NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The youth hockey season in Northern Berkshire County comes to an end this weekend with the conclusion of the Spring Fling tournaments at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink.

 

And what a season it has been for the sport in the region.

 

From big numbers in the Northern Berkshire Youth Hockey League’s Learn to Play program to big wins by the cooperative high school team at McCann Tech, there have been plenty of highlights  to celebrate this winter.

 

None shown brighter than the 10-and-under Black Bears.

 

The NBYHL travel squad capped its season last weekend with a 2-1 overtime victory over Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to capture the Northern New York State Hockey League “A” Division Championship.

 

Joey Milesi scored his second goal of the game with an assist from Tressa Girgenti, and Jacob Henault earned the win in goal with 19 saves.

 

“It was a huge weekend for us,” Black Bears coach Aaron Girgenti said.

 

“We started the season off in the ‘B’ Division, and this year they based where we were seeded in the playoffs on MHR, My Hockey rankings. … I don’t really understand exactly how it works, but the kids did really well this year, and the better the teams you play and the more games you win, you move up in the standings.”

 

The Black Bears 10U squad played about 30 games between November and March to achieve its ranking. In addition to weekend league games against the other teams in the Northern New York league, the program plays in regional tournaments in places like Rutland, Vt., Salisbury, Conn., and on Cape Cod, Girgenti said.

 

And success is not uncommon for the Northern Berkshire program.

 

“The last couple of years, we’ve made it to the championship game, and this year our 10U team was able to pull it out,” he said. “The 12U team made it to the [NNYSHL] semi-finals as well.

 

“It’s been a great season for 10U, 12U and 8U … right up to the 18U.”

 

And that 18U team includes members of the McCann Tech squad that reached the Western Massachusetts Championship game, claimed a State Vocational Championship and competed in the Division 4 State Tournament.

 

“A lot of those kids were Black Bears,” Girgenti said of the Hornets. “They came through this program. … A lot of them are still coming around and helping [the youth program] as well. Sometimes they’ll jump on the ice with us and give us a hand. The majority of them, a lot of them, are reffing our younger kids’ games.

 

“They’re giving back a little bit, and that’s a testament to our program that they’re willing to come back and participate in youth hockey.”

 

The Black Bears program the last several years has hosted a two-weekend Spring Fling event that draws teams from throughout the Northeast. The first weekend this year featured 10U and 12U divisions the last weekend of February. The final stage is March 13-15 with competition in the 8U and 18U divisions.

 

Games start at 3 p.m. on Friday with a full day of action on Saturday from 9 a.m. to about 8 p.m. The finals are scheduled for 8:30, 9:35 and 10:50 on Sunday morning.

 

Girgenti said the NBYHL calendar allows players to participate in other sports throughout the year, and the coaches encourage it.

 

“It’s definitely an organization that wants kids to play multiple sports,” he said. “Our games don’t basically start until Nov. 1, and we play until early or mid-March.”

 

He and his fellow coaches, Mike Henault and Tristan Lysko, have been with the players on the 10U team the last few years, moving up with them from the 8U division.

 

“I’m super excited about the growth of these kids over the last couple of years, even just coming from our learn to play and learn to skate program,” he said.

 

“I came through this program in the late ‘80s, and I’m excited to coach in it at present. Mike Henault came through this program, too. You see a lot of parents bringing their kids back. It’s a nice community feel, and I think that’s why we do as well as we do. Everybody is behind you: the board of directors, the parents, a ton of volunteers, all the subcommittees we have – all work together to make stuff like this happen.”

 

Of course, the players’ hard work and talent also are essential, and both were on full display last weekend in the league final.

 

“The whole team was firing,” Girgenti said. “The goalie was absolutely on fire. All the kids were skating great. [Milesi] was in the right place at the right time and got the two goals. But without the work from the rest of the team, that doesn’t happen.”

 

Another thing that happened this winter: The Black Bears’ players learned that they can skate with some of the bigger programs in the region.

 

“You play Troy/Albany and you get to play some teams from the capital of New York, and you’re competing with them, it’s a good feeling to go out there and go against those kinds of teams and do well,” Girgenti said. “This year, we played Troy/Albany five times. They were incredible games, all within a goal. It was a fantastic team. We loved playing them. It was a battle every time. It was nice to travel over there with our kids from little ol’ Northern Berkshire.”

 

Players on the 10U Northern Berkshire Black Bears include: Maxwell Allen, Max Boudreau, Clara Cahoon, Elliot Cahoon, Bradyn Czarnecki, Tress Girgenti, Kaydon Hagen,  Jacob Henault, Abel Lysko, Joey Milesi, Nina Naugle, Tony Pariseau, Lincoln Penna, Wyatt Poulton, Charlotte Sniezek, Ben Vivori and Paxton Wood.