Millis/Medway December 2016

December 2016 Local Town Pages www.millismedwaynews.com Page 23
Sports
Girls Ice Hockey Team at Medway Could Be Dominant
By KEN HAMWEY
The Medway girls ice hockey
team is eight years old now, and
there are some major milestones
it could reach this season.
The squad, which is a co-op
team with Ashland, Holliston
and Millis, has qualified for tourney
play in all of its previous
seven years. Another tourney
berth would give Kurt Carter,
who’s been the program’s only
coach, a perfect run of eight
straight. And, if the girls win 14
of their 21 games, the program
would mark 100 wins in eight
seasons. Also, if right wing Ashley
Fondo (Holliston) registers 17
points, she’ll reach 100 for her
career.
All the potential accolades, no
doubt, are admirable, and Carter
would be the first in line to applaud
if they occur. But, the veteran
coach, who played hockey
at Michigan State and UMass-
Amherst, is focused first on winning
the West Division title in the
Southeastern Mass. Girls Hockey
League (SEMGHL), and secondly,
capturing a state championship.
“We have the talent to do
some damage,’’ Carter said.
“But, a lot depends on how
quickly our chemistry develops
and how good our work ethic is.
We lost only three starters from
last year’s squad that finished 12-
8-3, so that translates to having
experience and depth. I also like
our team’s skills, speed and athleticism.’’
Carter, however, has a few
concerns, and they include filling
two vacancies on defense and developing
team-wide consistency.
Medway lost center Kerryann
Goode (all-time top scorer
with 27 points) and defenseman
Kasey Thoresen to graduation
and defenseman Caroline Werner
to prep school. But, there are
plenty of skilled skaters on hand
who have potential and likely will
provide a high hockey IQ.
For starters, there’s captain
Meghan Moriarty, a junior center
from Ashland. Then, there
are a pair of senior wings —
Fondo and Gabriella Airosus of
Medway — who’ll give the Mustangs
an offensive boost. Both are
four-year veterans.
“Meghan is a quality leader
who is a grinder,’’ Carter said.
“She doesn’t compile a lot of
stats, but she’s a top-notch teammate
who plays solid defense and
promotes a positive tone. Ashley
had 21 goals and 20 assists last
year, a natural goal-scorer. She’s
got power, speed and a strong
wrist shot. Gabriella is gifted with
the puck. She works very hard to
generate offense.’’
Carter points to a trio of Ashland
girls who could be the “key
to our success.’’ They are juniors
Maddy Hornung (center) and
Katie McGoff (left wing) and
senior Colleen Reardon (right
wing). “Maddy has the best slap
shot in the state,’’ Carter said.
“She’s fast and strong and has the
potential to be a top goal-scorer.
Katie has incredible ability. She’s
also is fast and strong and can be
a prolific scorer. Colleen is a fouryear
veteran who has exceptional
speed. If she develops a quick release,
she can score lots of goals.’’
Senior center Rae Lambert
of Medway, a four-year veteran,
played defense last year, but
Carter sees her as a play-maker
who could replace Goode. “Rae
is small in stature but she’s got a
big heart,’’ he emphasized. “Her
flexibility enables us to use her on
defense or at a forward slot.’’
A pair of defensemen — Lexi
Maher of Ashland and Ally
Smith of Millis — return and
they complement one another
effectively. A senior, Maher is a
four-year veteran, and Smith is
a junior. “Lexi is an incredible
athlete,’’ Carter said. “She’ll play
college lacrosse. She’s strong and
aggressive. A lockdown defenseman,
she owns the ice in front
of the goal. Ally is our best allaround
defenseman. She can
shut down an opponent and
transition to offense quickly.’’
Three underclassmen Carter
hopes will emerge on defense are
junior Gina Parlato, sophomore
Sophia Theodore, and freshman
Lauren Norton, all of Medway.
“Our success on defense will depend
on how quickly this trio develops,’’
he noted.
Sophomore Rachel Gittings
(Medway) will return in
goal along with her 2.28 goalsagainst
average from last year.
Carter likes her upside. “Rachel
Medway Girls Hockey hopes for its 8 th straight tourney this year.
is athletic and instinctive,’’ he
said. “She’s got fantastic ability,
and she reacts quickly. She just
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needs to add strength, and when
she does, she’ll be a top-notch
goalie.’’
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Medway competes in the
West Division of the SEMGHL,
which includes Westwood,
Dover-Sherborn/Hopkinton,
Medfield, King Philip, Franklin,
and Mansfield/Oliver Ames.
Carter rates Medfield (defending
champ), Westwood and Franklin
as contenders for the title. “Medfield
is strong, and Franklin and
Westwood have good tradition,’’
he said.
A Medway resident, Carter,
who is married and has three
children, again will stress to his
players the importance of reaching
their potential. He likes to
win, but he knows coaching is
more about teaching life lessons.
“There are more important
things than winning hockey
games,’’ he noted. “But, if our
girls focus on being successful on
the ice, it will translate to success
in life off the ice. The most important
life lessons they can learn
from sports are building character,
being good teammates and
developing a strong work ethic.’’
The Medway girls (co-op) ice
hockey team could be a force in
its eighth year. They have talent
and ability, and both will be on
display in their opener on Dec.
17 at King Philip. They’ve got
some milestones to achieve, but
there’s no doubt that winning
a state championship would be
their most cherished accolade.