LYNN — A year after being knocked out of the Super 8 with a loss to St. John’s of Shrewsbury in the play-in game, the St. Mary’s boys hockey team has another chance to prove it belongs with the cream of the crop. Senior co-captain Colin Reddy and his teammates are eager to make the most of the opportunity.
The Spartans drew the No. 8 seed in the Division 1A Super 8 tournament and will skate against No. 9 Marshfield in Monday’s (7) play-in game. The winner earns the No. 8 seed and advances in the Super 8 bracket. If the Spartans lose, they’ll enter the Division 1 North bracket. Reddy, a four-year varsity player at right wing, was a member of the St. Mary’s team that won the Division 1 state championship two seasons ago.
“Colin’s had an extremely successful hockey career like a lot of his teammates,” said St. Mary’s coach Mark Lee. “He played at the (TD) Garden in two of his first three years. As far as hockey goes, he’s a tenacious, extremely hard-working player.”
Last season’s tournament run ended much sooner than the Spartans hoped. After being knocked out of the Super 8, the Spartans were eliminated in the first round of the Division 1 North tournament with a loss to Winchester.
Reddy said the Spartans have learned from last season’s mistakes.
“We lost the play-in game last year and it’s kind of a motivation thing for us this year,” said Reddy, a Lynn native. “We want to play our best and get into the Super 8 tournament, definitely.
“I think we learned that the competition’s the highest in the state. I still think we can compete with them. We beat Austin Prep, Hingham and B.C. High last year, so I think we were ready for it. We just didn’t play our best game. Hopefully we learn from that. We have another chance this year and hopefully we’ll get it right.”
The Spartans finished the regular season 16-5-1. Along the way, they progressed as a group and overcame adversity to put together a solid season through a competitive schedule. St. Mary’s hung tough with some of the best teams in the state, including in a 3-1 win over Central Catholic, and a 2-2 tie with Pope Francis last week in the final two games of the regular season.
“Just like any season, you have your ups and downs through injuries, sickness, and things like that,” Reddy said. “We’re a little banged up right now. We have a chance to get back into the Super 8 now. That was our goal and we’re just going to go with it.”
Reddy credited Spartans goalie Joe Purtell for being the team’s backbone throughout the season. When key saves needed to be made, Purtell stood tall in net and put the Spartans in positions to win.
“Throughout the year the team has gotten closer,” said Reddy, who has scored 45 goals and dished 43 assists in his St. Mary’s career. “Players have stepped up. Joe Purtell, in particular, stepped up. When you’re playing tough teams, you need a good goalie. He’s stopped some crazy shots in key moments and that gives us momentum.”
As he’s gained experience with the Spartans, Reddy has molded himself into a reliable leader who sets an example for his teammates. He was named a team co-captain before the start of the season.
“The team picks the captains,” Lee said. “I think Colin’s somebody they look up to. He goes out and really leads by example with his hard work ethic and determination. He works extremely hard. Against his opponents, he takes it personal and sets a pretty good example for the compete level you need to have with the competition we play against.
“Everybody’s good (at this point in the season),” Lee added. “It’s going to be tough. You rely a lot on leadership. There’s going to be highs and lows. If you have good leadership to steer the ship, it helps. We’ll rely on Colin to bring calmness. He’s been there before. We have a great core of senior captains. Together, I think they’ll do a great job.”
Reddy comes from a family that carries a deep tradition at St. Mary’s. His older brother, Liam, played football at St. Mary’s and helped lead the Spartans to the Division 3A Super Bowl in 2016. His late cousin, Patrick, also captained the hockey team. A 2006 St. Mary’s graduate, Patrick died in 2007 from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
“I remember Patrick as goofy and very athletic,” Reddy said. “He was a captain at St. Mary’s. Going to watch him play at St. Mary’s was my favorite thing to do. He had a great smile. My family tells me I’m a lot like him.”
Reddy appreciates the support he receives from his family.
“It means the world to me,” Reddy said. “My uncle Mike, we lost Patrick, but he’s at every game. He loves it just as much as I do. My parents and my brother are at every game, along with the other Reddys. We have our own little fan section. I just like making them proud.”
