WEST SPRINGFIELD – It’s never fun to lose.
And it’s especially never fun to lose by one goal during one of the biggest stages a high school hockey team could experience together.
And that’s exactly what occurred for Pope Francis during its Division I state semifinal loss against Catholic Memorial in March. Amidst the final minutes of regulation, the Cardinals and Knights continued to search for something positive.
And the Knights won the race.
Moments after Christian Hinckle forced a turnover in the opposing zone, Jack McCourt secured the loose puck and saw open ice. As McCourt neared the opposing net, he unleashed a backhanded wrister before multiple defensemen intervened.
And the rest was history, as McCourt beat former Cardinals netminder Nick Ritchie’s glove side to help Catholic Memorial earn an impressive 1-0 win against Pope Francis at UMass Lowell’s Tsongas Center.
That outcome ultimately ended the Cardinals’ run to raise their first state crown since 2023. The Knights, however, seized their opportunity.
A different name played hero for Catholic Memorial, though, as Tommy Hurst scored with 21 seconds left in regulation to ensure the Knights defeated Saint John’s Shrewsbury 4-3 for their first state title since 2009.
Now, fast-forward about 10 months, Pope Francis and Catholic Memorial are scheduled to meet each other in a rematch of the D-I state semifinals. The Cardinals and Knights will compete on Saturday at 7 p.m. inside Warrior Ice Arena.
It will be an early-season test for both sides, as Gabe Kolodjay scored the go-ahead goal in his debut to help lead Pope Francis past Natick in its home season-opener on Thursday. Netminder George Ramsey also stopped 11-of-13 shots faced to remain undefeated in seven career appearances thus far.
Catholic Memorial, meanwhile, earned an impressive 6-0 win during its road season opener against Belmont on the same date. Eight different players recorded at least one point for the Knights’ offense, which included five combined assists between AJ Ankstitus (three) and Liam McKinney (two). Jaxson Fleming also stopped 10 shots in net to earn the shutout.
So it’s hard to believe neither team had this date circled on their respective calendars once the schedule was released. Though Catholic Memorial has won four of the last five games against Pope Francis, including back-to-back one-goal outcomes, Cardinals coach Brian Foley is excited for their rematch.
“Our schedule is so tough,” Foley said. “We know everybody we’re going to play will be good.”
Determining who will claim Saturday’s game is an unknown fact. But one thing is for sure, Pope Francis will start its comeback season behind a familiar starting lineup with exceptional experience, talent, and chemistry with each other.
According to Foley, Matt Regan (19 goals and 18 assists), Wolfgang Zinger (10 goals and 22 assists), and Liam Dolan (11 goals and 19 assists) will lead the forward class.
On defense, meanwhile, multiple 6-foot-3 defenders in Mason Gautreau (two goals and seven assists) and Jack Goggin (eight assists) will guard behind the blue line.
And in net, Ramsey will continue to play between the pipes, as the junior took over for recently graduated Ritchie. Another essential fact is that five of the six starters are upperclassmen, which ultimately bolsters Foley’s trust in the group to help the Cardinals have another memorable season.
“With this year’s team, our top line is returning intact,” Foley said. “I expect to have a high-scoring offense between all four lines. Our defense is solid, and our goaltender (Ramsey) is great. Last year, as a sophomore, George was 6-0. Nick Ritchie was a senior, and ahead of him.
“But we are very confident that George is going to keep our tradition of having a top goalie alive. So from the goal out, there are no real holes that I see because they practice hard and do their work in the weight room, and they wanna continue to get better. Just like everybody, there’s a lot to be excited about. We just have to hopefully stay healthy and improve as the season goes on.”
And if all goes according to plan, Pope Francis will return to TD Garden and compete in its first D-I state championship since the Cardinals defeated Xaverian in 2023.
“I think the way for us to get over the hump is to play our best game of the year during that last game of the year,” Foley said. “It’s unfortunate that 1-0 loss wasn’t our best game of the year. The boys know we could’ve played better as a group.
“We don’t want to repeat that mistake, so we’re just trying to improve week-by-week. And if we can do that, then I think we’ll be in good shape by the end of the season.”
