CAMBRIDGE — The locks on the doors all around the recently-closed Matignon School were in the middle of getting changed out Friday afternoon, and access to a microphone was out of the picture.
But all it took was a couple weeks of spreading the word, and a propped-open door, for several dozen former members of the historic boys hockey program to come together one last time inside the Warriors’ gymnasium – honoring everything the longtime power accomplished.
Matignon athletic director Mike Lahiff spoke for a few minutes after the group of about 70 people took a photo together inside the small gym, and legendary retired coach Marty Pierce read a five-minute prepared speech.
Pierce frequently describes his 40-year tenure – which included 10 state championships, 20 league titles and a large collection of sold-out games at the Boston Garden – as “magical times.”
Add this moment to the list.
“The old players, the new players, the more recent players at the end of my career; they’re the best,” Pierce said. “It’s just amazing to see this many here. I was glad I could get a chance to speak and thank them all. Just a great feeling.”
For whatever memories that couldn’t be told from the banners that still hung on the walls around them, there were more than enough former players reminiscing their experiences together to fill in the blanks. Some of the most notable hockey names to walk those halls showed up, as well as figures from each decade of Pierce’s reign.
Framed photos and newspaper articles were brought in. A few had their jerseys on. Pierce wore his Matignon jacket.
“This is awesome to see,” said former player Peter Bracey, who was on the last championship team in 1993. “To come back here one last time, to congregate in one room together – it’s pretty cool.”
Not only did every conversation turn into a trip down memory lane, but also opened a floodgate of names that made an impact on each others’ hockey careers. Many continued at notable Div. 1 collegiate programs like Boston College and Boston University, as well as professionally.
Two-time champion John Lopes (‘83, ‘84) said playing for the program was a dream come true for him ever since he started following it in the second grade, listing ‘70s influences like Mark Fidler, Duke Walsh and Tom O’Regan. All three were in attendance, as well as other popular names in Shawn McEachern and TC Harris.
Many recounted those high school years as the best of their careers.
“I faked (being) sick in the eighth grade to go watch Mark Fidler and the Matignon team win a game at two o’clock in the afternoon at the Garden one year,” said three-time champion Bob Emery, Class of ‘82. “Then I came to Matignon and really kick-started my hockey career, and added to the love that I already had for the game. We had so much success here.”
“I was in (the program) early, but I got to win one,” added O’Regan, whose three years in the NHL were part of a 15-year professional career. “My best memories in all of hockey were here. … Really special times.”
All the affection toward the program starts with playing for Pierce, who started a tradition of winning that’s mostly unmatched ever since the dynasty kicked into gear. Walsh, Class of 1972, was there from just about the start.
“(Pierce) willed us to be better,” Walsh said. “He had structure for us. He installed in us a culture of working together and an understanding of working hard.”
That togetherness has stuck all these years later, even as the school is now officially closed.
It’s only fitting that the program, which headlined a long list of the Matignon’s overall athletic success, got one more opportunity to showcase that for one final time inside the school’s walls.
