Stoneham Upset Express Heads Back to Tsongas Monday

If you don't remember Lowell Catholic from the 2016 tournament, you're not alone. While Stoneham was the No. 10 seed in the Division 2 North 2016 tournament, the Crusaders played a division lower. As the top seed in the Division 3 North field, Lowell Catholic played one game in the postseason, lost, and decided to move up a division in 2017.

Fast forward to this year and Monday, when Stoneham (13-8-2) will play Lowell Catholic (18-2-2) in the Division 2 North final at Tsongas Center at 5:30 p.m. The winner advances to the state final Sunday, March 19, at TD Garden against the South winner. Scituate plays Medway in the South final Sunday.

"I've watched a little bit of Lowell Catholic," said Stoneham coach and former Reading High star Paul Sacco. "They're a good team. They play well. You go this far into the season you expect to see good teams and that's what we're going to see on Monday. We're going to get ready. We'll go back to the drawing board and prepare ourselves the best way we can."

As the No. 11 seed, Stoneham wasn't the pick of anyone outside 02180. But the Spartans have won three tournament games: 5-2 over Tewksbury, 4-0 over Danvers, and 2-1 in overtime over North Reading. That's three wins over teams from the Merrimack Valley Conference, Northeastern Conference, and Cape Ann League.

Lowell Catholic, however, was the No. 1 seed and a favorite to be in Lowell Monday. The Crusaders have won two tournament games, each over Northeastern Conference teams. They escaped with a 3-2 overtime win over Marblehead while blasting Saugus, 10-2, in the semifinals.

The two teams have one thing in common. Both have benefited from playing in a powerhouse conference. Competing in the Catholic Central, Lowell Catholic tied Arlington Catholic and played a competitive game against Division 1 North finalist St. Mary's before losing, 4-1. Meanwhile, Stoneham played Super 8 semifinalist Arlington tough in a 3-1 loss, along with games against Reading, Woburn, and Burlington.

Sacco hopes for a faster start Monday and felt his team took awhile to adjust to the Tsongas Center.

"The atmosphere is a little different," said Sacco. "It's a little warmer, a little brighter. It took us a little bit to get going."

Beyond a trip to the Garden, Stoneham players displayed other sources of inspiration. A number of players wore pink ribbons in support of one of the player's mother, who was a cancer survivor. And every player's helmet had a sticker in honor of Stoneham High junior Sydney Coiro, who died in a car accident Feb. 26.

In net Monday for Stoneham will be junior Peter Barry, who has played outstanding in the three tournament wins, especially in the two-overtime win over North Reading in the quarters.

"Peter just ignited at the end of the year and just keeps it going and is a huge plus for us back there. Nothing bothers him," said Sacco.