Sweet six-cess for Don Bosco on ice by Darren Cooper of The Record
WAYNE – Six for Don Bosco, as in six county titles, powered by a talented six-man core of defensemen.
The Ironmen won their Bergen County ice hockey title Wednesday night at the Ice Vault, downing a valiant Glen Rock squad, 6-1. The Ironmen got a goal just 63 seconds into the contest, and five different players lit the lamp with Ryan McKlinskey scoring twice.
After the game though, the talk centered on the Ironmen’s defense, which held the Panthers to 16 shots.
“I have six defensemen that are incredible,” said coach Greg Toskos. “We limited their shots a lot. Even when we gave up odd man rushes, coming down, we poked them away and they really couldn’t get anything off the rush.”
This one won’t fill up the Ironmen’s season-long highlight film. Sure, there were some flashy offensive moments for the Ironmen (11-3-1), but mainly it was a relentless, suffocating defense that did the job. The Panthers couldn’t maintain puck possession and when they did, the angles were small and the space was limited.
It was a grind. A grind the Ironmen were happy to run.
“Just a lot of hard work from the whole team,” said junior defenseman Tristan Frese, who scored 19 seconds into the third period. “We have a good top six, our core is very good. We knew they would be pretty strong and they’d give us a tough game, but if we got a couple past them, we might be able to run away with it.”
“At the end of the second period, it was 3-1 and we said defense wins championships, and I said, I don’t care if it ends 3-1, but it has to stay one for them,” said Toskos.
Frese is originally from Broomfield, Colorado, and moved here with the hopes of being exposed to more colleges. He said he’s enjoyed his time and being part of the Ironmen’s tough back six.
“He just fell into our lap,” said Toskos with a smile. “Fell into our lap.”
In the six years of the Bergen County ice hockey tournament, the stiffest challenge Don Bosco had ever faced was probably last year’s semifinals, when Mickey Burns scored an overtime game winner to lift the Ironmen past the Panthers, 3-2.
While it’s easy to say that the Bergen County tournament has become a de facto Don Bosco Invitational, the truth is the level of ice hockey in the area has improved, but right now it’s what you could call the middle class that is getting stronger. There are more contenders, but the Ironmen remain on top by a significant margin.
“I think Glen Rock is an improved team. I think Indian Hills is a quality team. I think Mahwah is a team to be reckoned with,” said Toskos. “It will be fun to watch what happens….River Dell/Westwood gave Bergen Catholic a run in the first round. There are some teams from our county make a real run in the playoffs. That’s what I hope to see out of this.”
Ramsey was state champ just last season, and lost to the Ironmen three years in a row in the finals. The Rams have struggled this season, but Northern Highlands, Indian Hills and St. Joseph’s have all made strides. And next year it could be their tome to go up against the Ironmen. No one is ducking the challenge, but no North Jersey team can yet match the Ironmen’s depth and talent.
Another truth is that North Jersey athletics is full of dynasties. Ridgewood wins county titles in girls lacrosse. Immaculate Heart wins them in swimming. Hasbrouck Heights wins dual meets on the track in the spring.
“They exist, like Northern Highlands girls soccer, UConn women’s basketball team,” said Toskos when asked about being a dynasty. “The reality is these things happen. We are fortunate right now that we are in the middle of a run with it.”
The true test for the Ironmen will come, once again, against Delbarton, the reigning state power. The Ironmen host the Green Wave on Sunday, having beaten the Ironmen earlier this season.
“We will be ready for Sunday right away,” said Toskos. “From here on in, it’s a seven-game playoff. They are all big league games now, so we have to do it.”