Freshman Scores Overtime Goal in Third Championship Win

A 14-year-old freshman just delivered the shot of his young life when it mattered most.

Callen Denton scored 7:13 into overtime Sunday to give the Chenango Forks Blue Devils their third Broome County High School Hockey Association championship in four years. The 7-6 victory over the Binghamton Patriots capped a thrilling comeback story that nearly went the other way.

The Blue Devils looked unstoppable through two periods, leading 5-0 heading into the final frame. Then the Patriots flipped the script entirely.

Binghamton's Carson Travis sparked the rally with a hat trick, and suddenly a blowout turned into a nail-biter. The Patriots scored six unanswered goals in the third period to tie the game and force overtime, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

But Denton's overtime heroics sealed the deal. When his shot hit the back of the net, Blue Devils players piled onto each other in celebration, rattling the plexiglass as parents and supporters erupted in the rink.

Senior Simon Kasmarcik led all scorers with four goals in the championship game. Fellow senior Jonah Ericksen-Hrehor added two more, giving the upperclassmen plenty of firepower alongside their freshman hero.

The championship weekend actually featured two games between the rivals. Saturday's contest ended 4-3 for Chenango Forks, with the Patriots again held scoreless until mounting a late rally in the third period.

The Ripple Effect

This championship run meant even more because it came against a different opponent than usual. The Blue Devils typically face the Elmira Express for the title, but Chenango Forks knocked out the defending champions 4-3 on Friday to set up the all-Broome County final.

The victory gives Chenango Forks three titles in the past four seasons (2022-23, 2023-24, and now 2025-26). For a small-town school program, that kind of sustained excellence shows what young athletes can accomplish with dedication and teamwork.

Both teams will send players to the league all-star game this Saturday at the SUNY Broome Ice Center, giving the community another chance to celebrate the talent on display this weekend.

A freshman scoring the championship winner in overtime is the kind of moment these players will remember forever.