McLinskey Commits to Quinnipiac University

by Boscohockey | Sep 22, 2018

Don Bosco Hockey is proud to announce that Senior Forward and Captain Liam McLinskey has committed to Division 1 Quinnipiac University.

Liam McLinskey (21) with brother Ryan McLinskey (2), class of 2017 and current pitcher for the Seton Hall University baseball team

At 6’1” 165lbs,  McLinskey is your prototypical power forward… big and strong with an excellent first stride and very soft hands.

Head Coach Greg Toskos has seen McLinskey’s game come a long way since is freshman campaign, saying, “Liam worked extremely hard in the spring and summer to put himself in a position to play at the highest level.  He is an excellent locker room guy for us and will add bring that winning attitude to the QU locker room in the future.  We expect big things from Liam and our captains this year as we strive to make it back to the Prudential Center.  All of our coaches and teammates are excited for Liam and his family.”

Various Ironmen Rack Up End of Year Accolades

by Boscohockey | Mar 13, 2018

The end of the season brought a plethora of team and individual accolades for the members of Don Bosco Prep Hockey program. Below is a list of recognitions that have been announced. The program would like to extend their congratulations to all players listed, and wish the best the Senior class as they move onto the next step in their individual careers.

Team

#2 Ranked Team in the State of New Jersey

#1 Ranked Team in North Jersey

2017 Harry Rulon Miller Champions (PDS Tourney)

2018 Bergen County Champions

2018 State Championship Finalist

Individual Awards

Mickey Burns – New Jersey State HS Player of the Year

All State Honors (Voted on by the press)

1^st Team All State, 1^st Team Non Public – Mickey Burns, Senior Forward

1^st Team All State, 1^st Team Non Public – John Campomenosi, Senior Defenseman

2^nd Team All state, 2^nd Team Non Public – Tyler Sedlak, Junior Forward

2^nd Team All State, 2^nd Team Non Public – George Weiner, Senior Defenseman

3^rd Team All Non Public – TJ Schweighardt, Junior Defenseman

3^rd Team All Non Public – Tsubasa Konishi, Senior Forward

Non Public All Tournament (State) Team

Mickey Burns, Senior Forward

John Campomenosi, Senior Defenseman

Gordon Conference All Stars (Voted on by Gordon Conference Coaches)

MVP – Mickey Burns

1^st Team – John Campomenosi, Senior Defenseman

1^st Team – Tyler Sedlak, Junior Forward

2^nd Team – Tsubasa Konishi

2^nd Team – George Weiner

Honorable Mention – TJ Schweighardt

Honorable Mention – Tristan Frese

Bergen County All Tournament Team (BCCA Tournament Committee):

MVP – John Campomenosi

Mickey Burns, Junior Forward

Tyler Sedlak, Senior Forward

Tristan Frese, Senior Defenseman

All County Selections (as voted on by Bergen County Coaches Association):

1^st Team – Mickey Burns

1^st Team – Tyler Sedlak

1^st Team – George Weiner

1^st Team – John Campomenosi

1^st Team – TJ Schweighardt

1^st Team – Tsubasa Konishi

2^nd Team – Tristan Frese

2^nd  Team – Liam McLinskey

2^nd  Team – Max Schwarz

Ironmen Win OT Thriller To Advance To Gordon Cup Finals

by Boscohockey | Feb 25, 2018

VIA NJ.COM:

Top-seeded Don Bosco Prep showed why it’s the top high school hockey team in New Jersey Wednesday night.

Tsubasa Konishi scored just nine seconds into overtime to lead the No. 1 Ironmen over fifth-seeded St. Augustine, 5-4, in the semifinals of the Gordon Cup at Ice Vault in Wayne.

Bosco, ranked No. 1 in the NJ.com Top 20, trailed 4-3 after two periods and needed a power-play, third-period goal by Thomas Schweighardt from Connor Sedlak to tie it up and force overtime. Goalie Max Schwarz hung on to make 19 saves. Konishi finished with two goals while Mickey Burns and George Weiner also scored for Bosco. Sedlak tallied four assists.

St. Augustine, ranked No. 4, found themselves down 3-2 after Burns scored with 7:54 left in the second, but Kyle Knight and Jared Hannah put the Hermits ahead. Dom Guido and Brendann Karnish also scored for St. Augustine in the first. Netminder Ben Sheehan made 37 saves in the loss.

Coming into the game St. Augustine coach Tim Fingerhunt mentioned that his team needed to stay out of the penalty box to have a chance against the Ironmen. The Hermits committed five penalties and it proved costly.

“You have to play them 5-on-5,” Fingerhut said on Monday. “You have to stay out of penalty box. They’re very talented both offensively and defensively and the last you want is to play shorthanded. “We got to be physical.”

The final round will feature a matchup of the ages. Not only will it be the top seed versus the second seed, but it is also a battle between the top two teams in the state. Bosco will meet No. 2 Delbarton for the third time this season. Bosco already won the previous head-to-head games.

Don Bosco Prep and Delbarton will once again in the championship game on Friday at 8:00 p.m. at Codey Arena in West Orange.

Ironmen Receive #1 Seed in State Playoffs

by Boscohockey | Feb 25, 2018

Ironmen Finish Regular Season Undefeated

by Boscohockey | Feb 25, 2018

The Don Bosco Prep Ironmen finished up the 2017-2018 regular season undefeated – the first ever undefeated regular season in program history – with a 4-1 win over St. Joe’s Metuchen. The Ironmen finished 22-0-1.

Bosco Wins 7th Consecutive County Title

by Boscohockey | Jan 22, 2018

Article courtesy of Darren Cooper, northjersey.com:  https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/columnists/darren-cooper/2018/01/17/cooper-bosco-looks-better-than-ever-behind-burns-company/1042998001/

WAYNE – Early this season, Don Bosco coach Greg Toskos looked at practice and swore that senior centerman Mickey Burns had gotten faster.

“His commitment off the ice has turned him into an exceptional hockey player,” said Toskos. “Last year he was great, he got offered a scholarship, this year he’s taken it to a different level.”

Thanks to Burns, who had a goal and assist, and his speedy running mates, the Ironmen (16-0-1) claimed their seventh straight Bergen County Tournament title Wednesday night at the Ice Vault, taking down a physical but overmatched Indian Hills squad, 6-1.

It’s not quite time to discuss whether or not the Ironmen may be better served not playing in the county tournament, honestly, where else are they going to go? They have won the seven county finals by an average of margin of three goals in the finals. But it may be time to look at whether this Don Bosco ice hockey team is the best it’s ever had.

The Ironmen have had an ice hockey program dating back to 1966, and it has yet to win a state championship, losing in the finals three times. Delbarton has always been the biggest road block, but earlier this season the Ironmen topped the Green Wave, 3-0. They two teams meet Sunday back at the Ice Vault at 6 p.m. and could see each other two more times down the road.

“Honestly, it’s a big game because it’s a possible two more points in the Gordon Conference for us,” said Toskos when asked about Sunday.

While Burns, who has committed to Vermont, has become the Don Bosco headliner, he is not alone. Senior defenseman John Campomenosi, “Campo” to everyone, is a third generation ice hockey player at Don Bosco and was named Tournament MVP (Burns won it in 2017). Toskos still remembers the defense he played in the state semifinals last year against Pope John, and the way he changed the game against Princeton Day this year in one shift.

“There were Division 1 players all over the ice, and Campo didn’t like the way we were playing so in one shift, he put up two clean, massive checks,” said Toskos. “He didn’t say anything, but it changed the way we played. Two minutes later, Burns scored and we win the game. I have seen that over and over, his ability to change the game at any moment.”

Burns has speed to, well, burn. He entered Wednesday night’s game with a team-high 15 goals and 29 assists. At one point in the third period, he maintained the puck long enough to circle the offensive zone twice by himself with the Braves in pursuit.

“A coach sent me a text the other night and paid Mickey the highest compliment I have ever seen a Don Bosco player get,” said Toskos. “He said Mickey is the best high school hockey player he’s seen since [CBA graduate] James van Riemsdyk, and the coach is right.”

But Burns is not just an offensive catalyst, he’s become a two-way player, establishing himself defensively with back checks.

Off the ice, the three captains, Burns, Campo and George Weiner, who had a third period goal, come across respectful and kind. Toskos tells another story about how when the captains were chosen, it was a difficult decision. You can only have so many certified leaders on the team, but without hesitation, the troika decided that even though he didn’t wear a C, senior Graham Garlasco would get the sacred hockey honor of having the “captain’s cubicle” in the locker room.

Then when the Ironmen wanted to honor Kai Woods, the 5-year old son of a Navy Seal who died in Benghazi, it was the captain’s idea to make a short hype video for Kai to watch, inviting him to come up to the Ramsey school. When Kai came, he was given the full “Ironmen for a Day” treatment.

“All my senior kids are like this, polite and respectful,” said Toskos. “They think a lot about what the right thing to do is off the ice.”

Toskos and his staff meet with the captains before every season and have dinner together. They discuss team goals and aspirations, and also silly things like, pasta parties, laser tags, who sits where on the bus.

No doubt the Ironmen voiced that they want to get a state championship. They looked like winners Wednesday night. And Toskos is right, what they do off the ice may end up being the difference in what happens on the ice.