Hats off to Robinson, Winchester in upset of Reading

Winchester co-head coach John Messuri's line of thinking last night at Reading's Burbank Arena was simple and direct.

Beat third-ranked Reading and a berth in the Super 8 would be a possibility. Lose and a chance for the eighth-ranked Sachems to get a spot in the elite tournament would be all but gone.

Behind a hat trick from forward Sam Robinson, Winchester held off of a relentless Reading attack in the first period and claimed a 3-1 victory despite being outshot, 27-13.

''Reading's a great team, I think they're one of the top five teams in the state," Messuri said, whose team improved to 13-1-0. ''I don't see it any other way.

''I know this, we had to win tonight. They'll put two teams from the Middlesex League -- if Reading's second."

Reading (9-2-3), which had a goal called back three minutes into the second period because the net was dislodged, was persistent in the Sachems' zone but developed a pattern of blasting the puck off Sachem goalie Colin Currie.

Robinson's first goal came with 11:18 left in the second. After a miscue by a Reading defenseman, Robinson took the puck in alone on goalie Joe Bramante and blasted one home.

With 2:18 left in the second period, Robinson found the left side of the net on a rebound.

Reading, eyeing a comeback after sophomore forward Patrick Kiley rifled in a shot from the goal line with 1:16 left in the game to make it 2-1, had its momentum stopped when Robinson stole the puck and scored on another breakaway with 52 seconds left.

In other boys' hockey action:

Hockomock: Junior Chris Rooney led Canton (10-3) to a 4-2 victory over Mansfield with a goal and two assists.

Northeast: Senior Jared Herdt scored both goals in Winthrop's 2-1 win over Saugus.

Patriot: Junior Colin Donohue had two goals and an assist as Scituate (11-2-1) clinched the league title.

Girls' hockey
Nonleague: Sophomore Danielle Daldotto registered a hat trick as top-ranked Austin Prep (12-0) won the 100th game in school history -- all under head coach Jim McGonagle -- beating Notre Dame of Hingham, 10-2.

Boys' basketball
Nonleague: Marshfield's Dan Doherty scored 17 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in a 61-60 victory over Whitman-Hanson.

Catholic: Senior Heman Honore's 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 blocks helped give St. Clement's a 74-52 win over Matignon.

Catholic Central: Justin McNeil and Mike McCarthy each had 20 points to lead Savio Prep to a 63-51 victory over Shawsheen Tech.

Globe correspondent Conor Nevins contributed to this report.