Inspired play of goalie Jacob Schofield ignited near-upset for Southeastern boys hockey

There was nearly a dramatic shake-up to the Division 3 high school boys hockey bracket last week.

No. 28 Southeastern/Bristol-Plymouth was the culprit.

Down 2-0 to No. 5 Watertown, the Division 4 runner-up from last season, the Hawks scored two goals in the final minutes (including the equalizer from John Whalen with 37 seconds left in regulation) to bring on a thrilling double-overtime finish in the Round of 32 last Wednesday.

Southeastern/B-P fell short, 3-2, as Watertown advanced to the Sweet 16, where the Raiders knocked off No. 12 Dracut, 6-2. Watertown next plays No. 4 Nauset in the Elite Eight.

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“I hate losing it, but it was probably one of the best games we’ve played (in my time)," longtime Southeastern/B-P coach Mark Cabral said. "Against a solid three-line, four-defensemen, good-goalie team, we played right with them. I think we earned a lot of respect from them. We just didn’t go away.

“If we played like that and lost 4-1, I’d still be just as happy.”

Goaltender Jacob Schofield was the star who shone the brightest all night, as the senior made 48 saves in what Cabral considered to be "possibly the best performance I’ve ever seen from a high school goalie."

Southeastern was outshot 17-2 in the first period and 51-30 overall.

“He made stops glove-hand, stick-hand, (with) both pads, that were labeled for the net and he frustrated them to the point (Watertown was) getting a little chippy around the net," Cabral said. "You could see their frustration building.”

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“Myself, personally, I tried my very hardest. I think I put in one of my best efforts I ever have in my life playing goalie. I can also speak that for my teammates, as well. They played really hard and none of us were disappointed," Schofield said. "Obviously, we wanted the win, but none of us regret it. We all played our hearts out.”

Schofield joined the high school team during his junior year and made a handful of starts at both the JV and varsity levels but was thrust into the full-time starting role following the death of junior Dylan Quinn, who was killed in a motor vehicle accident the morning of Jan. 15.

The team has been playing in Quinn's honor every game since, and the inspired play revved up once again in an upset bid during the first round of tournament play last week – a big stand against a team that went to the Division 4 state final this time last year.

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“Dylan inspired all of us. We played for him every game,” said Schofield. “Even myself, at practice and games, I watched him to improve my skills. He was really good. I watched him to improve my rebound (control), seeing what he was doing and it was tons of fun watching him. Every game, we would mention him.”

Colin Wilbur, Kacey Brown, Alex Baker and Chris Natsis were the standouts in the defensive effort down the stretch. Natsis laid out to block a Watertown shot late in the third period to set up Whalen's chance to tie things up a few plays later in the final minute of regulation.

“I was jumping up and down on the bench. I was very excited. I could barely see it, too," Schofield said of the tying goal. "The whole bench was ecstatic – the trainers, the coaches and all of us.”

“I have no idea how it even got to John," Cabral said with a chuckle. "I didn’t even know who scored the goal because it was off a scramble with everyone in front of the net.”

Cam Wilbur also scored, notching the goal that sliced the Hawks' 2-0 deficit in half at the 10-minute mark of the third period.

Southeastern finishes the season with an 11-9-1 record.

“(Watertown) could’ve easily been up 4-0 after one. I think they expected (that) with the seeding and them knowing us, knowing them. That team went to the Garden last year in D4 and returned eight seniors. Good players," Cabral said. "That was probably the best defense we’ve played against all year.”

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Underdog Southeastern boys hockey took No. 5 seed to unexpected OT end