By Larry Moko
The Bishop Ryan Celtics are 4-peat champions of Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic girls' high school hockey.
But winning the 2025-26 final at Mountain Arena may have been the hardest of them all.
The Celtics trailed by three goals with 10 minutes remaining before rallying for a 7-6 decision over the St. Thomas More Knights on Thursday.
Defenceman Jada Perger scored the winner. It was on the powerplay and her rising shot from the point found the net with 41.2 seconds left on the clock.
"It was nerve-racking," Perger said. "We were all pretty jumpy on the bench."
First-place Bishop Ryan (8-0) went undefeated for the second-straight season. As for the Knights, they finished in third place with a record of 3-5.
Speedy winger Julia Sayej scored three goals for BR, while other singles went to Mary Monaghan, Aly Pescetti and Lily Strecker (her first goal as a Celtic).
More, which lost 6-2 and 9-4 to the Celtics during the regular schedule, got two goals by Hunter Burch plus one apiece by Athena Aitzis, Kionna McCrory, Angelica Morcone and Juliet Columbro.
"My heart was in my stomach," Celtics coach Paul Altobelli said. "I was extremely nervous. It was a championship game where both teams came to play. It was a battle.
"St. Thomas More really wanted it. They came out hard right from the get go."
After BR whittled a 5-2 lead down to 5-4, Columbro increased More's advantage to two goals again with 3:39 left.
Goals by Strecker, Sayej and Perger closed out the scoring.
"I kept my head in the game and didn't give up at all," Perger said. "There was no over-thinking ... just going out there and doing it."
Perger, Monaghan, Pescetti and Alyssa Hargot are the Grade 12 veterans who have been members of BR's four trophy-winning teams.
"I was originally a centre but they pulled me back on defence," Perger said. "I switch positions often. They've done it mostly all the years I've been playing."
St. Thomas More was seeking its first league championship since 1999.
"To beat them," Knights coach Trevor Young said, "we were going to pretty much have to play a perfect game. We were about 99 per cent, today.
"Our girls hustled, executed and stuck to the game plan. Everyone did their job."
Thanks largely to the goaltending of rookie Gabby Gennaccaro, the Knights carried a 3-2 lead into the third period.
"That's only her sixth or seventh game ever playing in net," Young said. "At this level, that's pretty tough."
Said Altobelli: "Hats off to her for that effort. She kept them in the game. That kid was an anchor for them."
Bishop Ryan's attack usually involves the prolific goal-scoring of centre Pescetti. But she was held in check by the Knights.
"They knew the power she can possess on the ice," Altobelli explained. "So they double-team her and defended her very well.
"I'm guessing she scored 30 goals this year. They kept her on the outside all game. She couldn't find a seam in the middle."
For Young, it's his 21st season of coaching the Knights.
"I think we've played in close to half of the league finals (including last year's)," Young said. "We've lost in every way possible."
With the win, BR advances to the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference AAA final against the Halton champion. It will be held Monday, March 9 in Hamilton.
Other Celtic players include Madisyn Rilett, Emily Polak, Julianna Van Dalen, Fiona Gawdun, Ariana Cannon, Sofia Van Dalen, Myley Vidal, Emma Cloutier, Alexa Carviel Walsh, Danika Burchell, Ella Schweitzer and Avrie Burchell.
Regarding the third-period comeback against More, Altobelli said: "They (Celtic players) proved they believe in each other. They did not want to give up."
Photos by Richard Andoga
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