Hampden’s Broncos bucking for 1st hockey championship

Senior center Greg Taylor said this year’s Hampden Academy hockey team isn’t the most talented of the four he has played on.

“But this one plays together the best,” said Taylor who hopes to lead the top-seeded Broncos into the Eastern Maine Class B championship game when they square off against No. 5 Gardiner at Winslow’s Sukee Arena Saturday night at 7:15.

Hampden Academy is 18-3 and is having its best season in the 10-year program’s history. Gardiner is 13-8 and the fifth seed.

“They’re a real good team. They’re strong [physically],” said Stearns coach Don McNeil, whose Minutemen were eliminated by the Broncos 7-1 in the quarterfinals.

The other semifinal is a first-time event as it features Aroostook County rivals Presque Isle, 16-3 and the second seed, and No. 3 Houlton-Hodgdon, 14-7. That will start at five at Sukee and then the arena will be cleared for the second game.

Tom King’s Broncos have been led by the line of Taylor (24 goals, 17 assists), left wing Adam Standley (27 & 16) and RW Steve Boutin (10 & 14) along with center Kevin Brooks (14 & 9), RW Chris Bearor (11 & 13), defenseman Chris Standley (1 & 9) and goalie Garrett Macgowan.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Maine Class A semis, the third-seeded 17-4 Brewer High School Witches, led by a talented senior class and junior sniper Robbie Hayes, will try to upset No. 2 Edward Little of Auburn, 14-5-2, in their 6:00 game at Lewiston Central Maine Civic Center. EL beat Brewer 4-0 during the regular season.

In the other semi, No. 1 Lewiston, 14-4-2, will square off against against No. 5 Mount Ararat of Topsham, 10-10-1, at 8.