Morristown topples Randolph in NJSIAA final

NEWARK – It was a very special ending for a special senior class at Morristown.

After winning the NJSIAA Public B title as sophomores two years earlier, many of the Colonials’ seniors got to taste a state championship for a second time on Monday, skating past Mennen Division rival Randolph, 2-0, to capture NJSIAA Public A on Monday at the Prudential Center.

Sophomore goaltender Evan Szary led the way with 28 saves in the shutout. Seniors Jacob DeFares and Teddy Dolan provided the scoring.

SEE PHOTOS: Morristown crowned champs vs. Randolph in Public A final

“Getting a shutout in any game is big, but getting it here in the state final is even better,” Szary said. “It means so much to our team and to all our seniors.”

Neither team was a stranger to big games at The Rock. Morristown had made the trip to Newark three of the last four years, winning the 2014 Public B title. Randolph practically makes its postseason home at the Prudential Center, having won four of the last five Public A championships.

Morristown won both regular-season meetings between the teams by a combined score of 7-1.

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After a cautious start to the opening period for both teams, the Colonials jumped on top at 9:02 when DeFares picked up a loose puck in the faceoff circle and snapped a high shot, short-side, over the shoulder of Rams’ netminder Luc Swedlund.

“Both of us wanted that first goal, it was huge,” Morristown head coach Bobby Jones said.

Randolph followed with a flurry around the Colonials’ net, the Rams’ first real offensive push of the game, but Szary stood tall. Szary also denied Rams’ leading scorer Dan Janson moments later on a quality scoring chance.

Randolph had its first power-play chance in the opening period of the second period but failed to convert. The game took a physical turn in the period, with both teams finishing their checks and few quality scoring chances emerging.

Swedlund did come up a huge save on DeFares with 4:37 left on a partial breakaway to keep it a one-goal game when he denied the senior sniper, who was looking to go five-hole after swooping in from the right faceoff circle. The junior then went one better, robbing Morristown’s Teddy Dolan with the catching glove on a clear breakaway with just 34 seconds remaining in the period.

Morristown outshot Randolph in the second period, 7-6. The shots were even at 14-14 heading in the final period.

Dolan wasn’t to be denied early in the third period. The senior found the back of the net just 1:33 in to increase the Colonials’ lead to 2-0. Drew Shandlay set up the play and notched the lone assist with a quick stick behind the Randolph net, knocking the puck away from a Rams’ defender and in the low slot to Dolan.

“This is just unbelievable,” Dolan said. “I didn’t play a single minute as a sophomore when we last won states, so to score a big goal tonight is amazing.”

Randolph pulled Swedlund for an extra attacker with 2:29 left after failing to break through against Szary but was penalized with 1:49 remaining. Szary then came up with two big saves on Bryan Early and Janson to help preserve the victory.

“We just couldn’t get through their big guys on defense,” Randolph head coach Rich McLaughlin said. “It was a lot of one-and-done for us. They were the better team.”