Westminster Hockey Season Recap

By: Simon Stambaugh '26

​Within the Rolling Hills of Simsbury lies one of the best prep hockey teams in New England, the Westminster Martlets. After a rocky start to the season, going 1-2 in December, a 2-2 record in Flood Marr, and 2-4-1 in January, the Martlets desperately needed a swing in fate to begin their hunt for their 2nd large school championship title. In February, they would find that spark as they began a 7 game winning streak, defeating teams like Salisbury, Kent, Avon Old Farms, and Loomis Chaffe. This new high-flying team was led by Sixth Former, Blake Burke ‘25, who either had a goal or an assist in all seven games, with most of his assists going to “Mr Swagger,” Derek Rhodes ‘25. There were also emerging players off the bench, mainly Eric Bruchmann ‘26, who began finding his groove, doubling his stats in January. Lastly was the net minder Jack Fitchthorn ‘26 who, after a couple of rocky games in January, began taking over games by making diving saves and shutouts against Kent and Pomfret. Despite losing to Berkshire to break the seven game streak, the Martlets would finish the season 15-11-2, with 11-3 from February 1st to the end of the season. With this stretch in February, The Martlets secured the 5th seed in the Martin Earl Large School Tournament, where they battled Governors for the first time in their season winning 6-3 through the goals of the aforementioned Bruckmann, Burke, but also Quinn Pine ‘25, Gus (Goose) McGarvey‘26 and Easton Masse ‘25, the Boston College baseball commit. In the semi-finals, the Martlets then took on Belmont Hill, whom they beat a week before the end of the season. They would win 4-3 in what Coach Ben Harff would write was “one of the wildest prep hockey battles this season”: in the dying second of the match, the Sextants would have a 6-4 opportunity where the Martlets held firm to go to the finals and face Andover. Unfortunately, Andover proved to be too much for the Martlets, and they would win the first Martin Earl Large school championship in program history. Despite a painful loss, the Martlets' season was full of thrills and excitement as they look to return to the finals again next season.