Thanks to the efforts of Berlin seniors Jordan Wacker and Zak Waznia, the Newington/Berlin co-op hockey team gets to test whether the third time will be the charm when it faces Windsor/Avon/East Granby for the CCC South Championship on Saturday, March 5 at 2 p.m. at Trinity College.
“Windsor/Avon/East Granby had beaten us both meetings this season by two goals each time and had already clinched the number one spot. We needed to step up and win our conference game against Rocky Hill/RHAM/Middletown to set up the rematch,” according to head coach Dave Harackiewicz, who’s been involved in hockey since he was a youngster and played right wing at the University of Dayton.
Wacker beat the goalie for the game winner against Rocky Hill/RHAM/Middletown on Wednesday, Feb. 23, while Waznia added a goal in the 3-2 victory.
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“Jordan was injured much of the season,” Harackiewicz said of the right winger, who scored with 0:22 left in the game. “He suffered a knee injury and came back from that before a concussion sidelined him. He’s a quick skater who generates a lot of speed, so we missed him while he was out.”
Waznia, a center, “is skilled at handling the puck. Zak is a playmaker who sets guys up.
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He’s a fearless player who can give a hit and take one. Jordan and Zak play on the same line and work well together.”
Saturday’s 9-2 Senior Night victory over E.O. Smith/Tolland/Windham saw N/B jump out to a 4-1 lead after the first period. A quartet of goals in the second period and one in the third closed out the N/B scoring.
“Before the start of the season, the players and coaches drafted a list of goals. They‘re posted on the locker room wall. Our ultimate goal is to play in the Final Four at Yale. Newington has been there twice, but this would be a first for the Newington/Berlin co-op team.
“We’re 12-6-1 heading into Tuesday’s meeting with North Branford. We’ve already qualified for the state tournament, which begins on March 7, so we’ve achieved that goal. Tournament seedings will be released on March 5.” A win over North Branford would give N/B 13 wins and achieve another of the team’s goals.
“We have a real good group of kids,” said Harackiewicz, who lives in Newington and previously served as the Manchester head coach from 1993-96. “Berlin Athletic Director Jim Day has been a supporter of the co-op team, now in its third year. A co-op team is good for two years, so this is the beginning of our two-year renewal.
“These kids want to play hockey and this co-op gives them an opportunity to play at the high school level because neither Newington nor Berlin have enough players to field a team. It’s fortunate for us Berlin is the next town over, so transportation is not an issue. We’re able to practice right after school at the Newington Arena.”
The team totals 27 total players, seven of whom call Berlin home. Newington’s Lou Grubin has assisted Harackiewicz for 12 years. Paul Helenski, from Berlin, signed on eight years ago and coaches the goalies.
Harackiewicz called playing at Rentschler Field as part of the Whale Bowl on February 19, “an added bonus. The team had circled that date on the calendar since the beginning of the season. It was an experience like none other. Every player growing up has played outdoor hockey in some fashion and this was the way the game was meant to be played. We couldn’t wait for the puck to be dropped and to be a special part of the Whale Bowl in Connecticut.” Farmington held off a surge of Newington/Berlin activity, including a shot from junior center Brandon Ralph with 40 seconds left to preserve the 2-1 victory.
“We had our chances, especially toward the end, but they made the most of their opportunities and we didn’t. We outshot them, but we couldn’t put the puck into the back of the net,” Harackiewicz said. “I’ve been involved in hockey a long time, and this is the first time I’ve ever experienced an official outdoor game. I wish we could have won, but overall, it was a fantastic experience.”
Ralph entered the game against Farmington averaging over a point a game. “He’s aggressive and hardworking. He wins a lot of puck battles. He always skates hard and has a knack for putting the puck in the net. He’s scored some big goals for us.”
Sophomore Jeff Smolicz is “one of our more physical players. He’s close to 6-feet and around 180 pounds. He’s solid and physically strong. He plays regularly, so he’s on the ice a lot, facing juniors and seniors,” Harackiewicz said of the defenseman, who added a goal in Saturday’s win over EOSmith/Tolland/Windham.
Sophomore Scott MacLeod injured his wrist last year. “With this year of experience, Scott has the ability to be an impact player next season.”
Newington/Berlin does not have a junior varsity team or a freshman team, so “freshman left winger Dan McLeod has not played a lot for us. He practices and dresses for some games. He has skills but he’s physically not ready to go against juniors and seniors.”
Anthony Latina, another freshman, is a newcomer to the goalie crease. “We have a senior goalie and a junior goalie, and Anthony expressed interest in trying the position. Goalies are hard to find - it’s a specialized position. Anthony’s enthusiastic and he’s getting better day by day.”
