Peabody 12-6

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WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 DECEMBER 6, 2018
Girls hockey continues upward trend
By Anne Marie Tobin
PEABODY — How do you follow a record-setting
year? Peabody-Lynnfield girls
hockey coach Michelle Roach has plenty of
experience in that department.
Since Roach took over as head coach in
2015-2016, the Tanners have set program
records for most wins in a single season in
each of the last three years (6 in 2016, 9 in
2017 and 11 in 2018); most goals scored in
each of the last two years (54 in 2017, 68
in 2018) and fewest goals allowed (42 in
2017). The team also set program records
with two straight tournament appearances
and two straight regular-season winning records
in 2017 and 2018.
“We have a talented squad this year with
11 returners and 10 freshmen, but we need
to have a good initial look at what we have
and who works well together,” said Roach.
“We’ve switched up the lines completely
so it’s just a matter of finding the right
chemistry. We are still trying to evaluate everyone
and are trying different pairings and
trying to get to our nuts and bolts and get all
the players into our system. Right now our
only goal is to play our best in every game.”
To keep the line moving, however, the
Tanners have some pretty big skates to
fill this year, starting with Northeastern
Hockey League all-stars Cassie Mirasolo
(North Reading), Mae Norton (Lynnfield)
and Sarah Buckley (Peabody), who graduated
in 2018. Mirasolo was third on the
team in scoring with seven goals and 11
assists, while Buckley (4 goals, 6 assists)
and Norton (8 assists) were also consistent
performers. Also gone is Kaydee Purcell
(Peabody), a four-year starter and rock behind
the blue line along with Norton.
Seniors Jess Robert and Kathryn DiGiulio
(Peabody), Abby Buckley (Lynnfield) and
Charlotte Grant (North Reading) along with
junior Sammie Mirasolo (North Reading)
PHOTO | ANNE MARIE TOBIN
Kat DiGiulio scored seven goals and two assists last year. The Tanners are
counting on her for more offense this season.
will serve as captains.
Mirasolo is a speedster and is back for her
third varsity campaign. She had a breakout
season last year, finishing with a program
record 41 points (26 goals, 15 assists) to
earn NHL Player of the Year honors along
with Moynihan Student-Athlete of the
Month honors last March. Mirasolo scored
at least one point in 19 of 21 games for the
Tanners last year and enters the season with
63 career points in just two years.
If there is one area where the Tanners are
blessed with talent and experience it’s in
goal with two returning goaltenders with
experience and a promising freshman. That
crew is led by four-year starter, NHL All-
Star goaltender Buckley, winner of last
year’s Carlin Cup MVP Award. Buckley
will be backed up by junior Jeny Collins
(North Reading) and freshman Audrey
Buckley (North Reading).
“Both Abby and Jeny are fantastic
goalies who bring a high level of compete,”
said Roach. “They are close to being interchangeable,
and Audrey also is skilled, so
we know that whoever is in the goal, we can
rely on them to get the job done.”
DiGiulio (7 goals, 2 assists), Robert (4
goals, 10 assists) and Grant are expected to
play key scoring roles this season.
The Tanners are fortunate to have two
solid defendemen from Lynnfield returning
this year in junior Carolyn Garofoli (5 assists)
and sophomore Reilly Ganter. Garolfi
(goal, 2 assists). Both players logged significant
minutes last season and look to be a
formidable pairing behind the blue line.
Roach said four freshman defensemen are
in the rotation mix. They are Ella McTeague
(North Reading), Anya Pineo (North
Reading) Maddie Monkewicz (Lynnfield)
and Catherine Sweeney (Lynnfield).
Jen Flynn (Lynnfield), Paige Thibedeau
(North Reading) and Elise Staunton
(Peabody) lead a talented group sophomore
forwards who are back for a second
varsity season. Flynn was second on the
team in scoring last year with 10 goals and
10 assists, while Thibedeau contributed
two goals and eight assists and Staunton
notched two goals.
While the lines are still a work in progress,
it looks like Mirasolo, Flynn and
freshman Sadie Gearan (Lynnfield) will
make up the first line, while Thibedeau,
Robert and freshman Maria Pearce (North
Reading) are on the second line. DiGiulio,
Staunton and Grant will skate the third line.
Other freshmen include Kaila Griffin and
Lily Piscatelli (both of North Reading) and
Jenna Mack (Lynnfield).
As far as team goals are concerned,
Roach said it’s all about being ready to play
the Tanners’ best hockey in February as the
tournament approaches.
“I don’t really get hung on records, as it’s
really about playing the best teams you can
so you are playing your best hockey when it
counts the most,” Roach said. “We need to
challenge ourselves to do that. Last year, we
had success but we weren’t satisfied with
the way it ended. We have the talent to play
up to that challenge but we need to have everyone
on the same page. Right now, I am
very happy with where we are.
“This is a great group of kids and I am
very excited for this season. We have a great
core group of returners and the freshmen
gives us diversity and depth to fill key roles
all over the ice in every position.
The Tanners open the season Saturday,
Dec. 8 against Marblehead/Swampscott at
Salem State’s Rockett Arena (12).
Peabody will look to win a second
straight Carlin Cup Monday, Feb. 18 when
it takes on cross-city rival Bishop Fenwick
at McVann-O’Keefe (11) in the third installment
of the cup.
Fenwick girls expecting big things again
By Harold Rivera
PEABODY — There’s a reason Fenwick girls basketball
coach Adam DeBaggis is excited for the quickly approaching
2018-2019 season. His Crusaders took the tough
route to the state tournament last season, clinching their
berth in the Division 3 North bracket late in the year. Once
they got in, however, they never looked back.
An 55-52 upset over Catholic Central League rival St.
Mary’s in the quarterfinals highlighted a Fenwick run to the
sectional crown. Other than the game against the Spartans,
the Crusaders were flat out dominant, outscoring the opposition
by an average of more than 30 points per game. They
did with an awesome display of defense, which twice held
opponents to under 19 points, and a third time allowed only
22, when the Crusaders cruised to a 45-22 win over Bedford
in the North finale.
The Crusaders’ magic ran out in the state semifinals
where they fell to CCL rival Archbishop Williams, which
went on to win a state title.
With seven senior returners, the pieces are in place for
what is hoped to be a fifth straight trip to the North championship
game, and perhaps, a second state title in four years.
“We feel very good,” DeBaggis, in his eighth season
guiding Fenwick, said. “We have seven seniors. They’re
kids with great attitudes who work hard. We lost a few seniors
and that’s always hard. Jennie (Meagher) and Fredi
(DeGuglielmo) were great players who knew how to win.
The attitude and work ethic from our returners has been
great so that’s always good.”
Fenwick returns four senior captains this winter, all of
whom played key roles in last year’s success.
They are guards Jaxson Nadeau and Sammi Gallant, and
forwards Liv DiPietro and Elizabeth Pica.
“They’re unbelievable,” DeBaggis said of his captains.
“They’re awesome. Jaxson and Sammi have
been on the team since they were freshmen. They won
FILE PHOTO
Jaxson Nadeau is one of four returning seniors to a
team that won a sectional championship last winter.
a state championship (in 2016). Liv and Elizabeth
have been on the team since they were sophomores.
They know how to lead. They saw great examples
ahead of them. I’m really lucky to have them.”
Sophomore guard Liv Gonzalez will also play a key role.
“Liv started the first half of last year until Jaxson returned
from her injury (torn ACL),” DeBaggis sad. “She’ll be a big
piece for us this year.”
With Meagher and DeGuglielmo — two of the more
consistent scorers last winter — no longer on the team,
Fenwick will have to get creative on offense. They’ll look
to do so with an up-tempo style of play.
“We’ll definitely play an up-tempo style of basketball,”
DeBaggis said. “We lost some scorers so we have to find a
way to make up points. I think we can defend anyone, we
just have to find different ways to put the ball in the hoop.”
Rebounding and avoiding foul trouble are the two areas
for improvement.
“Rebounding is an area where we were too inconsistent,”
DeBaggis said. “We’d like to not be in as much foul trouble
as well. The silly fouls are the ones we have to avoid.”
DeBaggis projects a competitive CCL, per usual.
Cathedral returns the majority of its roster from last year and
Williams has another talented group returning this winter.
“Williams will still be good,” DeBaggis said. “Cathedral
didn’t graduate anyone.
‘They’re probably the favorite, I imagine. We went 4-8 in
our league last year and we were one game away from the
state championship. That shows how competitive our league
is. We have to pull out wins wherever we can. There’s a slim
margin of error. We went 11-9 and we could’ve easily been
7-13. We have to focus on improving every day.”
Fenwick opens the season Tuesday, Dec. 11 when it hosts
league rival Arlington Catholic.
“The girls are very excited,” DeBaggis said. They’ve
kind of been waiting.
“A lot of them play other sports but I think basketball’s
their favorite. They’re always ready for this. It’s an exciting
time.”