Calvert Hall played Archbishop Spalding just about as even as an opponent can during the regular season. The Cardinals lost a game by a goal, won one by a goal and also tied the Cavaliers.
But the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship Friday at Piney Orchard Ice Arena in Odenton was a different story.
Spalding dominated Calvert Hall in a 5-2 victory as the Cavaliers captured their first title in the league's 14-year history.
Spalding (8-1-3 overall, 5-1-2 league) outshot Calvert Hall, 36-15, and scored four unanswered goals after the Cardinals (10-9-2, 5-3-2) took a 1-0 lead.
Junior forward C.J. Dyer's hat trick powered Spalding.
"I thought our effort was there," Calvert Hall coach Mike Shramek said. "I just don't think the execution was there. Spalding played well. They were hungry."
Calvert Hall's Jack Brust recorded his first of two goals 38 seconds into play as he beat goalie Tom Glenndenning.
Calvert Hall freshman goalie Michael Finn made the lead stand up for rest of the first period as he shined on a pair of Spalding power plays by stopping 10 shots. He finished with 30 saves.
The Cavaliers started to solve Finn in the second period.
Dyer beat Finn with a snap shot to the right corner on a breakaway with 11:23 remaining.
Spalding scored two goals 47 seconds apart late in the period to go ahead 3-1.
Those goals seemed to deflated the Cardinals as they failed to get a shot on goal for almost the first 10 minutes of the final period.
"To give up the goals when we gave them up and the way we gave them up on a few mistakes is sometimes tough to bounce back from," Shramek said. "Their goals came off of some hard work and some breaks."
In the B Conference championship, Boys' Latin (8-4-1) captured its first title in nine years in a 3-2 conquest of St. Paul's (6-10).
Junior forward Brian Lichtenauer led Boys' Latin with a goal and two assists. Corey Koch and Brodie Pavo also scored for the winners.
"We had not won a conference game in two years," Boys' Latin coach Jim Sandusky said of competing in the A Conference during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. "These guys stepped up from the beginning of year with the goal that they were going to do everything it took to win a championship."
Riley Meyer and Ned Moreland had a goal each for St. Paul's.