After watching Northern Highlands win a state championship from the sidelines last season, sophomore Joey Boccio took the Highlanders' opening face-off on Dec. 10 against West Morris.
The play marked the end of a year-and-a-half-long journey back from a brain tumor halting his hockey career.
"It meant a lot to me," Boccio said. "I just wanted to enjoy the moment but then the game is happening and you have to refocus."
Northern Highlands coach Brent Beswick is quick to explain that while the first-game starting nod was symbolic for what Boccio went through to get back on the ice, his placement on the team has very much been earned.
"He's a Highlander through and through," Beswick said. "He worked his butt off to get back there and I don't think anyone couldn't appreciate what he had been through to get there."
A year without hockey
In April 2023, Boccio was an eighth grader looking forward to continuing his hockey career in high school at Northern Highlands.
When Boccio suddenly began having a seizure in his home, his mother called 911 and he was taken to Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. There, doctors discovered that a mass had developed on his brain.
Further tests and doctor visits sent Boccio to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where the mass was identified as a glioma. A glioma, a tumor that originates from cells that support and protect nerves, is the most common form of primary brain tumor, making up for roughly one-third of all types of brain tumors.
"It was really about the recovery," Boccio said. "There was no pain during the process, but we had to be careful recovering so that I could get back to normal."
As Boccio endured testing and was unable to play hockey last winter, he was presented with his Northern Highlands hockey jersey. Boccio had been playing hockey within the Highlands Hockey Association since he was 5 years old.
"We knew he couldn't be out there with us, but he was a part of our team," coach Jason Beswick said. "We wanted him to know we were in his corner. We hoped that it would give him a boost."
Testing revealed that Boccio's tumor was non-cancerous, and a procedure was done to remove the mass safely. After healing from the procedure, Boccio was able to resume normal activities with check ups every three months.
"I couldn't play last year, but I wanted to still be involved with the team," Boccio said. "I tried to go to as many games as I could and be around the team as much as possible."
Getting back on the ice
Boccio watched last season as the Highlanders won their third state championship at Prudential Center, taking the Public state title. He was among the returning players who helped raise the state championship banner to the rafters of Sport-O-Rama in Monsey, N.Y. earlier this season.
"It's really surreal," Boccio said. "You don't often get to have moments like those in your life too often. Being able to be out there meant a lot."
Now back on the ice, Boccio admits he's still coming along in terms of getting back to his normal self.
Northern Highlands is currently experiencing a youth movement. Boccio is among 18 freshmen or sophomores currently on the Highlanders roster, still learning to gel.
"It helps me ease back in knowing that the team is pretty young as a whole," Boccio said. "It's not just me coming along. We are coming along together as a team and that helps with our bond as a group."
Boccio has no restrictions for his first season with the Highlanders. His playing time is growing and he's emerged as an emotional leader for a team still among the best in Bergen County.
"Kids quietly look up to him," Beswick said. "When things get hard, you think about what Joey went through just to be here and it puts the game into perspective."