HOCKEY

Reny saves day for Marblehead in North final

By Jack McCluskey, Globe Correspondent | March 8, 2008

As the anthem played, Aaron Reny stood alone, halfway between his teammates lined up on the blue line and his net, impatiently shifting from side to side.

When the last note was sung, Reny skated straight for his crease - and the Marblehead boys' hockey team is glad he did. The junior was a major factor in the Headers' 1-0 upset win over Concord-Carlisle in last night's Division 3 North championship game in Chelmsford.

"Aaron Reny? What can you say," Marblehead coach Bob Jackson said. "Back to back shutouts, you just can't speak enough about him. He came up big."

Marblehead (10-10-0 in the regular season) sneaked into the tournament as the 12th seed, then caught fire behind its talented goaltender - beating the fourth, 13th, and top seeds to get to the final against the second-seeded Patriots. They did it with a lineup that featured nine freshmen.

"We've really come together," Jackson said. "It's been really rewarding as a coach."

Both teams had chances early but neither offense could break through and the game was scoreless until just after the eight-minute mark of the third period. After Reny stopped another Concord-Carlisle attack, Marblehead's speedy forward Andrew Bates broke free with the puck.

Bates slid the puck across the ice to Chris Donahue. Donahue immediately fired it from point-blank range toward the net, and Bates redirected it in.

The only shot that got past Jon Nessa (27 saves) would be enough for Reny.

Led by senior P.J. Fulton and sophomore Robbie Snook, the Patriots fired away, to no avail. Slap shots, wrist shots, wrap-arounds - Reny (30 saves) had an answer for everything. Glove save, stick save, diving kick save.

After praising his goalie for giving up only five goals in four tournament games, Jackson said it probably helped that the Headers skated six defensemen for most of the night. Reny agreed.

"The defense did a great job. They're my best friends," Reny said. "I'll take them to dinner."

Division 1 South: Sophomore Sam Kane scored the only goal as Needham defeated Marshfield, 1-0, to advance to tomorrow's sectional championship.