Bishop Stang Girls Hockey Heading to State Championship Game

It's a storybook season for one local high school team as its quest for a championship title nears its conclusion.

It's a dream decades in the making in Dartmouth.

On Sunday, March 16, the Spartans of Bishop Stang will lace up their skates and take to the ice at TD Garden for the MIAA 2025 Ice Hockey State Championships.

Bishop Stang's Girls Hockey Team

The group is comprised of girls from across the SouthCoast, as Bishop Stang's girls hockey is a co-op team.

"We are the host school. We have seven girls that attend Bishop Stang that are part of the team and then we co-op with other high schools in the area to give their girls a chance to play ice hockey," Stang Athletic Director Nate Greene said.

Making it to this point in the season was something generations of Spartans have only dreamed of. The team has made it to the playoffs in years past, but has never won a postseason game.

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Spartans Enter the Playoffs

In a bracket of 32 teams, Stang had its work cut out, ranking as the No. 15 seed. The Spartans' first game was on home ice at Hetland Ice Arena in New Bedford.

"We took on the 18th seed, which was Winthrop, and you could tell there were a lot of nerves just because everyone had it in their minds that we hadn't won a playoff game," Greene said.

Winthrop came out with a 1-0 lead, but after tying it at one goal piece, something clicked.

"Ever since then, we've been unstoppable," Greene said.

The shift in momentum lead to a 4-2 victory.

Moving On to the Sweet 16

From there, the team went to Hingham to play the No. 2 seed, Notre Dame Academy. With the odds attacked against them, they had nothing to lose – including the game.

The ladies went on to win 4-0. A shutout against a No. 2 seed? Talk about an upset!

"It was probably the best game they played all year, maybe ever, just in terms of rising to the occasion and playing three good periods," Greene said.

The Spartans Enter the Elite Eight

Their next opponent was Bishop Feehan. Ranked as the No. 7 seed, this game had a lot on the line.

"It's a rivalry, but it's a cordial rivalry," Greene said. "Really great game, good sportsmanship and we hung on 1-0 to advance."

Bishop Stang Reaches Final Four

The team received a trophy and a banner for making it to the Final Four. Its opponent was another co-op team, Methuen/Shrewsbury. The two teams faced off in Bourne and it came down to the wire.

Down 2-1 with roughly 20 seconds left, the Spartans tied it, sending the game into overtime. Their sudden death goal got the job done.

Championship, Here We Come

They now face their toughest challenge yet, taking on the No. 1 seed, Hingham

"Our coach (Bill Theodore)'s message was always 'we haven't played our best hockey yet and when we put it all together we can really do something' and it just so happens that we're doing it at the perfect time," Greene said.

Now, the girls get the opportunity of a lifetime: playing for the championship title in Boston.

You can cheer on the Bishop Stang girls hockey team at TD Garden this Sunday, March 16 at 11 a.m.