CAMBRIDGE — The locks on the doorways throughout the recently-closed Matignon School had been in the course of getting modified out Friday afternoon, and entry to a microphone was out of the image.
But all it took was a pair weeks of spreading the phrase, and a propped-open door, for a number of dozen former members of the historic boys hockey program to come back collectively one final time contained in the Warriors’ gymnasium – honoring all the things the longtime energy achieved.
Matignon athletic director Mike Lahiff spoke for a couple of minutes after the group of about 70 individuals took a photograph collectively contained in the small fitness center, and legendary retired coach Marty Pierce learn a five-minute ready speech.
Pierce steadily describes his 40-year tenure – which included 10 state championships, 20 league titles and a big assortment of sold-out video games on the Boston Garden – as “magical times.”
Add this second to the checklist.
“The old players, the new players, the more recent players at the end of my career; they’re the best,” Pierce stated. “It’s just amazing to see this many here. I was glad I could get a chance to speak and thank them all. Just a great feeling.”
For no matter reminiscences that couldn’t be instructed from the banners that also held on the partitions round them, there have been greater than sufficient former gamers reminiscing their experiences collectively to fill within the blanks. Some of probably the most notable hockey names to stroll these halls confirmed up, in addition to figures from every decade of Pierce’s reign.
Framed photographs and newspaper articles had been introduced in. A number of had their jerseys on. Pierce wore his Matignon jacket.
“This is awesome to see,” stated former participant Peter Bracey, who was on the final championship staff in 1993. “To come back here one last time, to congregate in one room together – it’s pretty cool.”
Not solely did each dialog flip into a visit down reminiscence lane, but additionally opened a floodgate of names that made an affect on every others’ hockey careers. Many continued at notable Div. 1 collegiate applications like Boston College and Boston University, in addition to professionally.
Two-time champion John Lopes (‘83, ‘84) said playing for the program was a dream come true for him ever since he started following it in the second grade, listing ‘70s influences like Mark Fidler, Duke Walsh and Tom O’Regan. All three had been in attendance, in addition to different widespread names in Shawn McEachern and TC Harris.
Many recounted these highschool years as the most effective of their careers.
“I faked (being) sick in the eighth grade to go watch Mark Fidler and the Matignon team win a game at two o’clock in the afternoon at the Garden one year,” stated three-time champion Bob Emery, Class of ‘82. “Then I came to Matignon and really kick-started my hockey career, and added to the love that I already had for the game. We had so much success here.”
“I was in (the program) early, but I got to win one,” added O’Regan, whose three years within the NHL had been a part of a 15-year skilled profession. “My best memories in all of hockey were here. … Really special times.”
All the love towards this system begins with taking part in for Pierce, who began a convention of successful that’s largely unmatched ever because the dynasty kicked into gear. Walsh, Class of 1972, was there from simply in regards to the begin.
“(Pierce) willed us to be better,” Walsh stated. “He had structure for us. He installed in us a culture of working together and an understanding of working hard.”
That togetherness has caught all these years later, whilst the varsity is now formally closed.
It’s solely becoming that this system, which headlined an extended checklist of the Matignon’s general athletic success, acquired yet one more alternative to showcase that for one closing time inside the varsity’s partitions.
Source: www.bostonherald.com