The championship wait is over Boys' Latin ice hockey

by Ted Black

The wait ended for Boys’ Latin School ice hockey Thursday. The Lakers won the MIAA B Conference title with a 5-2 decision over Loyola Blakefield at Piney Orchard in Odenton.

Drew Wehberg, Dom Markovich, Cade Bruning, Nick Chan and Chase Wehberg each tallied for the Lakers (11-1 overall), which won its first championship since hoisting the B championship plaque in 2012. Jesse D'Alonzo and Jimmy Albanesi netted goals for Loyola Blakefield.

After splitting with the Dons during the regular season, Boys’ Latin left little doubt in the proverbial rubber match, scoring the first five goals to avenge its lone blemish of the campaign.

"We wanted to come out fast and set the tone early," Boys Latin second-year coach Baptiste Vernieuwe said. "Getting that first goal in the opening minute was huge and then Drew's short-handed goal was big to start the second. These guys have come a long way from where they were just a few years ago."

Loyola topped the Lakers, 7-3, in late November before BL got even with a 7-4 decision last month. A festive crowd inside Piney Orchard perhaps expected a nail-biter in Thursday’s championship match, but the Lakers had other ideas.

Markovich, who would suffer a lower jaw injury later, got Boys' Latin off to a quick start with the game's first goal less than a minute into play. Bruning, a freshman defensemen, made it 2-0 lead near the midway point of a first period that featured no penalties.

The first penalty gave Loyola a man-advantage early in the second, but the Lakers flipped momentum. Wehberg scooped up a loose puck near center ice, raced literally unguarded for a short-handed tally. 

After the Lakers killed off another Loyola power play nearing the midway point of the second period, Bruning and senior captain Nick Chan combined on the most picturesque goal of the contest. Bruning drove into the Loyola end, down the left side, then fed the trailing Chan with a crisp crossing pass and the he whistled the shot past Loyola’s goalie for a 4-0 lead.

In the final minute of the second period, freshman Chase Wehberg pushed the Boys' Latin advantage to 5-0 on assists from Bruning and Chan. Loyola was awarded a power play moments later and was able to capitalize as D'Alonzo ended Boys' Latin's bid for a shutout with 11.2 seconds left before intermission.

Loyola (9-4) scored the only goal in the third period in short-handed fashion as Albanesi flipped a shot from center ice that eluded Boys' Latin goalie De Andre Jones and found the top shelf just over three minutes into the final period.

The Lakers stay vigiliant and finished the task, closing the season with 10 consecutive victories and their first championship in more than a decade.

Two seasons ago, Boys’ Latin, with a roster of freshmen and sophomores, won just one match.

Drew Wehberg remembered those days would eventually prove beneficial, especially Thursday.

"We had a lot of young players two years ago," said Wheberg, who will play  lacrosse for UMBC next year. "A lot of us were new to the league. We didn't know what it was all about. But we had a good season last year and this year we had a great season.”