Breaking into the elite

The high school hockey hierarchy in Massachusetts can feel like that of the Vatican. Between Catholic Memorial and Boston College High, Arlington Catholic and St. John's Prep, it often seems that if you're not a Catholic school, you're not in the club.

For most of its hockey history, however, Central Catholic of Lawrence hasn't been part of that elite group. As tough as it is for a public school to compete with the hockey programs that draw from all over the region, try being a nonwinning Catholic school and attracting the best hockey players from the other Catholic schools.

Such was the problem Mike Jankowski encountered when he took over the reins of the Raiders in 2001. With the program coming off a pair of three-win seasons, the 1987 Central grad and Methuen native had some work to do, and it wasn't simple.

"There's some real misnomers about Catholic schools," Jankowski said. "People tell you there's recruiting and there's this and that. There isn't. Kids have to meet the academic requirements and the affordability for the school, so it's real tough. And with hockey, it's not just one person."

Six seasons later, Jankowski does have one person who stands out: senior captain Paul Jaskot, the state's leading scorer (29 goals, 56 points) at week's end. But the reason Central Catholic is suddenly eyeing the first Super 8 berth in the program's history is a blazing first line, a deep unit of forwards behind them, and a staunch defense and goalie who haven't given up more than three goals in any game over the team's current 15-game (12-0-3) unbeaten streak.

Jankowski had felt that last year would be the renaissance that his Raiders, currently 13-1-3 overall, had been waiting for. If not for "a couple bounces here and there," the coach said, things might have turned out differently. Central went 11-9-1 last year and led Malden Catholic by two in the first round of the tournament before blowing the lead and watching the Lancers march all the way to the Division 1 North final.

"This year," Jankowski said, "it's all coming together. I think a lot of people are surprised. I think it's something we anticipated a little bit."

That's because he's been able to watch the development of his seniors, especially Jaskot, a Methuen native and left wing who has turned good offensive production last year (33 points) into an explosion this season, when he's averaging more than three points per game, thanks to improved confidence and strength. His linemates, senior captain Kevin McCarron (36 assists, 47 points) and junior center Tim Houston (19 goals, 40 points), haven't exactly been slacking, either.

"It doesn't really matter who puts the puck in the net out there," Jaskot said.

"As long as we put it in and finish on our plays, we're doing great."

As well as they have done, one of the reasons that Central has had difficulty entering the elite of Catholic schools is the Raiders' presence in the Merrimack Valley Conference/Dual County League, a hockey-specific league with 18 teams, 17 of them public schools. This year, the Raiders tore through their eight-game MVC/DCL Division 1 schedule without a loss or tie, with the closest games a pair of three-goal wins over Chelmsford and Billerica.

But Jankowski said some outsiders look down on the league, so perhaps the key to the Raiders' getting noticed has been the nonleague schedule, which the coach has made an effort to toughen since he took the job. This season, the Raiders started the season at a tournament in Vermont, where they picked up their only loss. They tied Western Massachusetts power Cathedral and will travel to play Rhode Island juggernaut Mount Saint Charles Academy tomorrow.

But the biggest moment came last week against St. John's Prep, then the Globe's number two team, before about 1,000 fans at Merrimack College's Lawler Arena. The number 10 Raiders led until the closing minutes, when the Eagles tied it, 2-2, with 1:38 to play. Even though Central didn't get the win, it was the first time in the six years they have been playing St. John's Prep under Jankowski that they didn't lose.

"I think we outplayed them most of the game, and a lot of MIAA guys might have noticed that," said Houston, a North Andover native. "After St. John's, [we] developed a little bit more confidence as to whether we were going to be in" the Super 8.

What stuck out to Jankowski, however, was the fact that his entire team, first line to third line, skated with the Eagles on every shift. His second (Derek Sacco-Matt Girouard-Brendan Sleain) and third (Cam Fisichelli-Justin Kurek-Ross Sarmento) lines, along with his defensive corps led by Mark Brien and his goalie, Mike Alesse (1.95 goals-against average), kept up the consistency that's enabled Central to skate hard for nearly every period all season.

"We play the whole game, every game," said McCarron, an Andover native. "Last year we had a couple of close one-goal games that we lost. This year, we seem to pull it out."

With good performances in Rhode Island and in next week's Newburyport Tournament, the Raiders would presumably be in good position for a Super 8 berth, which means the old circle of Catholic schools might have to make room for a new face.

"I think these kids and the success they're having now," Jankowski said, "is going to be able to attract some good hockey players from the area that would have decided to go elsewhere."

Mike Lipka can be reached at mlipka@globe.com.