'It doesn't get old': Walsh, Duxbury boys hockey in D-2 Final Four for third straight year
STONEHAM – Mike Flaherty knows that not every postseason journey is the same. The Duxbury High boys hockey coach admitted the path this time around wasn't always clear.
"If you had asked me at the beginning of the year, would this be a team that would get back to the state semis? I don’t know. I’m not sure," Flaherty said.
Past the midseason mark, there was a time these Dragons were 6-6-3. Thursday night at Stoneham Arena, they're Final Four bound. Again.
No. 10 Duxbury survived a test from No. 15 Masconomet, 3-1, to advance to the Division 2 semifinals for a third consecutive season and face No. 11 Boston Latin on Sunday (time/location TBD).
“It doesn’t get old," Flaherty said with a laugh. "It actually gets more enjoyable."
“My guys just battled. I’m so proud of them," he said. "We had a pretty rough start to the season. A little inconsistency, we had some issues and we fixed it. … These guys won’t quit. They’ve been here. They know how to get here. We just have to take the next step.”
The past two Final Four appearances have come and gone without a trip to the state championship game – last year Duxbury lost to eventual champ Canton, 3-1, and, in 2022, Duxbury suffered a double-overtime heartbreaker to Tewksbury, 4-3.
“I hope we get over the hump. It’s so hard to do this,” said Flaherty. “For us to get back to where we are this year, this is probably the most satisfying of the three.”
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Senior captain Brady Walsh continued his standout postseason run with two goals Thursday night. He lasered in the first from the point to knot things, 1-1, at the 9:48 mark of the opening period. He snuck in his second just under the pad of Masconomet goaltender Chris Sacco to secure the winning margin at the 4:51 mark of the third.
“I wasn’t on the team two years ago, but last year we made it to the Final Four and we know we have business to take care of," he said. "(This tournament run) means the world to me. These are my brothers with me. I’m just trying to do everything I can to help the team win and make it as far as we can.”
Walsh, who transferred to Duxbury High from Vermont Academy for his junior year, netted a hat trick in Duxbury's 6-2 win over Oliver Ames in the Sweet 16. He's up to 15 goals and 8 assists for the season.
“Amazing. Absolutely amazing," Flaherty said of Walsh's season. "Kid’s a warrior. He wears his heart on his sleeve. I love the kid. He’s just a great leader and he put the guys on his back a little bit. Last couple games, he’s been on fire. Hopefully he keeps it up.”
Weiler scored the go-ahead goal, his third of the season, with 2:21 to play in the second period as Duxbury (14-8-3) entered the final frame playing in front.
“You know what, Cormac has a knack for big goals," Flaherty said. "He hasn’t scored a lot this year, but I’m not surprised he got that. That’s a Cormac goal – front of the net, battle, get a rebound, put it home. He doesn’t have the numbers, but what he brings to our team is a lot of grit, a lot of sandpaper and he was fantastic again tonight.”
Duxbury has now outscored its tournament opponents, 14-4, through the first three rounds to join the school's girls' team, which finished last year with championship hardware, in the Final Four.
Flaherty's group remains hungry to do the same. “Hopefully (the win) is a little more satisfying after next week,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Walsh, Duxbury High boys hockey on to MIAA Division 2 Final Four again
