Boys hockey: Motivated Stampede bring home combined division state championship

Before Friday night’s Illinois High School Hockey state championship game (combined division), BG/H/W captain Cam Christopher spoke to the team in the locker room, then brought out his plaque from the 2025 state championship game when the Stampede lost in double-overtime.

He put the plaque in the middle of the room.

“Most of the kids threw it away,” after last season,“ said BG/H/W coach Chris Waters. “I didn’t know he was going to do it (with that plaque).

“He just told us to not forget what happened last year.”

And they didn’t. The Stampede struck early, then celebrated late, defeating co-op Maine Township 5-2 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

The win marked the third state championship for the Stampede (2016, 2018), which features players from Buffalo Grove, Hersey, Wheeling and Schaumburg high schools.

“I didn’t have to say anything (pre-game); our captains said everything that was needed,” said Waters, in his 10th season leading the Stampede, which played their first game this season 184 days ago and has now appeared in the state final five times since 2013. “One of our pre-game objectives was to start strong. We thought they would be nervous and would use it to our advantage.

“That worked about as well as we could have asked.”

The Stampede struck 1:14 into the first period on a goal from Jacob Forsberg, assisted by Cam Christopher and Jackson Ronkoske.

“That (goal) was a game-changer; it put them on their heels from the start,” Waters said.

Added Stampede goalie Ronin Alaniz: “That (first goal) absolutely elevated the game for us. It gave us a huge flood of momentum. I’m sure we were able to get into (Maine goalie Joseph) Murphy’s head at that point. That (goal) really set the tone, the momentum for our team.”

The Stampede pushed it to 2-0 at 4:47 of the first period on a power-play goal from Dominic Pesoli, assisted by Ryan Costanza.

“My job when we go up 2-0 was to just manage emotions on the bench,” Waters said. “In the second, we lost a little focus.”

However, Christopher netted the game-winning goal with 1:14 left to play in the second period (Costanza and William Selleck) as the Stampede led 3-0 after two periods.

“Our team played so well,” said BG/H/W junior goalie Alaniz, who faced 18 shots. “I just had to make a couple of (key) saves to keep the game even, keep the momentum rolling.

“I am just so happy I was a part of that game.”

Maine cut the lead to 3-1 about two minutes into the third period when John Donohue converted a centering pass (Gavin Brich, Matheson Cooney).

“We knew we were going to have a battle (in the third). We knew they were coming to get us. That goal was the wake-up call,” Waters said.

The Stampede answered less than three minutes later when Jackson Ronkoske somehow beat Murphy (Dominic Pesoli, Jacob Forsberg) from along the goal line on the left side after a shot caromed off the backboards.

“Our goal in the third was to get people in front of the net for rebounds and traffic in front of the goalie. Our guys went to the net. They were in the right spots,” Waters said.

Matthew Deluca scored a power-play goal with 3:34 remaining (John Donohue, Gavin Brich), cutting the score to 4-2. Aiden Gogerty iced the Stampede win with 1:56 remaining, netting an unassisted empty-net goal.

“After losing last year in double overtime, this is surreal,” Waters said. “We had one goal in mind all year, and to accomplish it, that is pretty amazing.”

Murphy faced 22 shots from the Stampede and BG/H/W forward Christopher was named the game’s MVP.

“We had a lot of pressure (on the Stampede) in the second period with some really good (scoring) chances. It felt like the momentum was (coming our way), but we couldn’t find a way to get a goal,” said Maine coach Greg Mrofcza.

“Not the way we wanted it to go, but certainly a good effort from the guys. They battled the whole way through.”