FRAMINGHAM — The Littleton/Bromfield boys hockey team rolled out one of the state’s most potent attacks and a stingy defense that was too often overshadowed in what’s been a dominant year for the program.
And on the biggest stage the program’s ever played on, Saturday’s state semifinal was no different.
Gavin Werling and Blake Hannon each scored twice for the No. 2 Tigers, who made their first Final Four appearance, and they responded to an early deficit with five unanswered goals for a 5-1 win over No. 3 Dover-Sherborn/Weston. Along with two assists, Werling broke the program’s previous points record (127) by reaching 130.
More importantly to him, though, Littleton/Bromfield is now headed to TD Garden for the first time, set to play No. 9 St. Bernard’s for either programs’ first state title.
“It honestly means the world,” Werling said. “Head coach Kevin Lizotte is the best coach I’ve ever had. And the team we’ve got behind us, the town we’ve got behind us, it’s unreal.”
“It’s a proud moment,” Lizotte added. “It’s a really good group of kids. … I’m so happy for them. They just, they do what it takes.”
It took less than five minutes for the Raiders, who last won a state title in 2024, to jump out to a 1-0 lead on senior Caleb Curran’s goal in front.
It took even less time for Littleton/Bromfield to grab its first lead once it finally got clicking on the attack.
Werling sniped a top-shelf goal to the far corner from the top of the right circle with 5:17 left in the first, just 1:26 before Blake Hannon danced through traffic up the gut for a fancy finish just inside the left post for a 2-1 lead.
“The response (to an early deficit) was get a quick one back and then keep the foot on the gas from there,” Werling said. “And that’s exactly what we did.”
“The mentality of this team is don’t quit, don’t give up, fight until the end,” Lizotte added.
The top blew off in the second with Littleton/Bromfield on a penalty kill. Liam Glew dove in front of two shots, before Werling broke loose for a shorthanded breakaway goal just 1:37 into the frame.
Hannon added his second less than two minutes later, and Conor Glew finished off the scoring on a dish from Werling midway through the third.
“We’ve got great chemistry between both lines,” Werling said.
With the performance, Littleton/Bromfield has scored at least five goals in every state tournament game after scoring the second-most goals in Div. 4 in the regular season.
Lizotte looks closer at the defense, which allowed Div. 4’s fewest goals, as a point of pride.
“The players that we put out there can score,” he said. “We don’t give up a lot of goals, and that’s what wins championships. … I loved us going up 4-1, but I brought the team in there (and said), ‘That’s not our identity.’
“We’re a defensive-oriented team. Starts with our goaltending, our D, and our forwards do a really good job defensively as well.”
That especially showed in the third.
Dover-Sherborn/Weston came out with a major spark to start the third down 4-1, peppering Tigers goalie Jacob Dangel with eight shots in the first three minutes. He finished with 13 saves in the frame and 29 saves overall.
“Jacob, he won a state title in soccer as a goalie,” Lizotte said. “He set the school record for most shutouts ever as a goalie. … We went down 1-0, you didn’t see him get frustrated. The team, it feeds off him. He’s a senior, he’s a captain, he’s a leader.”
