HU Boys Hockey: Routine, chemistry, technique make for a winning season
March 1, 2025 | By Max Spradlin | Community News Service
The puck gets air off Eli Herrington's stick. Photo by Sarah Milligan
Last summer, the Harwood Boys Hockey squad would hold practice every Monday night at the Waterbury Ice Center.
While their friends were having bonfires or camping, the Highlanders were running drills on the ice, establishing a routine for the season.
Flash forward eight months later, and their competitors are wishing they’d done the same. Harwood’s discipline and months of preparation have paid off with an 18-2 regular season record, and they have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Division II state playoffs.
“We’ve been much more consistent this year in both practice and our pregame routine,” said sophomore center Josh Dietz.
Third-year Head Coach Matt Migonis believes in routine, both in practice and in-game warmups.
Migonis is a former triathlete and also coaches cross country, which helps explain his hardworking style. It’s led to the team playing a very disciplined and technically sound game.
Click the photos below to enlarge and see captions.
Since Migonis started, the team has improved from a 4-14-1 regular season record in 2023 to 13-6-1 last year, and then this year’s 18-2 season.
One of Migonis’ biggest decisions was choosing captains to help him reiterate his message. He decided to buck tradition and name four juniors as his captains – Owen Farr, Eli Herrington, Luke LaCroix, and Milo Lavit.
These four immediately rewarded Migonis with his decision, as they began to establish the routine and discipline he was looking for. They ran summer and fall practices. Lavit and Herrington would explain the drills and provide structure and a sense of discipline to the team during those practices.
Early in the season, LaCroix was sidelined due to injury, but he maintains a steady presence around the team. Meanwhile, Lavit, Herrington, and Farr have become key players.
Migonis said he considers Farr to be one of the best defenders in the state, given his two-way play, and speed.
“Owen Farr understands the game very well, and has an elite hockey IQ,” Herrington said of his teammate. “He gives me trouble in practice sometimes, but I am glad he is on our team.”
It is not just the captains who have been performing at a superstar level. The ascension of two sophomores, Josh Dietz and Griffin Nelson has further augmented Harwood’s offensive attack due to their chemistry, passing ability and shooting.
Due to injuries, many other players have emerged throughout the lineup. Sophomore Jack Sherman plays well down low and wins puck battles in order to set up players like Dietz and Nelson. Freshman Cooper Browe has been so good offensively that he is on the team’s top power play.
Defensively, Farr is supplemented by two key freshmen who have made an impact in Kaleb Vasseur and Chase “Laddy” Ladabouche, who have also emerged as physical forces on the backend. Throw in goalie tandem Alex McCabe and Andrew Achilles, and it is very difficult to score against Harwood.
These players have developed incredible chemistry – so much in fact that they are able to skate toward the goal and pass the puck behind them, knowing a teammate is there.
“I’ve been really impressed with the trust the guys have in each other,” Migonis said. “It’s a trust factor that we really haven’t had in the last few years.”
Migonis also has motivated his team to play harder against Harwood’s rival teams.
“I feel like this year is a revenge tour for us,” said Dietz. “We’ve been really fired up against teams that we haven’t beaten before, and we’ve been able to beat those teams.”
Harwood's Eli Herrington sends a shot during the Jan. 8 match with Woodstock. Harwood won 6-1. Photo by Sarah Milligan
Headed into the playoffs, Harwood remains unfazed. They are placing their trust in their routine, each other, and the game in front of them.
“Everyone in this locker room has a ton of heart and a fierce desire to win,” said Nelson. “We visualize the game in front of us, and are only thinking about winning that game.”
Because of their No. 1 seed, Harwood received a bye for the first playdown round of the state D-II Boys Hockey tournament. They will face off against No. 9 Colchester at home on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Ice Center in Waterbury for the quarterfinal. Colchester defeated No. 8 Middlebury Union, 5-1, on Saturday.
If they make it that far, the final championship match is scheduled for March 9. Follow the tournament online here.
Community News Service is a University of Vermont journalism internship that provides Vermont newspapers with reporting including Waterbury Roundabout.