RAYNHAM – A team of destiny?

Perhaps.

What is certain, however, is that the Bantam South Middlesex Coyotes – a perfect 8-0-0, with the division’s best offense and defense – are the team to beat in 2015. Even when the wins do not count, the Coyotes have taken center stage, leading the charge on All-Star Weekend with a win in the Skills Challenge and setting the pace for a 7-5 Black All-Stars win.

The Coyotes have been out in front of the Bantam Division all season and Saturday’s Skills Challenge was no different. The four-man team of PJ Houser, Ryan Cox, Dean Poulin and Trent Costa took the lead following the first event and never looked back.

It was actually the first two events the Coyotes won, placing first in the Team Relay and Agility Race, before struggling to place in the Target Shooting event. South Middlesex was deemed the fastest and most agile team, but it was the hometown Raynham Raiders deemed most accurate with their win in Target Shooting.

That win gave the Raiders a third place overall finish in the Skills Challenge, finishing just one point behind the Boston Brahmas, who finished in second by virtue of their second place finishes in the Team Relay and Target Shooting.

The Coyotes continued to shine as the Bantam All-Star Game got underway, South Middlesex’s Max Giardina giving the Black All-Stars a 3-2, halftime lead with his tally scored in the final minute before the break.

Teammate Matt Gallagher extended the Black lead to 4-2 with the opening goal of the second half, but White was quick to respond. Norfolk County Hawks forward Evan Vassilovski netted a pair for White within the next 1:30 following Gallagher’s score to even things at 4-4.

Black, however, then went on a goal-scoring run of their own, netting three straight to give themselves the lead for good. Marlboro Thunder defenseman Brett Erwin scored his second penalty shot goal of the day to break the tie. Cole Reposa then put the South Shore Sabercats on the score sheet and Black back up by two before Coyotes forward Ben McGlashing capped the rally and bookended the Black All-Stars’ scoring with his second of the game to make it 7-4.

White pressed late, looking to jump start a rally and overcome their three-goal deficit, but Cobras forward Jake Starr’s unassisted goal with just over a minute to play was all the scoring they had left to muster. The score remained 7-5 through the final buzzer.

His two-goal showing garnered McGlashing the First Star of the Game accolades, as did Vassilovski’s and Erwin’s, who finished as the Second and Third Stars of the Game, respectively.