Cathedral Catholic Roller Hockey delivered one of the most memorable championship runs in recent program history, overcoming late deficits in both the semifinals and the finals to capture the 2026 San Diego Inline Hockey High School League Championship.

The Dons entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed after a strong regular season and opened championship night against No. 3 seed SD Inline in the semifinals. SD Inline, composed of players from schools without their own roller hockey programs, came out firing and grabbed a quick 2-0 lead on two early goals by Kevin Telon.

Cathedral responded with the poise that would define its playoff run. Freshman Eddie Hentzen put the Dons on the board, and junior David Brown scored with just 39 seconds left in the first period, tying the game at 2-2.

In the third period, SD Inline regained the lead on a goal by Oren Barengoltz, but the Dons kept pressing. Senior Brady Nelson set up junior Kellan Morneau for the equalizer, tying the score at 3-3 and setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

With overtime looming, Cathedral launched a final rush in the closing seconds. Nathan Clark shoveled the puck toward the net. The initial shot was stopped, but Nelson pounced on the rebound and buried the game-winner with less than half a second remaining, giving the Dons a thrilling 4-3 victory and sending them to the championship game.

Awaiting Cathedral was No. 4 seed Poway, which had upset top-seeded Classical Academy in the other semifinal behind a standout performance by goaltender Jacob Behar. Poway had also defeated the Dons 5-3 in the final regular-season game, setting up a highly anticipated title rematch.

The championship game lived up to every expectation.

Poway struck first on a goal by Michael Nilsen, but Cathedral answered late in the opening period when Morneau finished a setup by junior Vison Ha to tie the score 1-1.

Both goaltenders were outstanding throughout the contest. Poway’s Behar continued his sensational play from the semifinals, while Cathedral’s Jackson Mann turned away numerous high-quality scoring chances, keeping the Dons in the game.

Cathedral briefly took the lead late in the second period when Clark beat Behar with a well-placed shot. Poway responded quickly, as Corban Hlavac scored on another assist from Nilsen, sending the teams into the final period tied.

With just over five minutes left, Hlavac scored his second goal of the night, putting Poway ahead 3-2. The Dons were once again facing elimination.

With their goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Cathedral mounted a final push. Senior Nathan Clark cut the deficit to 3-2 with 3:52 remaining, keeping the comeback alive. With just 45 seconds left, Brady Nelson found Ha in front of the net, and the junior buried the equalizer, forcing sudden-death overtime.

In overtime, Cathedral completed its remarkable run in unforgettable fashion. Ha delivered a perfect cross-rink pass to Clark, who blasted a one-timer slapshot past Behar to secure the championship.

The title marks the second roller hockey championship in Cathedral Catholic program history and the first since 2022.

Despite a short-handed roster and competing in two emotionally charged games in one night, the Dons displayed tremendous resilience and determination. Time and again, they answered adversity with clutch performances, proving that championship teams rise when the stakes are highest.

From Nelson’s buzzer-beating semifinal winner to Ha’s last-minute equalizer and Clark’s overtime championship-clinching goal, Cathedral Catholic delivered a playoff run that will be remembered for years to come.