The Randolph Boys Varsity Hockey team suffered a heartbreaking loss to Chatham, 2-1, after the Rams’ fierce battle for dominance at the Mennen Cup final fell short in overtime, sending the Rams home without a trophy on Wednesday night, Feb. 15.

The game opened with fast paced gameplay and several shots on net from both sides. Chatham got off to an early lead, scoring in the middle of the first period. However, this did not hinder the Rams.

They turned up the heat and after fierce game play for two periods, senior Jack Rueff found the back of the net one minute into the third period. This gave the Rams a huge boost of energy, which was not only apparent in the players, but also in the reactions of the parents and student fans in the arena.

With Rueff’s goal, the Rams were now tied 1-1 with Chatham. The remainder of the game was filled with close calls and near misses, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. However, the third period remained 1-1, sending the game into overtime.

Despite how long the Rams had been playing, their gameplay did not slow down in OT. However, as OT went on, the Cougars came down the ice and after a shot deflected off a fellow Chatham player who slid into the net, the Cougars won. Despite several Randolph players appealing to the ref, there was no reversal of the call.

“We had 12 shots in the third, and we just kept the pressure on them, and them in overtime, there was an unlucky bounce in Chatham’s favor,” Rueff said.

The Rams still have the state tournament to look forward to. The chance of playing Chatham once again in states is sure to keep a fire going within the entirety of the Randolph community.

Before states, Randolph plays Roxbury next, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at SportsCare Arena in Randolph.