Even as the Marshfield boys hockey team put an end to his team’s hopes for the year, Braintree High coach Dave Fasano could recognize talent when he saw it.

“They are going on all cylinders,’’ Fasano said of the Marshfield skaters. “They got it all together. I give them a lot of credit. One of their biggest advantages is the strong coaching.’’

Braintree hardly went down without a fight: Marshfield ended its season with a 1-0 overtime thriller in the Division 1 South final March 11 at Gallo Ice Arena in Bourne.

Junior forward Paul Rorke netted the game’s lone goal, collecting a pass from defenseman Jon Jordan before finishing off a breakaway on Braintree goalie Owen Cuddyer with a backhander.

“It was something you dream about,’’ Rorke said. “The game could have gone either way, so right when it went in I sort of blacked out. Then my team all jumped on me, and it hit me that we got the win.’’

Marshfield (15-5-6), the sixth seed in the South bracket, will play Waltham in Sunday’s state final at TD Garden, seeking the program’s first state title since 2011.

“Being successful is having a good team,’’ said Dan Connolly, now in his 19th year as Marshfield’s coach. “I’m happy that I often have players that are ready to work at practice and in games. That is the reason why we’ve been a successful squad this year.’’

Under Connolly, the Rams are perennial contenders.

Last March, Marshfield advanced to the Super 8 quarterfinals before being elminated by Malden Catholic. The Rams also received the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Sportsmanship Award for Division 1.

The Rams’ quest for the program’s first state title in seven years starts with 6-foot senior goalie Nevan Costello. The 18-year-old cocaptain of the team has progressed in front of the net since last year. After appearing only in six games in his junior season, he doubled that to 12 this year and made 169 saves. He’s continuing his success in Marshfield’s postseason run, allowing only three goals in matchups against Duxbury, Barnstable, Needham, and Braintree.

Costello’s older brother Brennan skated on Marshfield’s 2011 championship squad.

Nevan Costello credits Connolly for the program’s consistent success.

“He has a plan for every practice that leads us to get wins in games,’’ Costello said of the coach. “He is such a veteran.’’

In addition to having a strong goaltender, Connolly relies on a strong defense led by 6-foot-1 senior cocaptain Eddie Everett, who the coach sees as the glue that holds the team together.

“He has been on varsity all four years,’’ Connolly said. “He will do anything for the win. He is a tough kid who will put his body in front of any shot. He is a real good defenseman.’’

Everett said he puts it all on the line because he feels his coach would do the same for him.

“He pays attention to detail,’’ Everett said. “He focuses on the preparation and practice, and that leads us to victories. Off the ice, he brings the team together by making us do mandatory community service. That helps on the ice to work as a whole.’’

That community service begins in the offseason. This year, in October, players raked the lawns of Marshfield residents unable to so themselves.

“Ever since I’ve been a coach,’’ Connolly said, “I’ve made my team give back. It’s about paying it forward, and each kid does just that. Each one of my players put 25 to 30 hours of community service in each year. And we got recognized for it last year by getting the sportsmanship award.’’

Now, the boys have the chance to bring back a state title to their community.

“It’s amazing to think that we have the opportunity to get a state championship,’’ said Costello, the goalie, “because coming into this season we didn’t know we would be able to make it this far. This year is definitely something special, and I’m going to remember it. I’m proud of every one of my teammates.’’

Connolly goes into the tournament finale against Waltham with optimism, citing the team’s growth during the year.

“Our team has matured greatly since day one,’’ he said. Waltham should be a tough foe, he added, and he anticipates “a great defensive battle.’’

“It’s going to be a different environment,’’ Costello said. “The championship game is always the most hyped-up game, and there are going to be roaring fans from both sides. It’s going to be a great game, and we’re going to bring our all.’’

Andrew Higginbottom can be reached at andrew.higginbottom @globe.com.