After a thrilling season with a plentitude of highs and lows, the Sherwood hockey team’s historic state playoff run has concluded. The Warriors on ice fell to Urbana in a heartbreaking 7-3 loss in the state semifinals. After entering the third period with a 3-2 lead, the Warriors eventually broke down against an extremely well-rounded Urbana team that was controlling possession for most of the game. Senior captain Cam Calandro delivered the game-tying and game-leading goal, both in the second period, which gave the Warriors the lead, but ultimately didn’t last. The semifinal appearance marks the furthest the team has ever made it in its deep-rooted history.

The Warriors entered the state tournament as the last possible seed in the tournament, 16th out of 16. Prior to even getting there, they had to win a playoff game against rival B-CC, which they did in a narrow 5-4 victory. They then advanced to a play-in game in order to punch their ticket to the state tournament against Queen Anne’s. They again escaped with a win in a 4-3 thriller and entered the state tournament, where they would face off against the 1-seeded River Hill on their side of the bracket.

After toppling River Hill in a dominant 8-5 win thanks to 4 points each from sophomores Vaughn Teeter and Dominic Romano, they moved on to the state quarterfinals. Their run continued when they beat La Plata in overtime after senior Ryan Green tallied two goals in the third period, and Teeter netted the game-winner late in overtime. Sophomore goalie Aidan Pesek showed up when it mattered most, playing outstandingly the entirety of the Warriors’ playoff run. The transfer from St. John kept the squad in every game they played. He made big save after big save and stopped a couple of near goals late in overtime against La Plata with the season on the line. The miracle run was put to an end with the Warriors only one period away from a state championship appearance.

The future is bright for the Warriors on ice, though, and there is lots to look forward to for the players and their growing, committed fan base. The current sophomore class is very strong, and the freshmen defensemen proved themselves this year to be solid on the back end. Junior Roman Khrizman will likely take the helm as captain next year, leading both on and off the ice.This season set a high bar for success but with the returning talent, the Warriors can definitely make another run at states. For now, though, history has been made, and the boys should be proud of themselves for a one-of-a-kind season.