“I was pretty much just watching film during class all day, getting ready for the game,” junior forward Caleb Young said. “And then we got there like two hours before the game, and that’s when the nerves started to kick in and it started to actually get real.”
After a tense, scoreless first period, the Cavaliers found an opportunity on a power play half a minute into the second, when junior defenseman Cory Maldonado faked toward the blue line before cutting back for a shot that found the net.
Later in the second, again on a power play, Young entered the Cardinals’ zone, passed it to senior defenseman Bryan Rice to relieve the pressure, then received the puck again on the now-open right side to knock in the decisive goal.
Making the most of power-play opportunities has been something Spalding has worked on all season, to mixed results. Coach Rob Trantin said forcing the Cardinals to take penalties — and then taking advantage — is a testament to the Cavaliers’ aggressive game plan.
The Cardinals scored midway through the third period and then pulled their goaltender on a power play of their own to create a six-on-four advantage in the final seconds.
“That’s when it set in — that they could get back into the game right there,” Young said. “And those were the longest 16 seconds of my life.”
Even with an MIAA title in hand for the Cavaliers, the Spalding-Calvert Hall rivalry isn’t complete. The teams will meet again in the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League playoffs this week, this time at the Cardinals’ home rink.
West Springfield’s indoor track and field coach believes the boys’ team won last winter’s Virginia Class 6 title in an unconventional way.
“Last year was so unusual because we kind of piecemealed it and put together a state championship by kind of getting a couple points and a bunch of different events,” Coach Chris Pellegrini said. “[At] the state meet, you typically want to have the heavy hitters that can get large clumps of points, and you can score more heavily and in a couple concentrated areas.”
While West Springfield was able to win the hard way, Pellegrini believes this year’s team is even better suited for the Feb. 26-27 state meet in Virginia Beach, featuring talent that can win events and secure points in large chunks.
The Spartans boast some of the top field performers in the state. Senior shot putter Brady Echols ranks second in Virginia with a personal best of 57 feet 5 inches. Senior high jumper Paris Johnson is tied for the best mark in the state at 6 feet 6 inches. Joseph Blumberg and Michael Murray slot in as top-10 pole vaulters.
Also, juniors AC Ross and Mark-Anthony Whyte broke a school record with an identical 6.43-second time in the 55-meter dash.
Pellegrini is hopeful the Spartans’ success in the field and help from their short-distance runners can provide the necessary lift.
Meanwhile, the girls’ team, which Pellegrini called the best he has ever had, will aim to improve on last season’s third-place finish at the state meet.
“I’d like to think that the experience of having done well last year and knowing that it’s possible will help them,” Pellegrini said.
When H.T. Tragle whipped around to view the scoreboard at Hampton Aquaplex, his eyes immediately went to his impressive 45.23-second time in the 100-yard freestyle. A time that dropped 0.53 seconds would surely be enough to win back-to-back state titles, he thought.
Then, he saw the number two blink on the screen, having been bested again by First Colonial sophomore Austin Temple (44.99), who had edged out Tragle in the 50-yard freestyle.
“Should I be a little disappointed?” Tragle thought. “Nah, I’m happy for him.”
Committed to Virginia Tech, the Riverside senior improved his time from last year’s title-winning event. He did it with a different look this time, ditching bleached hair for temporary tattoos.
“That stuff took forever to get rid of last year,” Tragle said.
He also decided to drink caffeine before the meet. An energy drink enthusiast, Tragle relayed that he might have overdone the water-to-caffeine ratio. “I had to spice things up,” he said.
Brentsville District sophomore Evan Sanati marched to a Virginia Class 3 title at 126 pounds Saturday at Salem Civic Center.
Sanati, who improved to 45-5, was barely tested in his bracket. He won his first three matches with first-period falls and jumped on Heritage (Lynchburg) senior Justin Porter in the final, winning by technical fall. When his hand was raised by the referee after he sealed the result with a near-fall in the third period, Sanati’s celebration was muted, little more than a slight smile on his face.
As a freshman last year, Sanati competed at 113 pounds and placed third at the state meet. In July, he continued his ascension when he traveled to the national championships in Fargo, N.D., and earned all-American honors in the Greco-Roman and freestyle events.
Sanati was Brentsville’s only individual champion, but other Tigers joined him with podium finishes. Billy Tyler (150 pounds) got second in his weight class and Riley Macedo (132) placed third. Also, Connor Hogbin (138) placed fourth, and Leland Cline (113) was fifth.
Brentsville, which erased a 40-point deficit in the region tournament to top Skyline by a point, finished fourth in the Class 3 team competition.