CICERO – Ending 2022 with plenty of good thoughts, the Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt ice hockey team emerged with the first-place trophy from last week’s Cicero-North Syracuse Optimist Tournament.

The final between CBA/J-D and host C-NS on Dec. 30 proved tense and exciting, with the Brothers pulling it out 5-4 thanks to two goals apiece from Quinn Wimer and Alex Binsack.

And it was quite a contrast to the opening-round game the day before, when CBA/J-D wiped out Liverpool 12-0 by having 12 different players earn at least one point by game’s end.

Peaking with a six-goal second period against the Warriors, the Brothers saw Wimer, Finn Wheeler, Gavin Parks and Gavin Dunford each score twice, with Wheeler earning two assists and Parks two assists.

Single goals went to Jack Dement, James Stanton, Logan Novak and Jacob Dubrey. Joe Dotterer equaled Wheeler’s three assists as Binsack, Nate Vault and Will Sharlow had two assists apiece.

C-NS had battled past New Hartford 6-5 in the other half of the opening round, setting up a final with CBA/J-D that would prove just as close, but have a different outcome.

Shut out in the opening period, the Brothers only surrendered a single goal, then saw Binsack, Wimer and Sharlow each convert in a successful second period that helped tie the game 3-3.

Only with Wimer’s second tally early in the third period did CBA/J-D go in front for good, and it still needed a second goal from Binsack that would prove the game-winner as the Northstars tallied late.

Anchoring the attack, Wheeler piled up four assists and Parks managed three assists, with Dotterer joining Wimer and Sharlow with single assists. Each of Ben Lovell’s 22 saves in goal was needed as C-NS counterpart Leyton Sullivan had 26 saves.