Fall Season Rings Out, Winter Season Takes Center Ice

Anticipation was the name of the game as this past sports weekend approached.

Obviously, the "Drive for Five" was the centerpiece of the weekend's sporting events, as we were privileged to witness yet another step in our football program's extending its historic run of championships to five consecutive years in their 32-7 blowout of archrival LaSalle Academy in Saturday's Super Bowl. More often than not, our guys seems to prove that it's who comes up big when all the chips are on the table that separates the great teams from the champions.

This past weekend was also the 'crossover' of sorts, as fall sports officially came to an end and the winter season got underway, and our hockey team laced 'em up for their first two contests of the season: a 6-1 win over Smithfield Friday night, before we went head-to-head with LaSalle for the second time in the same day, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rams on the ice.

As far as Network coverage was concerned, we weren't able to broadcast the Super Bowl, due to the state's contractual obligations with Cox Sports; however, we did have both hockey games live. First, though, let's get to the biggest game of them all.

Senior QB John Toppa took the Hawks across the finish line yesterday, running for three touchdowns and throwing for a fourth, leading our guys to the decisive victory.

Senior Mr. Everything Lee Moses accounted for the Hawks' other score.

The Providence Journal's photo gallery of the game can be seen HERE.

While the Super Bowl was the contest on everyone's mind, our hockey team was also in action this weekend, as they opened the winter season by splitting their first two league contests. Both hockey games were carried live by The Network, and any fans who might still want to watch either or both of the weekend's matchups can still do so, as the games are available both here on The Network site and on The Network's YouTube channel.

A full Network crew was on hand for our coverage of this past Friday night's game at Smithfield Municipal Ice Rink, a game that was a tough, defensive-minded match for about the first ten minutes of the game. Cam Brennan and Remy Morris took care of play-by-play and analysis duties, Stone Freeman put out the word on social media, Desmond Bernal alternated between taking notes on game developments and camera work, and "DT" Barron did some camera work and some Instagram work down at ice level.

Brandon Waterman then broke the scoreless stalemate at 11:44 of the first period when he dented the back of the Sentinels' net, giving the Hawks a 1-0 lead and sending our guys on their way to the eventual 6-1 win. That goal can be seen here:

The Hawks' next two goals are also here. The first, off the stick of Pat Creamer, came at 2:18 of the second period....

...and then Ryan King's, which came at 7:14 of the second frame, extending the Hawks' lead to 3-1:

Several hours after our football team had wrapped its fifth consecutive state title belt around its waist, the two schools went at it again, but this time on the ice, which certainly did give yesterday a "Super Saturday" feel to it. While our gridiron guys had imposed their will on their archrivals, LaSalle turned the tables in the hockey matchup by doing the same to us, as their talented, experienced, senior-laden squad used their physicality and quickness to win going away, 4-1. Throughout the game the Hawks never could seem to get anything going, as the Rams always seemed tougher and one step ahead. In fact, even when the Hawks were on power plays, the Rams still seemed to be controlling the action. The lone highlight of the night for the Hawks came when Bryce Dolan gave our guys the early 1-0 lead, 4:24 into the first period:

Other than that, it was all Rams. Matt Kenneally stopped 12 of the 15 shots that he faced during his two periods of work, while Cam Doomany stopped seven of the eight he took on during the third period. The Hawks were also whistled for eight minutes worth of penalties, some of which were probably more the result of inexperienced play than anything else.

So, the fall sports season goes out with a ring, and the winter sports season is just warming up. There'll be plenty of coverage all the way around here on The Network, of all five winter sports - hockey, basketball (looking to defend its state title), indoor track, wrestling (also defending state champs) and swimming. In fact, at the end of December, The Network crew will be traveling to Orlando, Florida, to broadcast live, back here to fans in Hawks Nation, the basketball team's games in the Walt Disney Classic.

Strap in, sports fans. Fall's finished, but The Network is far from done.