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Season Preview: WHSL relying on young players to fill McAleer, Tracy’s skates

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WHSL is now tasked with replacing 80 percent of its offensive production from last winter, its starting goaltender and three of its four starting defensemen.

The Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake high school girls’ hockey team enters the new season with a lot of challenges — some that were inevitable, some that frankly blindsided it — but you won’t hear it making excuses, that’s for sure.

As the final horn blew last March that concluded WHSL’s campaign with a 2-0 loss to Winchester in the first round of the Division 2 state tournament, it would be the last time two of the program’s most decorated players — Mel McAleer and Hannah Tracy — would sport Panthers black and red on the ice again.

McAleer and Tracy, who combined for 194 goals and 142 assists dating back to the Pembroke/Whitman-Hanson co-op, headlined an eight-player senior class that guided WHSL to a 38-19-5 record, back-to-back SEMGHL Northeast crowns and its first tournament win since the co-op’s inception at the outset of the 2014-15 season. WHSL head coach Kevin Marani said the loss of McAleer and Tracy, who both hail from Hanson, serves as a great opportunity for the players on this season’s team.

“I think now they know, well we don’t have Hannah and Mel, if I don’t score we don’t win,” Marani said. “Where if they don’t score last year, Hannah and Mel would score and we’d win.”

OTHER DEPARTURES

On top of the senior class’ departure, two players Marani was going to rely heavily on this season in sophomores and SEMGHL Northeast All-Stars – forward Alyssa Murphy (20 goals and 23 assists in 2016-17) and defenseman Delaney Grace (five goals and 13 assists) – opted not to return to the club, which threw a wrench into the Panthers’ plans.

WHSL is now tasked with replacing 80 percent of its offensive production from last winter, its starting goaltender and three of its four starting defensemen. Regardless of the losses, WHSL does, however, return sophomore defenseman Natalie Nemes, who burst onto the scene last season contributing big minutes for the Panthers en route to being named an SEMGHL Northeast All-Star.

“Even last year with the talent we had on the team, she was our best skater,” Marani said. “From last year into this year it’s just confidence. As a freshman last year, she held back a tiny bit [and] I think this year it’s going to be her coming out party, I really do. I haven’t seen a better defenseman in the three years that I’ve coached on any team I’ve played against.”

Joining Nemes on the WHSL blue line will be sophomore Antonia Driscoll and junior Zoe Lydon (Hanson), both of whom played sparingly last winter. Along with those three, the co-op will need at least one newcomer to solidify herself into a starting role, but who that will be is up in the air at this point.

“We expect a lot, we need a lot from Zoe and Antonia,” Marani said. “Both look like they’ve put in the work, so we need them to step up obviously from not playing much last year to getting into a major role this year. [Also], we just need one freshman to step up and hopefully have four deep and make it a solid defensive corps in front of our freshman goalie.”

That freshman goalie Marani referred is Kat Gilbert, who he said has impressed him thus far. Gilbert is just one of about a dozen freshmen that will take the ice for WHSL this season.

While the team may be young, they still have three seniors – led by captains Shannon Elwood and Colleen Hughes (Hanson). “All of them are leaders, they’re great kids, they’re great academically,” Marani said. “They’re just good kids.”

Another change for WHSL this season is it will be competing in the newly formed girls’ hockey Patriot League, which will offer some enhanced play with the likes of Duxbury, Hingham and Pembroke in it. Not only did the Panthers’ path to a Division title get a bit tougher, but its route to a possible state title down the road did as well, as they have been moved from Division 2 up to Division 1. Regardless, Marani said as long as his club gives it its all, that’s all he can ask for.

“We need to go out and play,” the third-year WHSL head coach said. “The schedule is in front of us and if we win, we win, if we lose, we lose, but as long as we’re all going in the same direction and with one goal, and that is to play our best and to give it our best, then wins and losses are going to be irrelevant.”

WHSL will open its season on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8:45 p.m. at Hobomock Arenas in Pembroke against Marshfield.

“I truly just want them to go in, play as hard as they can, learn the speed of high school hockey and we’ll grow from there,” Marani said. “We’ll get better every game.”

Season Preview: Girls’ indoor track team focuses on achieving goals

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Head coach Steve George said the strength of his team, which is coming off a 2-3 season in 2016-17, lies it its potential and the abilities of its untested newcomers.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ indoor track team is ready to hit the ground running, and fourth-year head coach Steve George remains focused on growth.

“While victories would be outstanding for us all, we really focus on improvement, getting all our kids to achieve their personal goals and maximize that potential we see,” George said.

George said the strength of his team, which is coming off a 2-3 season in 2016-17, lies it its potential and the abilities of its untested newcomers.

“Nearly half of our student-athletes have never competed in track and field previously,” George said. “Twelve days of practice won’t provide the conditioning or experience they will need to succeed. But we’ll all work unrelentingly until we get there.”

A few of those newcomers George is referring to are freshmen Emma Rogers and Isabelle Amado, both of whom have caught his eye.

“They have the perfect combination of having the ability to compete in multiple events and the willingness to take on the task of [multiple events],” he said.

While there is an influx of young talent, the Panthers are still going to rely heavily on their veterans – spearheaded by senior captains Camryn Boyce, Lillian Perkins-Reisdorf and Nicole Norve.

“All three girls are not only terrific athletes, but first-class leaders when healthy,” George said. “We’ll need them all healthy if we’re going to make an impact.”

With that trio, along with the likes of juniors Dorothy DiMascio-Donohue and Allison Bartlett and sophomore Samantha Perkins near the top of the roster, George said he feels his club will be relatively strong in mid-distance and sprints/hurdles events.

“Right now, I think we have the making of a terrific 4×200 relay team, and I am confident in our 55-meter hurdles and 300 events,” George said. “I’m optimistic in the 1,000 as well. But beyond that we will have to mix and match to find the right combinations.”

However, George noted while his team has the potential to yield a formidable 4×200 relay team, he would like to see an improved performance in that event from last season, along with the shot put. That will come with time as the team finds a way to replace multi-event school record holder Alex Santos, along with Lily Nolan, Olivia Morse and Olivia Reed.

“I’m confident we’ll get there with the young talent on the team, but we may need to tough it out in a couple of meets first,” George said.

The girls will be back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 4:30 p.m. at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury against Duxbury.

“So much about track is based on the individual performance of each athlete which differentiates it from other sports,” George said. “There are no set plays like football, no assists like basketball and baseball. It’s pretty much youversus the clock.”

Season Preview: Multi-faceted Panther team: Boys’ basketball turns to new leaders for the 2017-18 season

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NEW YEAR, NEW TEAM: Basketball coach Bob Rodgers, center in black T-shirt, talks to his players during a Saturday, Dec. 2 scrimmage vs. Sandwich. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Bob Rodgers is looking for much of the same out of his boys’ basketball team that’s made it to the Div. 2 state semifinals two straight seasons.

After back-to-back trips to the Division 2 state semifinals, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team is gearing up for a new season.

“Each team has its own personality and its own character and from a coach’s perspective, it’s a lot of fun to figure out what’s the best way to motivate them, how to coach them, how to get the most out of them,” said Bob Rodgers, who is entering his 18th year at the helm of the Panthers.

Key losses from last winter’s club are Lucas Franklin, Nikko Raftes and Luke Tamulevich, all of whom were senior captains and pivotal pieces of that team.

“There’s no question that all of those guys have left a legacy in the program, in terms of how hard they wanted to work and how they treated their teammates,” Rodgers said.

Franklin, Raftes and Tamulevich were three of five players penned into starting roles at the outset of last season, as the Panthers were tasked with replacing their entire starting five. This winter, the Panthers will only be replacing three starters, as they return Jacob Hanson-Bartlett and Sean Leahy.

Hanson-Bartlett (179 points and 167 rebounds last season) and Leahy (141 points and 154 rebounds) both flourished as first-year starters en route to many postseason accolades. Not only will both be relied on to be the focal points on the court, but off it as well as both have been tabbed as captains.

“You couldn’t have two better kids, they’re both very humble [and] there’re both team-first guys,” Rodgers said. “Both of them are multi-faceted players, great leaders and good at both ends of the floor.”

As for who will join them as starters is still to be determined at this point. Rodgers said one idea that he is toying with is starting a bigger lineup than in previous seasons.

“This year’s team, we’re a little bit longer than we’ve been in year’s past,” he explained. “We have several kids who are over 6-foot-4 and we could put maybe four of them on the floor at the same time.”

Rodgers said he is also flirting with the idea of playing without a point guard, something he did in 2010.

“We’re looking for a point guard to kind of emerge and right now none of them have shown me that they can talk enough on the floor, they don’t talk to their teammates enough, they don’t communicate, they don’t get us into our offenses like we want to,” Rodgers said. “You need somebody who’s going to be out there commanding on the floor and that’s something that every day in practice we’re hoping to find one of these guys who is going to establish and open their mouth and talk and make sure that their teammates know that we can count on them when they’re on the floor.”

One of the Panthers’ strengths last season was their ability to knock down the 3-pointer, which was fueled by sharp-shooters Raftes and Tamulevich. Rodgers said that despite W-H’s increased size this season, the program is still brimming with excellent shooters who can connect from beyond the arc.

“We’re going to definitely use the three, you can’t win in high school basketball if you don’t hit the 3-pointer, there’s just no question in my mind that you can’t win without it,” Rodgers said. “I think people will realize we’re more balanced then we’ve been in the past.”

The Panthers will open the season at Bridgewater-Raynham on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

“I just hope we’re super boring, that’s what I tell my guys all the time, I just want to be boring,” Rodgers said. “I just want to do all the fundamentals right, I want our guys to out-execute the other team and just be working together as a unit better than the other teams that we play.”

Season Preview: Girls’ hoops builds on success

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The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team will be lead by a pair of senior and junior captains this season.

With a number of key pieces back in the fold, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is looking to build off its success from last season.

It was a season in which the Panthers boasted 11 wins, their most in five years, and cracked the tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign. However, W-H will have its hands full trying to fill the shoes of four integral pieces from that run in three-year starter and two-year captain Taylor McVeigh, three-year starters and 201617 captains, Sophie O’Brien and Sarah Saccardo, and spot-starter Chloe Roberts, all of whom have graduated.

“In general, they will be a tough unit to replace more for the character, heart and leadership they brought every day than anything else,” fifth-year Panther head coach Jenna Olem said. “Their work ethic and accountability was such a big key to our success.”

But there will be no dwelling on what has been lost, as W-H seems to be in good hands going forward. Captaining this season’s club are juniors Kathryn Dunn and Erin Leahy, and seniors Halle Julian and Alyssa Nicholson.

Dunn, who moved into the starting lineup about a quarter of the way through last season, brings a lot to the table on both ends of the floor.

“She is another player that can play and defend so many positions,” Olem said. “Her ability to get to the basket and finish through contact will be huge for us this year. She never hesitates to hit the floor and consistently make those important hustle, momentumchanging plays for us.”

Leahy pumped in 7.3 points per game, snatched 6.4 rebounds per game and dished out 2.6 assists per game in 17 contests as a starter last season before going down with a torn ACL in early February. She initially wasn’t expected to be back until midseason, but looks good to go, which is a breath of fresh air for the Panthers.

“We will obviously be cautious with her until we feel she is fully ready, but there are no limitations,” Olem said. “Erin’s length, size, athleticism, speed and basketball IQ are what makes her such as special player. Her ability to play and defend all five positions makes it possible for us to flexible with our rotations. Once she starts hitting outside shots with more consistency, it will be very hard for teams to stop her.”

As for Julian and Nicholson, this will be their first season inserted into the starting lineup, and both are expected to contribute big minutes down low.

“Halle [Julian], again, has incredible quickness and athleticism for someone her size,” Olem said. “She is a natural shot blocker and great rebounder.

“Alyssa [Nicholson] has shown she can be a game changer when she is isolated in the post and can score consistently from underneath. She also alters every shot on the defensive end when her hands are up and active on defense.”

As Olem adjusts to her new lineup, she has made a change in the Panthers’ offensive game plan. Over the past couple of seasons a major part of W-H’s offense has been predicated on pounding the ball into the post, which is something the team will be trying to stray from.

“[We are] trying to spread out the offense a little bit with five-out or four-out sets,” Olem explained. “A lot of our offense will come directly off of our fast break, which has looked really good already. We have many players that can play a variety of positions with their length and speed.”

However, something that will not be changing is what W-H prides itself on the most, and that is being a defensiveminded team. Last season the Panthers had the ability to suffocate opposing offenses on any given night, as they allowed just a tick over 43 points per contest, and Olem said she absolutely expects the same level of play on the defensive end of the floor this winter.

“Defense is the most important aspect of our game simply for the fact that defense gives you the opportunity to win every game, especially on nights when the shots aren’t falling” she said. “We continue to have a lot of the same philosophies using different presses, match up trapping zones, and man to man.”

W-H will open the season on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. with a home game against Bridgewater-Raynham.

“While we suffered a heartbreaking loss in the first round of the tournament and it was the end of the seniors great run they put together, I honestly think we are set up for long-term success with the young kids we have in the program that are not only great athletes, but have a lot of basketball experience and high playing IQ,” Olem said.

Keith takes volleyball skills to Curry starting lineup

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W-H alum Jordyn Keith, seen at a recent practice session, earned a starting spot in the season-opener vs. Fisher College on Sept. 1. Her goal for next season is to work on her strength and speed. / Courtesy photo: Curry College Athletic Dept.

Whitman-Hanson alum Jordyn Keith is the only freshman starter on Curry College’s women’s volleyball team.

It was three years ago when members of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team took a trip to Curry College to soak in a few sets as spectators.

One of those on the adventure was then-sophomore Jordyn Keith, who immediately fell in love with the campus. She then went home, did some research, before ultimately applying. After getting in, she soon received an email from new Colonels head coach Bori May, asking her to attend preseason on a tryout basis. After a week of play, she was penned on Curry’s women’s volleyball roster.

As if making the team was not enough excitement for Keith, May tabbed her as a starter ahead of Curry’s season opener against Fisher College on Sept. 1. That was something she never expected.

“Being a freshman starter is a huge accomplishment for me,” Keith said. “I came into the season not knowing if I would even play a single game, and it shocked me when [coach May] told me I would be starting.”

Keith –– the only Colonels freshman starter –– finished the season with 69 kills, 12 assists, 52 service aces and 181 digs to her credit.

Keith said one of the struggles she faced this fall was a position change, something she was no stranger too. As a senior at Whitman-Hanson, she was shifted from outside hitter and defensive specialist to libero, where she flourished, leading the Patriot League in digs and aces. At Curry, the 5-foot-4 Keith saw action as not only a libero, but as an outside hitter and defensive specialist as well.

“I had to adjust to hitting and blocking which isn’t easy, but I’ve improved since I began hitting on the team,” Keith said.

Another struggle Keith endured is just mustering up enough confidence to go out and compete against some of the wily veterans she goes up against. Her solution: try to smile and think positively, no matter what.

“As the only freshman starter, it is difficult to be new to college volleyball and to transition from being a senior in high school, to a freshman again in college where all the older girls are more comfortable and experienced than I am,” she said. “I think about how I am on that court for a reason, and that everyone has bad games. We win and lose as a team.”

Former Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball head coach Josh Gray, who coached Keith for three years on varsity, said he’s seen her grow her game immensely.

“I first met Jordyn in my first season coaching at Whitman-Hanson and from day one of tryouts I knew that she was a special player,” Gray said. “There was no doubt in my mind that she was going to make varsity and that she would contribute from the start. She was so committed and devoted to the sport and did whatever she could to get better every day. “

Gray said Keith’s dedication to her craft has played a major role in the player she is today.

“Jordyn is one of those players who gives everything she has to her team and is willing to do whatever it takes to give her team has a chance to win,” Gray said. “Jordyn’s ability to read the ball and react to it before anyone else is one of her greatest assets on the court because it allows her to make plays others can’t.”

As Keith heads into the offseason, she said she is going to keep doing the things that got her to this point.

“One major goal I have is to work hard for next season,” Keith said. “I am going to start going to the gym more often to stay in shape and to work on becoming stronger and faster on the court.”

Season Preview: Coach has high expectations for 2018 Panther wrestling program

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New Compression top

 The National Wrestling Association has approved a new two piece uniform including compression shirt and fight shorts. / Courtesy photo

Whitman-Hanson Regional High wrestling coach Gary Rabinovitz is expecting his team to be competitive this season.

As Gary Rabinovitz embarks on his second season at the helm of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High wrestling team, he is elevating expectations.

“We have a lot of wrestlers with a great deal of varsity experience and also several kids that have been through our youth program,” he said. “Bringing them up to speed will not be as challenging as a brand new wrestler would be.”

Headlining the crop of returning wrestlers ready to hit the mat for another season are senior captains Ben Cordingley (132 pounds last season), Steve Osborne (170) and Logan Scriven (160).

“Ben has been a varsity wrestler for the better part of his first three seasons,” Rabinovitz explained. “Logan is a real tough kid who I expect to win a lot of matches this year. Steve has stepped up and has become a true leader of this Panther squad. After missing his sophomore year, Steve worked really hard to make up for the lost time and I am expecting a great season from him.”

Other key pieces back in the fold for the team Rabinovitz is leaning on for production this season include sophomores Steve Brooks, who competed last winter in the 145-pound weight class, Tyler Cullinan, who saw plenty of action in the 160-pound weight class last season, and Matt Rock, who wrestled in the 120-pound weight class during the 2016-17 campaign. Also, junior Christian Schneider will likely be back in the 195-pound weight class and senior Bryce Lacombe, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, will be the Panthers’ heavyweight – a weight class they were forced to forfeit in every meet last year.

In fact, not only did W-H have to forfeit the heavyweight bouts, but it was also without a body in the 106 and 126-pound weight classes, which put the Panthers, who finished the year at 7-18, down 18 points immediately. However, that may not be an issue this time around.

“At this point it looks like we may be able to fill all 14 weight classes this year,” Rabinovitz said. “I feel we can be a .500 team this year at the very least. If we can fill all 14 weight classes then we are already 18 points ahead of last year to start every match. I like those odds very much.”

Rabinovitz said he feels this team’s biggest strength is its togetherness, which he hopes leads to success.

“By being so close nit as a unit, everyone works really hard together and supports each other,” he said. “Wrestling is not only an individual sport, it is also a team sport. When teammates push each other not only does the individual get better the whole team gets better. I also have to give a great deal of credit to my assistant coaches as they are great coaches and also all were Whitman-Hanson wrestling alumni. They know their role on our team and I am proud to have them on my team.”

Key losses for the Panthers from last season include Jake Filicicchia, Alex O’Roak and John Will, all of whom qualified for the Division 2 state tournament last winter.

W-H opens the season on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. at North Attleboro High School with a quad-meet against North Attleboro, East Providence and Pathfinder.

“The number one thing that I will be looking for from our team in the first couple of weeks is consistency,” Rabinovitz said. “We will work harder than our opponents and also smarter. As long as we can stay strong for a full six-minute match we will be fine.”

Season Review: ‘Getting closer’: Panther football focusing on growth beyond scoreboard

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The Panthers run out onto the field Oct. 13 for their game against Hingham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

For the third straight season the Panthers boasted a 7-4 record and made a trip to the postseason, falling in the first round.

The direction of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team continues to trend upward as it heads into the offseason.

For the third straight season the Panthers boasted a 7-4 record and made a trip to the postseason, falling in the first round.

“I told them, ‘We’re not going to focus on the last game, we’re going to focus on the seven wins that they had and they showed improvements,’” W-H head coach Mike Driscoll said. “We’re getting closer.’’

That last game Driscoll is referring to is the Panthers’ 23-12 loss to Abington on Thanksgiving — which for the first time all season, W-H didn’t hold a lead.

Although it may appear the team is stuck in neutral, it certainty is not. In W-H’s losses last season, it wasn’t always competitive as one came by over 30 points and two were dealt to it by 20 or more points. The other came by 11 points. The Panthers lost all four games by a combined 91 points, a number that dropped significantly this fall.

This season, in their Week 3, 23-9, defeat against Duxbury — a game in which W-H held a brief lead (7-0) — it was a six-minute span in a game that spiraled out of control for the Panthers. Three weeks later, the Panthers were driving on Hingham to win the game, when junior signal caller Ethan Phelps got banged up, forcing him to head to the sidelines, where he watched them fall, 28-21. Against Stoughton in the first round of the playoffs, the Panthers led by nine at halftime, but were held scoreless the rest of the way, resulting in a 30-21 loss. Against Abington, despite not maintaining a single advantage, the Panthers still only trailed by one, 13-12, at halftime.

“We see the improvements,” Driscoll said. “We’re certainly a better football team this year than we were last year. I think we’re moving in the right direction. The season could have been totally different if we could have finished off some of those games.”

The Panthers, despite their inability to close things out in those contests, still flashed grittiness in a few nail-biting wins. In their season opener, it was a late Phelps score in the waning minutes, coupled with a goal-line stand with two seconds remaining, that pushed them over Plymouth South, 23-18. On Oct. 6, Phelps took a QB keeper 60 yards to pay dirt with 50 seconds remaining as the Panthers edged Plymouth North, 28-24.

One constant in W-H’s comebacks was Phelps, who was one of several then-sophomores to assume significant roles for the Panthers last fall. In his second campaign under center, Phelps rushed for over 1,400 yards yet again and found the end zone 18 times. However, it was his enhanced passing game that made him more of a threat this season as his completion percentage rose nearly two percent and his touchdowns doubled to 14 as he passed for over 1,000 yards for the second straight season.

GAINING GROUND: Wide receiver Brett Holmes runs the ball vs. Abington in the Panthers’ 23-12 Thanksgiving game loss. He notched four catches for 21 yards and a touchdown. / Photo by: Sue Moss

“He worked hard to become a better passer, and he’d like to throw the ball every down, [but] we like to run it first,” Driscoll said. “He’s got that it-factor and he can take it to the house from anywhere on the field. The thing with Ethan is he’ll continue to work at it and get better and we’ll have our talk and see what he needs to improve on, but he’s just a very talented young man.”

On the receiving end of 46 percent of Phelps’ completions were fellow juniors Jacob Nixon and Rian Schwede as the two combined for 42 receptions, 511 yards and five scores. Out of the backfield, juniors Brendan Frawley (78 carries for 447 yards, 2 TDs) and Mike Connors (80 carries for 484 yards, 3 TDs) put forth solid seasons. Connors also spearheaded the Panthers’ defense with his team-leading 104 tackles, a number he nearly doubled from last season.

“Mike Connors is on another planet,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll also noted he was pleasantly impressed with the play of junior linemen Quinn Sweeney, who led the team in sacks, and Ryan Trongone.

“Quinn Sweeney started every game for us at right tackle, [and] we weren’t sure if he was going to be able to play offense, but he was fabulous, so wasn’t Ryan Trongone, [a] two-way lineman for us,” Driscoll said. “Two guys who really stepped up to the plate and had great seasons.”

While the junior class garners much of the attention for W-H, Driscoll reiterated it was his senior captains – Hunter Dunn, Riley Holland and Brett Holmes – that kept the club together.

“They work hard, they [lead] by example in school first, in the community and out on the football field,” the seventh-year Panthers head coach said.

Driscoll said despite his club not being where it wants to be just yet, it’s getting close.

“I’m very proud of this team,” he said. “I’m very happy with the way that the seniors handled things and I’m very happy with the way we’re moving.”

Season Review: Depth a saving grace for girls’ soccer amid injuries

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Memembers of the girls’ soccer team celebrate during an Oct. 19 game. / Photo by: Sue Moss

After wrapping up their regular season at 15-1-2, the Panthers were awarded the No. 6 seed in the Div. 1 South Sectional tournament. W-H made quick work of No. 11 Weymouth in the first round with a 6-2 victory, knocked off No. 3 Hingham, 2-1, in the quarterfinal-round, before falling to No. 2 Newton South, 2-1, in the semifinals.

If 2017 taught us anything about the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team, it affirmed what many already knew. It’s deep and it’s brimming with talent.

The Panthers were dealt a major blow before they even embarked on the new season — they were going to be without All-American Taylor Kofton after the senior midfielder suffered a torn ACL over the summer.

Not only were the Panthers sans Kofton, but they opened the season down starting goaltender Skylar Kuzmich, who missed all of the preseason, for the first game and starting senior midfielder Katie Korzec for the first two weeks. Before Korzec even found her way back, W-H was handed another major blow when Betty Blake went down with a torn ACL against Plymouth South, ultimately ending her season.

W-H, despite the rash of injuries, opened the year at 6-0 with key wins over Silver Lake, Pembroke and Hingham. The Panthers’ 22-year head coach David Floeck said the first six games of the season taught him a great deal.

“We said we have more depth on this team than we necessarily thought we had and kids have really stepped up,” Floeck said. “Those first couple of weeks really gave us the impression this team could do something really special, especially as those other pieces came back from injuries.”

Floeck said one key to the Panthers’ success is they don’t focus on what they don’t have, rather what they do, and with every injury came an opportunity for someone else.

“In the long run, I think we’re better off [with] these experiences in a sense that we had some younger players I would tell you that I didn’t project to play as significant a role at that level until next year,” he said. “Maybe their junior year, but they had to do that earlier. So, they really grew faster this year than we expected and I think that bodes well for us moving forward.”

The Panthers’ depth continued to shine as the season wore on, and in their 10th game, a 2-0 win over Quincy, they punched their 18th consecutive ticket to the postseason.

“We’re fortunate that we have a number of good players and sometimes I think people who don’t know our team real well may focus on a couple players who get the headlines,” Floeck said. “We’re very fortunate to have a number of talented players.”

After wrapping up their regular season at 15-1-2, the Panthers were awarded the No. 6 seed in the Div. 1 South Sectional tournament. W-H made quick work of No. 11 Weymouth in the first round with a 6-2 victory, knocked off No. 3 Hingham, 2-1, in the quarterfinal-round, before falling to No. 2 Newton South, 2-1, in the semifinals.

With four minutes remaining and W-H, which lost junior defender Olivia Johnson just 15 minutes in to a broken wrist, clinging to a 1-0 lead, Panthers All-American Lauren Bonavita tore her hamstring, an injury that she played though. Regardless, shortly thereafter the Lions, on their first shot of the second half, knotted the score at 1-1 with less than a minute remaining. In overtime, Newton South won it with a header.

“It was a tough one to take, because we really felt like we played well enough to win, but sometimes the ball bounces that way,” Floeck said.

While the Panthers’ depth shone bright this season with sophomores Alexis Billings, Riley Bina, Anika Floeck, Delaney Hall and Samantha Perkins, taking significant leaps forward, the impact of their senior class was ultimately the motor that powered them forward. It was a group of girls that helped guide W-H to a 77-6-7 record and two South Sectional titles over four seasons.

“When you play an 18-game regular season and they’re winning almost 80 games in four years, that speaks to the level that they have and they’ve done it consistently,” Floeck said. “We want to maintain a level of consistency and the senior class has certainty brought that to us.”

Spearheading that senior class was Bonavita – who ends her career as the school’s all-time leading goal scorer with 113 after a 43-goal campaign.

“We’ve never had anyone who has had an offensive season like the one Lauren had,” Floeck said.

“With all the great players coming through here, her’s ranks as one of the most incredible seasons of any player.”

Floeck said that despite the Panthers falling short of their team goal of a state title, he couldn’t be more satisfied with what they were able to accomplish, and the way they went about doing it.

“They were not only great on the field, they were great off the field,” he said. “They were great ambassadors of the game of soccer and representatives of Whitman-Hanson. They played great, they got better as the year went on and I think that’s really a testimony to their hard work and their commitment to it.”

Holland to start record 44th game

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Riley Holland snaps the ball during an Oct. 13 game against Hingham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior Riley Holland will make a school-record 44th straight start on Thanksgiving against Abington.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High football senior captain Riley Holland is one snap of the pigskin away from making history.

This Thanksgiving, when Holland assumes his post in the heart of the Panthers offensive line — at center — with Green Wave defenders breathing down his neck, he will have started his 44th consecutive game on offense, which is a school record.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for me,” Holland said. “I came in and I never really expected to start as a freshman.”

It was with good reason that Holland didn’t expect to assume an everyday role at the varsity level during his first year of high school, because it was rare a freshman even made the team in the first place. However, Panthers head coach Mike Driscoll said it was during the summer – just a few months before Holland was set to embark on ninth grade – when ‘this kid’ kept showing up to offseason lifting sessions. Driscoll had no idea who it was at the time, but he knew he was going to be on his team.

“I talked to the freshman coach and told him, ‘You’re not going to be able to get him, he’s just too big and strong, he’s going to have to play right away,’” Driscoll said.

Holland spent his first two seasons at left tackle for the Panthers before being shuffled to center – where he would remain throughout his career. Holland said the move was a tough one, but it was necessary to assure his team’s success.

“Having to move inside and learn a new position, blocking schemes from a different point of view of the offense, and everything, that was kind of a big obstacle to get over,” Holland said. “But I had to do it.”

Driscoll described Holland, who makes all the Panthers’ line calls, as more than a just a player on the gridiron.

“He brings a presence about him that the kids know when he’s there, just kind of that coach mentality that they got to be on their game with him, but they respect him,” Driscoll explained. “He’s light when he need to be light, but when Riley’s serious, everybody knows it’s time to get serious. He’s a great leader on and off the field.”

It was that leadership that played an integral role in helping the Panthers engineer a 21-point comeback to shock Abington, 29-28, last Thanksgiving.

“Time after time he was 15, 20, 30 yards down field making blocks down the field, to get us back into that game,” Driscoll said. “He was a huge part of that.”

School record aside, Holland said he has one goal when all is said and done with this Turkey Day.

“I’m the only one left in the program that’s lost on Thanksgiving and I don’t want anyone else to have that feeling,” Holland said.

Season Review: X-Country stand-outs set bar for future

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Seniors Andrew Newman and Nicole Norve were standouts this cross country season at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

Another cross country season has crossed the finish line at Whitman-Hanson Regional High. 

Andrew Newman led the way for the boys’ team, which wound up with a 4-3 record. The senior was unbeatable in his first five meets, as he raced to first-place finishes in every single one. He also set four personal records throughout the fall. Steve George, who serves as the head coach for both the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams, said Newman is self-motivated, extremely hard working and just loves to run. 

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Andrew Newman / Photo by: Sue Moss

“Andrew’s consistent improvement is a result of his effort over and above what we ask for,” George said. With high school runners, we’d ordinarily see a drop off in performance given the number of miles a runner like Andrew logs each week. We have not seen that in Andrew. He thrives on high mileage.”

Not only did Newman have a season to remember, many of his teammates did as well. Fellow senior captain Jack Ryan finished the fall boasting seven top-five finishes and sophomore Adam Solari improved on his numbers significantly from a year ago, as did classmate Brandon Hager. Freshman newcomers Liam Cafferty, Theo Kamperides, Chris MacDonald and Aiden O’Brien were all welcome sights as well.

Cafferty and Kamperdies ended the season as two of the Panthers’ top-five runners.

“The only rest they’ve had, if you can call it rest, is when they run a shorter distance in the invitational meets,” George said. “Otherwise, they do every workout, every day and it’s paid off for them.”

George said his club’s biggest strength over the past few months was the leadership it received from its captains Alex Uva and Ryan.

“They provide examples of achieving results through determination and effort,”George said. “Coaches provide instruction and structure, but high school athletes are motivated best by their peers and in cross country we have some very good ones in those seniors.”

GIRLS RACE TO 3-4 MARK

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Nicole Norve / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ team, which finished at 3-4, was in a lot of close meets, as three of its losses came by 15 or fewer points. One runner who stood out from the rest was Nicole Norve. The senior captain hustled to a first-place finish in the Panthers’ first five races. Her second-place outings came against Plymouth North on Oct. 17 when she crossed the finish line one second out of the top spot, and on Oct. 24 against Plymouth South when she lost to eventual league MVP Jillian Callaghan by 17 ticks. George said Norve is as fierce as a competitor as there gets.

“She wants to improve every time out and loves a challenge,” George said. “Nicole’s success may stem from the fact that she is strong enough to run hard virtually every day, recover, and do it again the next.”

But it takes more than one runner to be competitive, and W-H had no problem with that. Seniors Julia Cosgrave and Camryn Boyce were about were steady presences all season.

“Julia and Camryn were consistent 2/3 for the team this year,” George said. “I’ll miss both of them next year certainly.”

Coming into the season, one of George’s goals was to have his runners achieve their own milestones, and that came to fruition. Sixteen of the 20 girls established personal records with two of the remaining four out much of the season with injury.

As the Panthers look toward next autumn – when this wave of juniors will be looked upon to carry the load – there is a lot to be excited about.

“Maeve Rooney has steadily improved in each of her three years, while Maeve McDonough has moved into our top 5 with an improvement of three minutes over last year,” George explained. “Dorothy DiMascio-Donohue, an indoor and outdoor sprinter/hurdler who joined cross country this year, scored in nearly every meet this fall.”