By Larry Moko
When NHL rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer last suited up for the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals a couple of years ago, that junior high school hockey team failed to win the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic championship.
Without his services this year, though, Newman captured the title.
Go figure.
The Cardinals took top honours in the six-team loop for Grade 9s and 10s with a convincing 5-1 victory over the first-place St. Mary Crusaders at LIUNA 4 Ice Centre Thursday.
It was the first championship for the Cardinals in the league's five-year history.
"It was kind of a fun situation," Newman coach Matt Pritchard recalled about coaching Schaefer at CN.
"When he last played here, it was the same year he got drafted (No. 1 overall) to the OHL. He played a couple of our games but then missed the playoff game. It showed because we didn't end up winning that year.
"Our principal (Anthony Macaluso) likes to give it to me about that one."
Newman scored twice in the first period and three times in the second before a goal by Crusaders captain Lucas Wellenreiter with one minute, 22 seconds remaining in the third snapped netminder Michael Matakovic's shutout bid.
"They played awesome," St. Mary coach Jason Kokoski said of second-place Newman. Earlier this month, St. Mary defeated Newman, 4-0.
"It was a total team effort," Pritchard said. "All three lines contributed. We got a goal from every one of them today."
The Cardinal scoring was shared by Jaxson Black, Lucas Bengert, Phil Boromello, Owen Faulds and Tyson Pan.
Said Pritchard: "We got a lot of shots on net. We had traffic in front and screened their goalie. That's how you beat a good goalie like that. The boys played great."
Kokoski said St. Mary got off to a slow start and couldn't recover.
"Today we had more compete," said Black, who also picked up a pair of assists. The goal was his 10th in seven starts.
"I might be a little biased," Pritchard said, "but I think Jaxson is the best player in the league right now. He carries the play out there. Again today he came up big for us."
According to the Newman coach, Black -- a Grade 10 student who also played at the club level for Hamilton Steel -- would have been a welcome addition to the Cardinals 2025-26 varsity team.
"My coach wouldn't let me play varsity," Black said. "But once the season was over I got to play junior. It was really fun."
Newman finally "got over the hump" by hoisting the trophy, Pritchard pointed out.
"Newman hockey in general has been knocking at the door for a few years now," he said. "In varsity, we've been in three straight championships. And, in junior, we were in two prior to last year."
Other CN players available for coaches Pritchard and Josh Ranalli were Noah Beuregard, Stefano De Simone, Ryder Drennan, Johnny Dyal, Adriano Fiore, Owen Galvin, Matteo Gomes, Jack Grant, Charlie Koropatnicki, Nick McLean, Matthew Mercanti, Landon Pratt, Jacob Sgro and Bradyn Williams.
Despite the loss, Kokoski told the Crusaders he was proud of their recent performances in the league and at tournaments in Port Colborne and London.
"We put together some good hockey this spring," he said. "We only lost three of the last 14 games we played."
St. Mary was also vying for its first Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic junior crown.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
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