with goals by Kaden and Koop, while the defense of Kevin Beckerman, Jesse Bush, Brian Greulich, and Matthew Vozzo limited Navy’s opportunities.  When Navy did manage to squeeze its way into the Junior Rams’ zone, goalie Albert Gregorio was ready.  In another typical yet amazing performance, Gregorio made one incredible save after another.  With the score 4-3 and one minute left in the game, Navy pulled their goalie and mounted its final attack with an extra skater.  Randolph’s unyielding defense, anchored by Gregorio, withstood Navy’s ferocious barrage and the Junior Rams were on their way to the championship game. 

The championship game was a defensive battle with the teams combining for just 21 shots on goal.  The first period ended with no score and Randolph with 5 shots to Bronxville’s 2.  That was to change just 32 seconds into the second period when St. Germaine once again led off the scoring with a goal, followed by a goal from Villar assisted by Brendan Siegel only 48 seconds later.  The stunned Bronxville team tried to regroup, but the Junior Rams took command.  Siegel appeared to be everywhere as Randolph dominated both ends of the ice with its unrelenting forechecking and backchecking.  Bronxville could muster only one goal while St. Germaine added another as Randolph handed Bronxville its first loss of the tournament and took the 2006 Haggerty Championship.