Gov. Ned Lamont, West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, and State Sen. Derek Slap joined a pep rally at Hall High School that included a celebration of the state champion boys hockey team.

By Ronni Newton

Hall High School had scheduled a spring sports pep rally for the last Friday of May to celebrate athletic successes, and included in the fun plan was a Dodge Ball game. The celebration turned into a much bigger event, however, when Gov. Ned Lamont – accompanied by state Sen. Derek Slap and Mayor Shari Cantor – stopped by to officially recognize the state championship boys hockey team with proclamations and citations.

The Hall boys hockey team had captured the 2026 Division III Boys Hockey State Championship in dramatic fashion on March 19 – defeating E.O. Smith-Tolland 2-1 in overtime. The last time the team had won the championship was 33 years earlier, a 4-3 win over Westhill (Stamford) in 1993 in Division II.

What made this year’s achievement even more special and bittersweet was that it occurred than a month after tragedy struck the West Hartford community when Cam Siegal, a member of Hall’s Class of 2026, succumbed to critical injuries sustained when he was caught in the crossfire during a shooting in Hartford. The championship was a moment that Hall, and the town, desperately needed.

“You all are an inspiration to the entire state,” Slap said Friday. “And I think you are proof that you can have a broken heart and still have the heart of a champion – and that’s what you all have.”

“Maybe you’re known as the Titans, but in my book you are the cardiac kids,” said Lamont, referencing the team’s grit and come-from-behind and dramatic wins that characterized the season. In addition to going to overtime in the championship game, Hall came back from a 3-0 deficit to win a quarterfinal game against Rocky Hill.

“You don’t make it easy, but you never, ever, ever, ever give up,” Lamont said.

West Hartford Superintendent Paul also spoke at the pep rally. “What a special day today to celebrate the Hall boys hockey team on their incredible state championship, fighting through adversity, coming together as a team, really showing up … and demonstrating the resilience to win in overtime.”

“I’m just so, so proud of all the work that you did,” said Cantor. “The perseverance, teamwork, and sportsmanship that you showed in this season was truly remarkable.”

In addition to honoring the entire hockey team and head coach Colin O’Connor, two players also received special recognition from Slap, on behalf of the entire West Hartford legislative delegation, for their record-breaking performances.

Goalie Matthew Bonner was recognized for being the winningest goalie in program history – setting a record with 1,718 career saves and the most minutes played (2,905) of any Hall goalie.

Senior forward Connor McHugh was also recognized for his leadership and historic accomplishments, Slap noted. He is now the program’s all-time leader in goals (66), assists (76), and points (142).

The pep rally was emceed by Hall Student Council members Tuqua Abdulkareem and Juliet Dease. Kathleen Fay-Smith sang the National Anthem to begin the festivities.

And, after the dignitaries left the gym, the cheering continues as the planned chaos of a Dodge Ball tournament got underway.

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