Camden Hills High School of Rockport senior left wing Owen McManus didn’t know much about hockey when he moved to Lincolnville from Delaware when he was a youngster.
“I got into it in first grade. My best friend was playing hockey. My parents had never been into hockey before but they put me in skates,” said McManus. “I didn’t really love it at first but I grew up a little and learned to love it.”
McManus had a terrific performance in the Class B North final against Hampden Academy on Tuesday night at Alfond Arena in Orono, scoring four goals, assisting on another and being a net-front distraction on the game-winner by Bridger Witbeck as Camden Hills triumphed 6-5.
Witbeck was trying to pass it across to the net front to McManus but his pass deflected in off goalie Aiden Surran’s skate.
McManus now has 37 goals on the season, including eight in three playoff wins, and will hope to add to that total on Saturday when the 15-6 Windjammers face B South winner Cheverus/Yarmouth, 17-2-2, in the 1 p.m. state final at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
Cheverus/Yarmouth, a fourth-year program, has a 14-game unbeaten streak (12-0-2) while Camden Hills has won 11 of its last 12.
Yarmouth High School won seven state B titles.
Camden Hills has never won a state hockey title.
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“Owen is amazing. He is the number one goal scorer in the state,” said Windjammers first-year head coach Harrison Rogers. “He always works until the last whistle. And he’s always positive.”
“Goal scoring is something I value. I enjoy scoring goals, who doesn’t?,” said McManus. “I work on that. I especially like getting goals for the team. Nothing feels better than getting them in a big moment (like the B North final).”
McManus has a quick release and is accurate with his shot. He puts most of them on net and has plenty of zip on them.
“He’s a great player,” said Hampden Academy senior left wing Matthew Shayne. “He has a good shot, he’s a good stickhandler and he’s a great skater.”
HA head coach Zach Wilson called McManus a “force.”
McManus hasn’t been surprised by his goal output.
“I think I had 26 last year. My goal was to get 30 this year. We’ve been on a great streak these last 10 to 12 games. It’s great to be a part of it,” said McManus.
He said he hasn’t tried to force anything this season.
“I’ve been taking what they’ve been giving me and I’ve gotten opportunities off that,” he explained.
In addition to McManus, the Windjammers have received an impressive 19-goal season from defenseman Billy Kurzius, 10 goals from Bennett Gardner and nine from Blake Christie. Quinn Hoppin has played all three games in goal.
Quinn McCoy, Andrew Cheever, Sam Bradford and David Swift have been among the key contributors for Cheverus/Yarmouth and Ethan Turner made 23 saves in the B South championship game win over the Leavitt co-operative team, 3-1.
