By MATT CONYERS | The Hartford Courant

6:03 PM EDT, March 15, 2008

NEW HAVEN - They began the season as rivals.

Saturday, they ended it as champions.

For Rockville/Manchester, the long journey from competitors to teammates concluded Saturday with a 6-3 victory over No. 1 Bolton/Coventry/Lyman Memorial in the CIAC Division III final at Yale's Ingalls Rink. The win gave both schools their first title in hockey.

Only eight months ago, Rockville and Manchester were foes in the CCC North, but in October the CIAC voted to let the two teams merge into a co-op after Rockville was in jeopardy of failing to field a team.

"I could have never imagine this when we started up," said Rockville/Manchester coach Chris Stevenson, who coached Rockville for nine years. "When the season began I had a feeling we would get to states, but a championship? I didn't see that. This is really a credit to the kids."

Pitted against its rink rival BCL --both teams play home games at Bolton Ice Palace -- Rockville/Manchester had six players score. Richard Bidwell, Sean Stoneman, Jeff Wolfenden, Michael Zalcman, Taylor Dubois and Kyle Heffernan each had goals.

"Everyone came into this game knowing what they needed to do," Stoneman said. "Everyone wanted to contribute."

Rockville/Manchester (17-7) also got help from its special teams. In the semifinal win against Watertown,the penalty kill that took center stage Saturday the power play went 3-for-4.

"It looks a lot better in games then in practice," Wolfenden said.

Rockville/Manchester took control of the game halfway through the second period when Stoneman sent a wrist shot five-hole on goalie Shane Hickey with 7:20 left.

Wolfenden, one of the team's captains, followed five minutes later with a goal to make the score 3-1.

"The patience Jeff showed on that play was amazing," Stevenson said. "With a chance to take a quick shot, he waited and got a better one. How many kids would show that type of patience in a state championship game?"

Rockville/Manchester made it 4-1 with 13:36 left in the third period on a power-play goal from Zalcman. BCL (20-5) responsed with a goal with 12:19 left from Tyler Somes. However, there would be no BCL rally. With 10:48 left, Dubois made a beautiful deke in front of Hickey for a backhanded flip goal.

From the start, Rockville/Manchester had the advantage on the boards and in the neutral zone. Throughout the opening two periods, Rockville/Manchester dictated the pace and won the physical battles.

"We just couldn't match their intensity and determination," BCL coach Jim Motyka said. "Their intensity was unreal. They really looked like a different team out there. They played as well as any team we've played."

Rockville/Manchester and BCL met twice during the regular season with each team winning a game. About 80 percent of the players on each team started playing in ECHO youth hockey programs in Bolton. Two Rockville/Manchester players are also in a band with three BCL players. Saturday, Rockville/Manchester refused to go home with another loss against the Whalers.

"The last thing we wanted was to walk into the arena and see a banner over their locker room," Stoneman said. "We wanted to make sure it was above our locker room."

Rockville/Manchester beat Rocky Hill/RHAM, Hall and Watertown to get to the finals. It needed overtime to beat Hall and three goals in the final three minutes to beat Rocky Hill/RHAM.

"I told Stevenson after the game, if there was any team we didn't mind losing to it was them," Motyka said. "He's a class act. He deserves this. Over the years, he's really helped our program a lot. He's part of the reason why we're here. They deserve it." C.J Kelehan finished the game with 27 saves and Hickey had 22.