Varsity Ice Hockey | WCAC Metro Division Champs!

The St. Mary's Ryken Varsity Ice Hockey team brought home the second conference Championship of the 2018-19 season by defeating Our Lady of Good Counsel 4-2 in the inaugural WCAC Metro Division Ice Hockey Championship on Friday, February 15.

"The WCAC playoffs were a meaningful one, as the team had high hopes to bring SMR it's first ever WCAC Ice Hockey championship," said varsity Ice Hockey Coach Matt Billman. "After beating Bishop Ireton, we knew we would get our third shot at Good Counsel, who beat us twice already this season. We knew after the first two games that we were the better team, but things just hadn't gone our way, and told ourselves that we can't let the same team beat us three times in one season. We were confident in the few days leading up to the game and knew the only outcome would be victory. Coming into the game we knew we had to strike first to get the momentum, and Shane Gregan (senior and assistant captain) got us on the board in the first 16 seconds. After that goal we knew it was our game. We continued to push until we built a 4-1 lead, and then it was up to us to hold the lead."

This is the first season that Ice Hockey has been officially considered a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference sport by the conference. The team will move onto the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) "A" Division championship this week.

"The team and I are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished so far, but there is still more work to be done.  We are dedicated to winning the MAPHL Championship," continued Coach Billman.

In the history of St. Mary's Ryken, the school has won five WCAC titles including the titles this year by football and ice hockey. Previous titles were won in Boys Lacrosse in 2007, Softball in 2014 and 2015.