By Mike Gurnis
For Matteo Conte, as captain and one of the anchors of Delbarton’s experienced and talented defense, the storyline all season has been about him and his defense corps ability to keep the puck out of the net.
The Green Wave’s defense has been so spectacular that it has allowed just 21 goals all season in 23 games- less than one goal allowed per game.
On Wednesday, Conte came through on the other side of the puck when his team needed it most.
He broke a scoreless tie with a power play goal with 33 seconds remaining in the second period to help propel top-seeded Delbarton to a 2-0 win over fourth-seeded St. Augustine in the NJSIAA Non-Public semifinals at Codey Arena.
The win sent Delbarton, the defending Non-Public champion, to Monday’s state championship game at Prudential Center where it will face second-seeded Don Bosco at 5:30 p.m.
It was Conte’s first goal of the year, after he finished off a perfect pass on the power play from his teammate Michael Pirot.
“Yeah, I couldn’t have done it without Mikey Pirot. Mikey Pirot with a beautiful pass through the seam,” Conte said. “We practiced that all during practice, at the end of every practice, actually. So to have him on our team, hell of a playmaker, and I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Conte added, “It was an amazing feeling. I don’t know what to say. Couldn’t have came at a better time. And hopefully we can do it again Monday.”
The team got off to an admittedly sluggish start in the first period, but took control in all phases in the second. The second saw the Green Wave out-shoot St. Augustine 12-3, and it came away with the lead.
“Well, I wasn’t too pleased after the first period,” Delbarton coach Bruce Shatel said. “I thought we were poor in the face-off circle, and we were chasing it more than we’d like. I think we were like around 40 percent (face-offs) after the first period. And then our guys, they. really kind of bared down the second and third. They did a good job, like I said. Their reads on stretch passe,s and their gap control is exceptional. So we were fortunate that we didn’t get any crazy bounces, and they were shorthanded pretty much all night long.”
Delbarton clamped down defensively in the third, allowing just five shots and making it a nightmare for the Hermits to break out of its own end, especially in the final five minutes. The Green Wave sealed it with an empty-netter from Aidan Pasic to beat the buzzer.
It was a 14-save shutout for Paul Insauto and the Green Wave defense, and the eighth total shutout of the season.
“I mean, it all starts from our forwards coming back to help the D,” Conte said. “It helps that we have all returning D from last year. We played in every big game possible, and yeah, to have that composure on the back end really helps. And our goalie Paulie, a transfer has played amazing so far, and hopefully we can carry that to the state championship.”
MORRISTOWN-BEARD GIRLS RETURN TO STATE FINAL
Behind four unanswered goals, top-seeded Morristown-Beard took down fourth-seeded Kent Place, 6-2 in the NJSIAA Girls semifinals at Mennen Arena on Wednesday.
Morristown-Beard returned to the state championship game for the first time since 2023. It will face third-seeded Immaculate Heart- the only team to beat the Crimson this year-on Monday at 1 p.m. at Prudential Center.
With the game tied at two early in the second period, Reid Snyder broke the tie with 8:57 to go. Abby Wilson scored a few minutes later, before Snyder struck again in the final minute of the period to give Morristown-Beard a commanding three-goal cushion.
Snyder finished with two goals and an assist, while Kallen Peterson netted two goals. Emma Fuchs and Jamie Jasaitis each contributed two assists, while Hannah Mortazavi made 22 saves. The Crimson defense held the state’s all-time leading goal-scorer, Kent Place’s Molly Brozowski, to just one goal.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 