ANDOVER – Saturday night was a contrast from the previous encounters over the years.
The anticipation, the tension, the intensity, and physical play seemed more glorified than ever before.
“That’s hockey,” said Methuen/Tewksbury junior forward Sammy Ryan. “You’ve got to be ready to hit, to get hit and get back up.”
The rivalry between Methuen/Tewksbury and HPNA (Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover) has reached a new level.
That was clear when the two top teams in the MVC/DCL Division 1 — the No. 4 and No. 5 teams in the most recent MIAA power rankings — squared off for the second time this season, ending in a 1-1 tie held at Merrimack College.
This one had it all.
Pretty goals.
Two outstanding goalies.
A big crowd.
Overtime.
“With both teams being co-op programs, you always hear, ‘oh, that’s not fair, you have girls from different schools’, so I feel like both of our programs are in the same boat (in that regard),” said HPNA head coach Gary Kane. “I coached a bunch of the Methuen/Tewksbury girls in club, so many of them have played together and against each other. Tonight, you could see they were not friends on the ice, but afterwards, my kids and the Methuen kids were crying, sharing pleasantries, and hugging each other. It’s two of the top teams in the state, and we ended up tied.”
Since the 2022-23 season, the two teams have faced each other eight times, with Methuen/Tewksbury holding a 5-0-3 advantage. Four of the five wins for the Red Rangers have been decided by one goal.
“Every year we play them, it’s, ‘Oh, it’s HPNA’. We love playing them,” said Ryan, who scored her team’s goal with 9:58 left in the third period. “They were in the Final 4 last year, just like we were, so we’re both talented teams, and we both love facing each other.”
Last year, both teams advanced to the Division 1 state semifinals. HPNA lost to the eventual state champion Hingham, and the Red Rangers suffered a heartbreaking loss to Bishop Stang.
That success has carried over to this season. After losing almost its entire roster from last year, HPNA has refueled and has an 11-1-3 record, ranked No. 4 in the state. Methuen/Tewksbury has the same core back from last year, plus the addition of some eighth graders, and is 11-0-3 and ranked No. 5.
Saturday’s tie helped Methuen/Tewksbury stay on top of the MVC/DCL Division 1 standings with a 6-0-1 record. If the Red Rangers win their last three league games against Billerica/Chelmsford, Andover, and Shrewsbury, they will take home the league title. A loss to one of those teams would give HPNA a chance to at least share the title.
If the two teams keep their MIAA Power Rankings and win their first two rounds of the state tournament, a third matchup could be on the horizon.
“We love this rivalry. We have some tough girls; they have some tough girls, so it’s always a fun time when we face them. Gary (Kane) and his staff are a bunch of good coaches, and it’s always fun to play against them,” said Red Rangers interim head coach Ryan Sheehy.