Miner gives Blue Devils first title
Jones named MVP

Jarrod Miner scored just minutes in overtime to give the Brockport Blue Devils a 5-4 win over Williamsville North and the Division I high school hockey state championship at the Utica Memorial Auditorium March 9.

Defending state champion Williamsville North, who defeated Brockport 8-0 in the state semi-finals last season, took a 1-0 lead after the first period, but Brockport scored twice in the opening minutes of the second. Craig Willis netted a power play goal from Brandon Dries and Casey Balog at 3:33. Then, Joe Mulhern scored at 5:23 from Jason Hage and Spencer Trafton. The Spartans scored the next two goals in this seesaw battle, including one from their own zone, to end the second period with a 3-2 lead.

The first ten minutes of the third period was one of safe play by both teams before Brockport's Nick Berlin tied the score with a goal off a rebound at 11:54 from Balog and Colby Jones. The lead didn't last long, however, as the Spartans retook a 4-3 advantage just :57 later.

As the Blue Devils were getting ready to pull their goaltender for the extra-attacker, Mulhern scored his second of the game off a goal mouth scramble sending the game into overtime.

On the game-winner, Balog rushed down the left wing and shot. The rebound ended up in the goal crease when Miner scooped it up, turned and shot. "I really wasn't thinking, I was just reacting," said Miner, who had missed several shots earlier in the third period due to a leg injury. "We just never gave up, kept fighting back and it feels great."

"This was the greatest game I think I've ever been a part of," said head coach Scott Empey. "They just never gave up, even when they scored after we had just tied it up."

Brockport beat Seton Catholic 3-2 in overtime and Ithaca in the semi-finals after winning their second consecutive Division I Section Five title.

Jones was named the Most Valuable Player in the tournament, Willis was given the Sportsmanship Award and Balog, Miner and goaltender Pat Young were named to the All-Tournament Team. It is the first state championship in any sport in the school's history.