Congratulations to BCH and Weymouth on getting here. Now this is the way the Super 8 should end, two undefeated teams playing for the title. Should be a close game with two very deep, experienced and physical teams going at it. I think the more experienced goalie gets it done.

BCH3 Weymouth1

Who's with me?

Weymouth 3-2 how can you not root for Weymouth.

Go Weymouth Wildcats!

Great win, Weymouth couldn't be more proud!

BCH-3

Wey- 1

2-1 going into the 3rd and BCH scores an empty net goal at the end of the game.

Go Weymouth! I love when a public school goes this far and beats awesome private schools who actually recruit kids to play for them...nothin agains private schools but I like underdogs...maybe its because I went to a public school but I want Weymouth to win...goin to see my hometown Scituate play in the D3 state finals so go sailors too!!!

rjepuck14, I understand your excitement at the prospect of a public winning the Super 8 but people need to stop with all the recruiting talk. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN. They don't have to recruit, they have waiting lists of kids who want to go there, whether it be for academics or athletics. In the end, if your elementary grades don't cut it and you don't fare well on the entrance exam you don't get in, regardless of your athleticism. These aren't prep schools where kids go to squeeze in some extra time to get in to that D1 college.

BCH, your really in denile if you think recruiting doesn't happen. It does.

For those from Weymouth that can't make it to the game, Weymouth Public Schools just did a mass telephone call to all homes, that the game will be televised on Comcast.

Go Wildcats!

Well from my own experience and talking with those I played with not a single one was just recruited cold. Kids are either going to Catholic/Private or they are not. Once they decide they are going that route there is definately influence/pressure/coercing as far as which Catholic/Private they choose.

But if the world makes more sense knowing the only reason you keep losing to a Catholic School hockey team is because they chased little Tony Toeheeldrag around Shea Rink when he was power skating, so be it.

Is there a webcast for those of us who dont live in Mass any more?

Worldwidetixx*,

Why in the world would a Catholic school risk sanctions from the MIAA to recruit a few players? It would make no logical sense. The overwhelming majority of students, parents, alumni, faculty and administration in these schools would not put up with that. These schools depend on their reputations to not only attract new students but to make these students more desireable to colleges. And I don't mean desireable as hockey players, but as STUDENTS.

In a graduating class of 150-300 about 99% of the students from most of these schools will go on to four-year colleges. Far above that of ANY public high school in Massachusetts. That is why students want to go there. All of these graduates are desired by colleges because of the high standards and academic expectations the schools place on them. Why would the schools risk their reputation for 10-15 hockey players per class? The negative press a "recruiting" scandal would bring on would hurt not just the athletic departments, but also the overall reputations of these schools.

If anything, because of BASELESS accusations lacking any sort of actual EVIDENCE, these schools endeavor to follow all rules to a T. It is very easy for people to throw the recruiting word around on these message boards. But I've never heard of any PROOF. There is no doubt that PLAYERS and PARENTS try to convince great players to apply to and even transfer to a Catholic school. But that is not recruiting. The players and parents are not official representatives, and they have no bearing on the admissions process. If a player is encouraged to apply to a school because a coach tells them a FACT, ie they will see the best competition, without any promises that is NOT recruiting. And financial assistance at these schools are based on NEED. Of the family. I don't know Kenny Smith. I don't know his family. But I'd make the assumption that they had the need, and they were very fortunate that the school's alumni are generous with students in need. All the Catholic schools work this way.

I don't know Coach Hanson from CM, but I have only heard that he is an honest, hard-hard working person who demands the same honesty and work ethic from his players. Why would he risk his good name, and the good name of an institution he loves, for the sake of some 14 year old kid? He doesn't have to recruit-- and kids flock to his program anyway. Because they can CHOOSE to go there, he doesn't have to recruit, he gets good players by producing excellent results which players want to share in. Any public school coach CAN'T have kids choose to go to their school (and don't even start with the Everett football crap). So they have to produce results with the kids they have, which can be successful in any given year, but is difficult to maintain. Its really a simple concept.

The MIAA has done a lot to deal with this "problem" (so percieved by some). They created a special tournament to allow for more championship chances. And today there was ONE Catholic school and SEVEN public schools playing. There was one Catholic champion, and THREE public champions (all from the South Shore by the way!). Where is the problem?

Im cofused by your post...first of all I am a supporter of the Catholic schools.....I graduated from a local Catholic & Prep school..... having said that you are off base. Explain to me why the schools send their star athletes to the local Catholic Middle schools to talk to the 8 graders and take them on tours of the schools...and introduce them to the coaches and other hot shot athletes in the school???? No one ever questioned Hansons character....he is obviously a class individual. that doesn't mean recruiting doesn't happen. You are confusing the word.....there certainly aren't coaches sitting in an alley after school waiting to pounce ont the top kids around,,,,It happens in summer leagues.....you play for a local coach in the summer who allows coaches the local Catholic High School power and you build a bond...the coach says "why don't you come play for me".......I gave you one example of a kid who live 4 miles away from his current school....he was a varsity player as a 8th grader....he plays that summer in a HNIB tourney for Coach Hanson and Sept rolls around and he ends up at CM. I can ASSURE you 110% that his family wasn't suffering financially.....he did what alot of kids would do in his shoes he was OFFERED the opportunity to play FOR FREE for the best team in the country and send him to the levels he was looking to reach and it proved to be a GREAT move but there is NO IF AND or but's about it he was RECRUITED to play there.... The schools are actively recruiting students on a daily basis; and as I mentioned this is not limited to hockey.....it happens in all sports and for academic stars as well. In order for the doors to stay open the schools recruit....this is VERY COMPETITVE and goes on EVERY DAY.........its really no SECRET!

OUCH!

Weymouth finally ran into a team more physical than themselves. They played alright in the first while BC played kind of sloppy. I don't know where the team went for the 2nd and 3rd but it wasn't back on the ice. I guess I expected to see a better game than that.

And what's up with their coach, was he trying to burnout his first line intentionally.?They have a pretty deep squad and he totally screwed it up by trying to rely too much on the stars.

Anyhow nice work Eagles.

I don't believe BC High recruits, but the school has over 70 towns represented. For all those 12 year olds watching, it must very attractive to leave your home town and go play for the eagles. I can state that BCH does not supply any extra tutoring for athletes. the studying is up to them. There are a lot of kids that can't cut the academics, discipline, commute, etc. and leave for their home town school. There are some great atheletes that leave BCH after their Freshman year for these reasons. There are great football, soccer, hoops players that quit BCH and move inot starting roles at their local school. It happens, but recruiting does not happen.

I grew up in Boston and went to high school during the white flight of families to the suburbs. It became very hard for city schools to compete with suburban schools and we always blamed the suburbs for having better equipment, facilities...etc. The same mentality is at work when suburban towns now accuse Catholic schools of recruitment. I was at last year's Super 8 and watched Hingham and Duxbury play graet games against catholic schools. Duxbury played well for a period and a half against BCH. I use that example because it has a Catholic powerhouse against the type of school we always liked to accuse of being from a different planet.

The suburban towns that have a team in the Super 8 have kids from the town who have been playing together since they were mites. This group goes together through all levels and if they are really good proceed to this tournament. The problem is that the talent level fluctuates and there is no ability to get new talent unless a kid moves to town.

The Catholic schools are not encumbered by residency. They can attract the talent from any town's talent pool, in effect using towns' sporting probgrams as feeders. Because they can then get the kids who are good and want to go to that school, they gain a continuity (CM for instance) that town teams can lack.

This doesn't mean they recruit. One thing that BCH does do is go to the Catholic middle schools and try to get the best kids academically and athletically to apply. This has always been the case, with middle schools rated on how they place their students in each Catholic High School. In BCH's case, it is very hard to get a kid and give him a spot because academically they have to respond. It is not an easy school and while some liberties may take place , I look at the graduation rate and percentage of kids who attend four year colleges to determine any classroom skullduggery. It hurts me to say that BCH has a great program and that kids want to go there and that they can also be selective in who they take. I am a Boston Latin School graduate and miss the days when we were rivals.

Relax. I was not making any excuses, only , as you stated in your reply, reasons. They are not the same thing. I don't need to make excuses because I can watch the games absent any personal involvement, (yet!). My reply was to those who believe that BCH recruits players and I think that was what I put in my post. Can you explain how you think I am making excuses, other than giving BCH its due as both a premier athletic and academic high school?

Here's the formula for the publics to compete with the catholics. Get a coach who loves to coach and know what he's doing. Then hire assistants who love to coach and know what their doing. Then go down to their youth program and have people coach who love hockey and know what their doing. Then treat the kids like real people when they get to the high school level and then they'll love hockey and know what their doing. There are way too many individuals who have been coaching at the public schools who have been around way too long and don't give a crap about anyone but themselves and their pay check.

Hey nickmc11 where did you play? Why are you so jealous of Weymouth. They had a good team and had skilled players. If you actually watched a few games you would have seen they have more than just King. And I love how people seem to think Catholic teams are so much better than publics. It is more like BC High and CM are better and it is a crapshhoot after that.

Nickmc - People are on the "nuts" of BC and CM because of what happens in the post season. Last time I checked you guys didn't win a Super 8 game and got crushed by Central.

Enough with St. John's Prep they are not in wither CM or BC High's class and never will

be. THey will always be 3rd or 4th in CC probably 5th as both MC with Coach Serino and X will

move past them.

I forgot when was the last time St. Johns Prep, Malden Catholic or Xavarian won the Super 8 ? or made the finals for that matter. It is BC High and CM at the top and everyone else below them. Don't fool yourself and think all the catholic school teams are better than the publics. It is just those two.