The Maine Gladiators 16U Tier II team already has plenty of championship experience.

The Auburn-based youth hockey team went undefeated during the fall with a 24-0-0 record and won the Maine Amateur Hockey Association’s 16U Tier II state championship. Many Gladiators continued that success in the winter when their high school teams made long playoff runs.

There are four players from Lewiston, which won its 25th state championship in March, along with members of the Poland/Leavitt/Oak Hill/Gray-New Gloucester program that made it to the Class B South regional final. Two players were on the North Yarmouth Academy boys team that went to the Holt Conference championship game, and Sadie Morgan played for the NYA girls team that claimed the Vaillancourt Conference championship.

“It gave a lot of us confidence,” Aizyk Laliberte said. “It showed us we can win tournaments.”

Laliberte scored a hat trick in the Blue Devils’ win over Bangor in the Class A state final.

The Gladiators have one more title to win, the USA Hockey Tier II 16U national championship. The team will play for the 2A national title April 3-7 in Dallas, Texas.

The Gladiators begin pool play on April 3 against South West Wisconsin, face the Atlanta Fire on April 4 and then the Montana Wolves on April 5. Playoffs begin April 6. and the national championship game is April 7.

Coach Chris Pomerleau said the Gladiators hope the experience the players gained in early March will be beneficial in Dallas.

“That’s a huge asset for us,” Pomerleau said. “These guys experienced the realm with a lot of people in the stands and the realm of just having the competitiveness and the form when they need to. I am looking forward to seeing this group, from different aspects of high school, prep schools, come together in a youth hockey setting at the U16s in Texas.”

Brody Emond of the Maine Gladiators 16U Tier II team looks to make a pass during practice earlier this month at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Brody Emond, of Poland/Leavitt/Oak Hill/Gray-New Gloucester, said the high school postseason games gave the players an indication of what to expect in Dallas.

“I think it will help a lot because we played hard games and very physical games,” Emond said. “I think that will help at nationals.”

Connor Morrissette of NYA said he learned how important mental toughness is during the Panthers’ postseason, and he hopes that carries over into nationals.

“We need to stay calm, don’t overthink everything, and work as a team,” Morrisette said.

ANOTHER NATIONALS

Two years ago, roughly half of the current 16U Gladiators team went to the 14U USA Hockey Tier II Nationals and won the 1A championship.

Members of that squad on the 16U team are Emond, Andrew Clements, Colten Daniels, Breck Langevin, Ben Dumais, Evan Xavitz, Hayden Brown, Dylan Richards, Ronan Newell, Gabe Pomerleau and Rowan Hinkley.

Emond said there are high hopes after the trip in 2022 to Kalamazoo, Michigan.

“I think we have a better team this year, and I think we can win it again,” Emond said.

Emond mentioned some newcomers, such as Deagan Nadeau of North Yarmouth Academy, Morrissette and Laliberte, on this year’s team that put them over the top.

“We have some new guys, some younger guys and I feel like they are really good,” Emond said.

Morrissette said he’s going to rely on the experience of the players who played on the national championship team two years ago.

Chris Pomerleau, head coach of the Maine Gladiators 16U Tier II team, goes over a drill with his players during a practice earlier this month at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

“These kids have experienced everything we are going through already,” Morrisette said. “Being with them, they know what it’s like to be at nationals.”

Chris Pomerleau said the 14U title helped draw players to the Gladiators program.

“You attract people when you win a national championship,” Chris Pomerleau said. “You attract other players that might want to go back (to nationals), and I think that’s what we have done.”

The Gladiators faced some tough tests this winter, including facing some Tier I teams in a tournament in New Hampshire during the third weekend of the season.

Morrisette said he knew the team could make a run because the group has known each other for a while.

“When found out our team, we knew could do really well,” Morrissette said. “We knew we could make it far.”

The Gladiators outscored their opponents 144-38 this season. They defeated the Biddeford Nor’easters 2-1 to capture the 16U Tier II state championship in November.

Chris Pomerleau said he kept in touch with the players throughout their winter high school and prep seasons.

“We have a group text that all the coaching staff is a part of,” he said. “I shoot quick videos to them and our mentality of encouraging one another and thinking positively. I think the boys are excited to come back and shoot for another goal here.”

Goaltender Gabe Pomerleau, who backstopped Lewiston to the state championship and was named the Sun Journal’s Player of the Year, said when the Gladiators are tough to beat when they work together.

“We are a team that buys in,” Gabe Pomerleau said. “If we all buy-in, we are the best team.”

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