Three teams have qualified for playoffs this winter season.

Girls' Basketball
Girls' Hockey
Boys' Hockey

Girls’ Basketball
The girls’ basketball team participated in the Western Mass Division II playoffs. They were seeded 5th and played Wahconah Regional High School on Thursday, February 25 at Wahconah in Dalton, MA.

It was a very close game - Wahconah won 54 - 52 on a last second shot from the top of the key. CHS played tough through the first period, matching the Warriors score for score. Wahconah pulled ahead in the last two minutes of the second period, and took an 8 point lead into halftime. The Wahconah girls retained the lead throughout the 3rd period and enttered the final eight minutes of the contest with a 7 point lead, 45 - 38.

The 4th period belonged to the Panthers. Behind the tenacious defense of Sinely Vegerano, the scrappy and tough inside play of Kenya Hayles and the sharp shooting of Kathryn Lynch the Lady Panthers were on a comeback. When Kenya Hayles sank the front end of a 1&1 the score was tied at 45. Hayles calmly made the 2nd shot, and CHS had its first lead since the 1st period. Over the next three minutes the games went back and forth, but Wahconah built a 4 point lead. Katie Glenn made one of two free throws to cut the lead to 3 points, 52 - 49. The Warriors missed a 1&1 opportunity, and the Lady Panthers looked for a three point shot. Taylor Rooney calmly sank that shot with 11 seconds remaining.

After a Wahconah timeout, the defense could not deny the entry pass, and one of their three ouotside shooters drove into the lane and put up a fifteen-foot floater that went in with just 1.6 seconds on the clock, for the win!

Congratulations to Coach Fred Granville and to all the members of the 2009-2010 CHS Girls' Basketball Team for a great season and a well-played game in the tournament.

Girls’ Hockey
In just their second season, the girls’ hockey team earned the respect of their peers. They were seeded 4th in the state Division I tournament.  On Saturday, Febraury 27 they hosted Arlington Catholic in a first-round game at Cyr Arena.

The game featured two squads that were quite evenly matched. In each of the first two periods Arlington Catholic scored a goal, but Cathedral had many chances. In the 3rd period, with the backs" to the wall," the Panthers rallied. A slap shot by senior and captain Jamie Tabb got the Lady Panthers on the scoreboard with about 5:30 left to play. The next several minutes were back and forth, but a shot from the point by Mary Beth Tabb (a senior at East Longmeadow HS, who plays for Cathedral as part of a co-op program) tied the score with 1:42 remaining. The Panther offense was swarming and with 0:49 remaining Ashley Jaskula tapped in a rebound giving Cathedral its first lead of the game. Over the last forty-nine seconds the Panther defense kept the Arlington Catholic squad from any scoring opportunities and the buzzer signified Cathedral High School's first girls' hockey playoff victory.

In the quarterfinal round the Lady Panthers played Hingham High School at the John A. Ryan Rink in Watertown on Wednesday, March 3. And for nearly two periods they held their own, but two quick goals by Hingham, within a 50 second span, took the wind out of Cathedral's sails. For most of the first two periods freshman goalie Emily Spencer kept the swarming Hingham offense at bay. The two goals that spelled the end for Cathedral were the reults of a deflected shot and a scramble in front of the goal. Instead of being tied 1-1 at the 2nd intermission, the Lady Panthers faced a tough uphill climb. When Hingham added two goals early in the 3rd period it was over. To read the Springfield Republican's coverage of the game, click here.

And while the season ends with a loss, it was a great season for Cathedral. In just their second season of play they stood tall, played well and grew as a team. Even with seven seniors moving on, there is much to build upon. Great season, girls!

Boys’ Hockey
For the second consecutive year the Panthers have been selected to play in the Division IA “Super Eight” tournament. But this year they are assured a spot in the Super Eight.

Last year they were seeded 10th and had to play in a “play-in” game. Unfortunately, they lost that game, but went on to win the Division I State Championship.

This year they are seeded 6th in the Super Eight and will play a round robin tournament with Austin Prep, Hingham and Xaverian Brothers High School.

The Panthers played the Hingham Harbormen on Saturday, February 27 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. The game matched two teams that had skated to a 3-3 tie on Febraury 6, but this time Hingham took advantage of three CHS penalties to score three power play goals. Goals by Matt Peloquin and Austin Orszulak kept the Panthers in the game, but a late goal by Hingham put the game out of reach. To read the Springfield Republican's coverage of the game click here.

In the team's 2nd game against Austin Prep on Monday, March 1 it took overtime for the Panthers to secure their first-ever Super Eight win. In two previous trips to Massachusetts elite hockey tournament the Panthers had been excused without a victory, but the new format assures each of the Super Eight teams three games, and CHS took advantage of its second game, surprising the 2nd seeded Cougars. Cathedral scored late in the first period, when 3rd linersJames Dowd and Colin Fenton set up Dante Christofori in the slot. Christofori buried the shot for the 1-0 lead. Throughout the game the Panthers played hard-nosed hockey, finishing checks and keeping Austin Prep from getting many good scoring opportunities on senior goalie PJ D'Amario. When the Cougars did get a good look at Cathedral's goal, D'Amario was brilliant, however Austin Prep tied the game with 14 minutes remaining in the 3rd period during a 4-4 play. Neither team had many good chances the rest of the way in regulation.

During the overtime period CHS tried to shoot the puck on the AP goalie. Colin Fenton's effort from behind the goal line hit a Cougar defenseman and before the goalie could react it was in the net for the game winner. 2 - 1 Cathedral! For video from the Mass Live coverage of the game, click here. Or, for the Springfield Republican's reporting fo the game, click here.

Cathedral's third game in the Round Robin portion of the tournament was against Xaverian Brothers High School. The Panthers knew that they had a chance of advancing to the semifinal round, but had to win the game by two or more goals. Austin Prep had defeated Hingham in the first game of the day, 4 - 0.

The Panthers started quickly, carrying the play and taking shots on goal wherever a good look became available. Austin Orszulak rang the pipes on one shot and another scoring bid sailed just past the post. The Xaverian goalie withstood the early charge. Late in the first period a Cathedral turnover led to a Xaverian goal. The Panthers were down 1- 0. The 2nd period was more evenly played and neither team scored. Early in the 3rd period another CHS turnover led to a 2 on none odd-man rush by the Hawks. PJ D'Amario, the CHS stalwart in goal, made the initial stop, but the rebound got past him and landed in the net. 2 - 0, Xaverian. The Panthers fought back, led by senior co-captain Austin Orszulak. Orszulak scored from the point on a blistering slap shot to narrow the margin to 2 - 1, and moments later he skated onto a pass from linemate Shawn Pighetti and faked that he would skate the puck behind the goal. Orszulak stopped short and dove to the goal, poking the puck into the net from the short side after the goalie had begun to move to the other side of the goal. The Panthers could not add to their late charge and the game ended in a 2 - 2 tie, leaving the Panthers a point short of a 3-way tie in the bracket. Austin Prep and Hingham High School advanced to the Super Eight semifinals to face Malden Catholic and Catholic Memorial.

While it was a disappointing end to the season, the team accomplished a great deal. They had a stellar season and playing in the Super Eight was an important step for the only MIAA Division I hockey team in Western Mass. There are seven seniors who were leaders on the team, but there is plenty of talent that will be returning and the Varsity B squad also had a good season and will help fill the gaps left by the graduating members of the team. Be proud Panthers, be proud!