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Season Review: Girls’ soccer team made mark in short season

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Junior Olivia Borgen was an All-New England first-teamer. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Panthers finished the shortened season 9-2-2.

In a fall season like we’ve never experienced before, perhaps the strangest difference at Whitman-Hanson Regional High was to not see the girls’ soccer team gearing up for the state tournament, for the first time in 21 years.

That’s because there wasn’t one to prepare for. 

The Panthers still got what they could out of this COVID-shortened season, playing a stout Patriot League Keenan Division-heavy schedule.

“There wasn’t one game that you could look at and say that we have a great chance to win this game,” said 25th-year W-H head coach David Floeck. “Every game could go either way and I think that was great for our girls to get that experience.”

Floeck’s club finished the season 9-2-2, falling to Hingham in the semifinals of the Patriot Cup, 3-2, in a shootout.

“We had opportunities to win that game and so did they,” Floeck said. “I think we played very well in that match. We could have advanced. We had an opportunity to win the game with 15 seconds to go and their goalie made the save. We performed well and were happy with how the team played.”

Junior midfielder Olivia Borgen made it click for W-H on the offensive end. The Penn State-bound, All-New England first-teamer, scored nine goals and piled up eight assists.

“What Olivia found now was she wasn’t surprising anybody like last year, maybe she caught some teams by surprise with her offensive output,” Floeck explained. “Now teams were game-planning specifically to stop her, so one of the areas she grew in this year is how to handle when coaches are game-planning how to stop her.”

On the back end, junior defender Ava Melia garnered first-team EMass honors.

“Ava was phenomenal,” Floeck said. “She’s always been a top-notch player and one of the hardest working players whether it’s practice or games, and what Ava really did this year is become a true leader. We graduated our whole defensive lineup, besides Ava and she took over as the leader of that group. With a lot of our backline being new, she turned them into a formable backline and that’s what allowed us to make a run because they played so well and she gets a lot of credit for that.”

Behind Melia was the goaltending tandem of senior captains Reese Codero (Patriot League All-Star) and Kylee Colclough (committed to play at Stonehill College).  

“We were fortunate to have two of the best goalies in the league on our team,” Floeck said. “They were the biggest supporters of each other. They celebrated each others’ successes, helped pick them up if something didn’t go well. We were very fortunate to have those two ladies in net for us.”

Senior captain and league all-star Alexis Billings played a key role in coordinating the Panthers’ offensive attack.

“She is one of those kids that isn’t always flashy, although she came up with some huge goals for us this season, but she is just the one who does all the dirty work in the midfield,” Floeck said. “She is someone you can just count on you know is just someone you count on. You just know you’re going to get a great effort and hard-fought game from Alexis.”

Senior captain and midfielder Abby Carew, senior striker Ana Sullivan, junior backs Megan Bizier, Skylar Jordan and Emily Leitch, sophomore midfielder Kayla Cassidy and freshman back Makenna Marshall also stepped up for the Panthers this season.

CALLING IT CAREERS

In addition to graduating seven seniors, W-H will also have to make up for the losses of longtime assistants Glenn Ward (23 years) and Tom Zamagni (26 years), both of whom are hanging up the whistles after a combined 49 years on the W-H sideline.

“So many things go on in our discussions and game planning together that have been instrumental, but the scouting the player development that they were both involved in, it’s hard to put into words what both of them have contributed to the program,” Floeck said. “Both are returning for family and that’s why they got into coaching. They treat it like it’s their family.”

Season Review: Girls’ volleyball rises up

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The Panthers in action. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ volleyball team did its best during a COVID-safe campaign.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team showed plenty of fight this fall.

After winning just two matches during the regular season, the Panthers dominated Pembroke in the first round of the Patriot Cup, sweeping the Titans 3-0 to keep their season alive. 

“The high point of the season was winning against Pembroke,” said second-year W-H head coach Samantha Richner. “The team was so excited to not only win, but to continue playing.”

W-H’s run came to an end in the next round at the hands of Plymouth North, as they finished the season with a 3-10 record. 

“I am extremely proud of this team, not only for how they competed, but for how well they adjusted to all of the new rules and regulations due to COVID-19,” Richner said.

The toughest change?

“I think having to wear a mask while playing was the most challenging for them, but no one ever complained,” Richner explained. “They just wanted to play and were thankful to be able to this year.”

Senior captain Sophia Berardinelli was tabbed a league all-star, after leading the team with 162 assists, 142 digs and 30 aces. 

“[She] was one of the most well-rounded players on the court,” Richner said. “Sophia stepped up this season as captain but also as one of the few players who played in every single set this season.”

Junior captain Lily Welch was that other player. She paced the Panthers with 73 kills and 29 blocks, while her 84 digs ranked second. The versatile Welch spent time in both the front and back row. 

“Lily was the youngest of the three captains, but you would never know it,” Richner said. “She played in every single set as well and played all the way around the court which was huge for our team; we needed her out there.”

And with Welch back next season, along with juniors Anna Stone, Megan Stone, captain-elect Abby Martin and freshman Riley Codero, the Panthers’ future could be bright.

Season Review: Field hockey rolls with the new rulebook

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Head coach Todd Humphrey instructs his team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The W-H field hockey team rolled with a new rulebook this fall.

For the Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey team, it was a unique season in every sense of the word. 

“Going from 11-on-11 to 7-on-7 and taking away penalty corners were massive changes,” said seventh-year head coach Todd Humphrey. “I would say that most of my players were skeptical of the rule changes at first, but they soon learned to embrace them, especially the 7-on-7 dynamic.”

Specifically the open space on the field. 

“It allowed them to showcase speed and passing,” Humphrey explained. “We would practice our skills during the week and on Saturdays we would take time to develop our conditioning. Determining proper coverage and defensive responsibility was difficult too. Especially, since the offenses in the Patriot League tend to be strong.”

W-H finished the season 2-9-1, highlighted by a 1-0 victory over Marshfield in the first round of the Patriot Cup. 

“The game was a culmination of our efforts preparing for the playoffs as a team throughout the regular season,” Humphrey said. “Since every team in the Patriot League was going to compete for the Patriot Cup, I felt like the regular season was a preseason. The regular season allowed us to try different formations and strategies with our players. It took us a while to find the style of play that worked best for us.”

Junior forward Olivia Phelps had the winning goal. She found the back of the net a team-high six times and dished out three assists en route to being named a Patriot League All-Star. 

“Olivia Phelps was a force to be reckoned with this season,” Humphrey said. “She really started to shine during our home game against Duxbury, and for the rest of the season, she was relentless in moving the ball down the field and attacking the opposition’s defense. She also showed her strength as a two-way player by supporting the defense.”

Fellow junior forward Lauren Dunn (four goals, two assists) and senior forward Lauren Clark (two goals, four assists) also contributed on offense this season. 

“They are amazing players,” Humphrey said. “They worked exceptionally well together, especially when they moved the ball down the field. They are all unselfish players which made them great passers. They did a great job creating offensive opportunities against very formidable defenses.”

Paige Cosgrove also made her presence felt, according to Humphrey. She was the only freshman on varsity and Humphrey said she is excited to see her develop. 

“She came to tryouts with a lot of great field hockey skills,” said her coach. “Paige currently plays forward and will be one player to watch in the upcoming years. She will need a supporting cast of players.”

So, what’s the future of W-H field hockey?

“Our field hockey program will continue to have camps and clinics in the summer to introduce middle school girls to our sport and hope that our numbers continue to grow,” Humphrey said. “We encourage girls in the Whitman-Hanson community to try our sport. Some of our girls have been playing on club teams during the off season and that is making them better players. Others have been attending field hockey camps during the summer to improve their skills.”

Season Review: Boys’ soccer meets challenges

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The boys’ soccer team huddles up. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team was a tough out this season.

Proud.  

It’s what fourth-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy is of his club following this past fall. 

“We faced challenges that no Whitman-Hanson team has ever had to endure, but each and every one of these players met the challenges of this 2020 COVID season,” Leahy said. “We have really turned a corner in our program where we expect to now be in every game. This group further put in the minds of our opponents that facing the Panthers is a very difficult challenge.” 

The Panthers finished the season with a 6-7 record, which included a 2-1 win over Hanover in the first round of the Patriot Cup before falling to Duxbury, 3-2, in double overtime the following game. The Panthers lost four games by just one goal. They were defeated by Duxbury, 2-1, in the regular season, dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker against Hingham in the 77th minute and fell to Marshfield, 2-1. 

“We really enjoyed our schedule in a shortened, uncertain season,” Leahy said. “Every single game was a playoff-like atmosphere. So, if we were going to have a shortened schedule, this was perfect for us to show what we can do and get better.” 

Leahy said his team’s strength was its courage. 

“Our style of soccer we have created at Whitman-Hanson takes a lot of bravery to play correctly against top competition,” said the head coach. “We showed that we are brave enough to play our game against anyone.” 

Senior captains Peyton Collins and Brendan Nehiley set the tone for the Panthers this fall. 

A forward, Nehiley scored a team-high five goals to go along with five assists and was named a Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star. Leahy said Nehiley’s summertime job landscaping played a big part in his success. 

“This grown up maturity and physical strength he gained from this made him ready to help lead our group and be stronger to make a real presence known in each game,” Leahy said. “Brendan put this strength and maturity on display this season. He will be missed.” 

Collins, who returned to the team last year after spending his sophomore season at Boston College High, will also be missed. The midfielder netted four goals and dished out a team-high six assists and was tabbed an EMSCA All-Star.  

“Peyton brings professionalism in how he approaches every single part of our training sessions and our games,” Leahy explained. “His will to compete every second was his best quality he passed on to our team, and his intelligence on the ball will be sorely missed.” 

Junior captain Sean McAlpine anchored the defense in front of the goalkeeping tandem of senior Randy Elfman and junior Ethan Smith. 

“Sean is a natural leader and his communication is second to none at his age,” Leahy said. “Sean and senior captain Dalton Desrocher really delivered this summer holding training sessions that were safe and competitive all summer long. Every other player played a big role in making us such a competitive team this season.”

And McAlpine, along with the likes of Jack Allen (junior midfielder), Alex Chichlowski (junior center back), Wesley Silva Marquez (sophomore striker)  and Jayden Stafford (junior midfielder) should play a big role in making the Panthers a competitive team next season. 

“We needed to go out and prove ourselves each and every game and every practice,” Leahy said. “We hope to carry this chip on our shoulders next season as well.

“We achieved our main goal of staying healthy during this pandemic, and we kept pushing our program to demand respect in this very tough division. Next fall, we start all over again.”

Season Review: Boys’ golf stays the course during shortened season

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The boys’ golf team before its match against North Quincy. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ golf team head coach Brian Dempsey said the shortened season helped build his club’s character.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ golf team was just excited to have a season. 

“We came into this season, first of all, without even knowing if we’d get to play, so I was thrilled to give the kids, especially the seniors, a chance for a season, even if it was abbreviated,” said ninth-year head coach Brian Dempsey. 

The Panthers finished the abbreviated campaign 1-10 and part of that can be attributed to their tough schedule. Due to the pandemic, they squared off against Patriot League Keenan Division foes Duxbury, Hingham, Marshfield, Plymouth North and Silver Lake twice apiece and dropped each match. W-H’s lone win came in a crossover contest against North Quincy (256-272). 

“Of course it’s never easy to have to play all the top contenders of the league in a season, where every match you are considered the underdog, but to an extent, I feel like that helped to lessen the pressure of the season for us,” Dempsey said. “We knew that we were supposed to lose on paper, but we were able to produce some pretty competitive and impressive scores along the way. I think what hurt us most this season is the lack of experience.”

Senior captain Aidan Miller was the Panthers’ only four-year starter and he finished his career strong, as he was named W-H league all-star.

“His consistent and steady play made him our most reliable player by far, but also will leave a huge gap for us next year in the lineup,” Dempsey said. “We will not be able to replace Aidan, but I am so appreciative of everything he stood for and done for our program over the past four years.”

Fellow seniors Graham Stewart and Nick Daly, along with juniors Matt Casarano, Pat McBroom and Chris Ross were also contributors for W-H. 

Dempsey said the Panthers’ strength was their mental approach on the course. 

“Although there were clear moments of frustration and excitement along the way, overall, the team rolled with the highs and lows, appreciating the opportunities and enjoying the chance to fit the season in,” he said. 

Dempsey said despite the Panthers’ record he was pleased with his club this season.

“This year we tried not to put too much pressure on ourselves, knowing that we didn’t have as much experience in matches as previous years; however, we looked at it as somewhat of a challenge to take those opportunities and get the most out of them,” Dempsey said. “This year, I can definitely say that our team is filled with character, potential, and way more talent than our record indicated.”

Season Review: Girls’ cross country ran tough

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The Panthers. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ cross country team finished the season 2-3.

For the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ cross country team, it did what it could with what it had. 

The Panthers had just 19 runners, but were still able to find some success, posting a 2-3 record. 

“Overall, while I was disappointed with the numbers, I was pleased with the performances, effort and attitudes of each member of the team,” said seventh-year head coach Steve George. “As a team, we had only two wins, but almost every girl improved each time out. That adds up to a lot of personal victories.”

W-H beat Plymouth North (19-38) and Duxbury (15-45), but fell to Silver Lake (25-32), Hingham (22-39) and Marshfield (17-46). 

“The level of competition in the Patriot League, especially on the girls’ side, is extremely high,” George explained. “Marshfield, Hingham and Silver Lake were all top 20 teams in the state coming into the season. Our kids competed with each of them and lost, not through lack of effort.”

Junior Myah Kamperides was the Panthers’ top runner, legging out two first-place finishes, a second and a third. Kamperides was named a league all-star for the second straight fall and George said she’s only scratching the surface of her potential.

“Myah had enormous success as a sophomore and faced better competition this year and was still an impact Patriot League runner,” George said. “She loves to run. She loves to compete. But our inability to create a consistent strength training program due to the pandemic hurt Myah as it did all our girls in my opinion. We plan to incorporate a great deal of strength training into Myah’s regimen and now, after her second year of distance running, turn it up a notch to get her ready for what I know will be an incredible senior year.”

An indoor track all-star last season, senior Izzy Amado joined the cross country team this fall and provided a big boost, finishing the year as W-H’s No. 2 runner, while earning league all-star status. 

“I was pleasantly surprised when Isabelle Amado decided to join the team,” George said. “She has been an excellent track-and-field runner over the years and I always felt that could translate to her becoming an outstanding cross country runner.”

George said the high point of the season was their victory over Duxbury on the road, but not just because of the result.

“Our girls took the top six spots for the win, followed by a classy act on the part of Duxbury which gave carnations to our senior girls and cheered our bus as we left,” George said. 

As he looks to the future, George sounds optimistic about his club’s potential.

“I expect Myah to be at the front of the pack again, and she will get some help from [juniors] Anna Flynn and Sara Boulger, who were among our top five most of the season,” George said. “We have some underclassmen with potential certainly, and I was extremely happy with our freshmen who should make an impact in the years to come.”

Season Review: A championship fall for boys’ cross country

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Led by its league all-stars, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ cross country team won the Patriot League title this season.

As freshmen, Liam Cafferty, Theo Kamperides and Chris MacDonald, all competed in the Patriot League cross country championships.

What was their head coach Steve George thinking watching them run?

“I couldn’t wait until they were seniors, they would be special,” George said. 

They did not disappoint. Now seniors, the trio of league all-stars paced the program to a perfect 5-0 record and its first Patriot League title since 2013.

Kamperides led the way, winning every race during the regular season and was named the League Keenan Division MVP for the second straight season.

“Theo has been consistent in practice, attentive to instruction and gives his full effort 100 percent of the time,” George said. “These traits make him an exemplary student-athlete and I’m absolutely certain of his continued future success.”

Cafferty and MacDonald, along with fellow league all-stars, juniors Gordon Johnson and Nathan Tassey, were clutch all season for W-H, especially against Marshfield. Each finished in the top-10, lifting the Panthers over the previously undefeated Rams in a nail biter, 26-29.

“It was their (Cafferty, MacDonald and Tassey’s) consistency, along with that of Theo and Gordon Johnson that made the difference this year,” George said. 

And with Johnson and Tassey back in the fold next season, George said he’s optimistic the program can sustain its success.

“Gordon Johnson and Nathan Tassey will certainly be among the best in the Patriot League,” George said. “We also are expecting [juniors] Jonny Young and Collin O’Sullivan to continue their improvement. And we have a very good group of freshmen. Just like four years ago, three of those freshmen, Gavin McCarthy, Logan Bourgelas and Shane Johnson, competed in the league championship meet.”

Season Review: A championship run for boys’ basketball

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The Panthers celebrate a win at TD Garden. / Photo by: Sue Moss

This season’s boys’ basketball team earned the program’s first-ever state title.

Preparation for the state championship game was underway when Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball head coach Bob Rodgers heard his phone ring. He had a hunch what it was going to be about.

“We just finished our film session and scouting report and we were about 15 to 20 minutes into the on-court portion of practice when I got the phone call,” Rodgers said. “I stepped out of the gym to take it and walked in and I could see the kids. We all knew it was inevitable.”

The Panthers Div. 2 state title game against Taconic was canceled. While the initial reaction was heartbreaking, Rodgers said it didn’t take long to put it into perspective.

“One thing I told the kids is to look up at the banners in the gym on that boys’ basketball league championship banner, there’s a co-champion in there,” said Rodgers, who wrapped up his 20th year on the Panthers’ bench. “Nobody knows what year it is. It’s such a great accomplishment for the kids to win our first-ever state championship. It’s not going to say co-champions, it’s going to say state champions. That’s what they are.

“We were all pretty confident we were gonna be able to complete it if we were able to play that last game.”

It’s tough to argue with that. The Panthers (25-2) hadn’t lost in nearly two and a half months and were riding a state-best 23-game winning streak.

“When I realized how good of a basketball team we were was when we were at Scituate,” Rodgers said. “Scituate was an outstanding basketball team and we played near flawless basketball and made a big statement (75-45 victory).”

One of many big statements for the Panthers, who knocked off Div. 1 contenders Brockton (75-70) and Mansfield (72-59) to win the Roundball Classic, and capped the season by getting over the hump at TD Garden with an 86-68 rout of Beverly. 

“The accomplishments of the team, to end the season with a win at the TD Garden,” Rodgers said, “so many positives we can take from it.”

The Panthers were buoyed by a balanced attack all season — led by senior captain Stevie Kelly. The Clarion University commit was a stat-sheet stuffer, recording 14 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game en route to being named Patriot League Keenan Division MVP.

“Stevie is a great story,” Rodgers said. “He was cut from the middle-school basketball team and he is somebody who has a tremendous work ethic and if he’s not good at something, he’s going to keep practicing it until he gets better at it. He’s like having another coach on the team. He’s one of the all-time best players that ever played at Whitman-Hanson.”

Many of Kelly’s assists were to fellow senior captain and Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Ben Rice. Rice, who stands at 6-foot-7, knocked down 77 3-pointers, leading the team with 14.7 ppg to complement 5.9 rpg. 

“He just had such a passion and love for basketball and the basketball gods rewarded him by making him 6-7,” Rodgers said of Rice, who will play at Connecticut College next season. “I think he played his best basketball at the end of the season.”

Juniors Cole LeVangie (11.4 ppg, 5 rpg) and Nate Amado (13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg) were also named Patriot League Keenan Division All-Stars. The captain-elects combined for 99 3-pointers. 

“They’re both incredible, multi-dimensional basketball players,” Rodgers said. “They can shoot it, get to the hole, they can rebound, they can handle it. They both have very similar styles of play. They’re both extremely coachable, very kind and outstanding leaders. I’m really excited about having them as the foundation for trying to continue what we’ve been having going on at Whitman-Hanson for a long time.”

Seniors Tommy Vassil (headed to play at Springfield Commonwealth Academy prep school next year) and John Zeidan were also key parts of the Panthers’ run this season. 

“I consider us to be a character-based program,” Rodgers said. “We try to be the best people we can be. Not perfect people by any means but my kids take pride that they’re role models for the younger kids in the community. They have been through the Whitman-Hanson experience as kids so they recognize the importance they have on the future of Whitman-Hanson basketball and take great pride in it. For me, that’s what makes this program special.”

Season Review: Boys’ hockey team stayed on-message

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The Panthers celebrate a goal against Scituate. / Photo by: Sue Moss

It was a special season on the ice for the boys’ hockey team.

If you can get a team to collectively buy into the same message, usually good things will follow. 

So, to see his Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ hockey team go on the program’s longest postseason run in at least 15 years didn’t take head coach Chris Googins by surprise one bit. The Panthers posted a 17-6-1 record and went all the way to the Div. 2 South semifinals, where they fell to eventual co-state champion Canton. 

“They really just stayed true to what their goal was and that was just trying to do their part to make the program better,” said the 10th-year head coach. “They didn’t care who got the points or the glory, they were just more interested in the program moving ahead. It does take a core group of kids to help establish a culture to have some relative success.”

It started with seniors Eddie Collins, Calvin Cooper, John Hagan, Adam Solari, Chris Stoddard, and Reed Watson, all of whom were four-year players who won just one game their freshman year.

“It can’t be mentioned enough of what a great character-driven core of seniors these have been,” Googins said. “None of them have left. They’ve always tried to push each other. I know there’s three kids who have letters on their jerseys, but anyone of them I would be comfortable calling a captain.”

Patriot League All-Stars Adam Solari and Stoddard keyed the offense. Adam Solari led the team with 23 goals to go with 11 assists, while Stoddard had a team-high 28 helpers to complement nine goals.

“They’re two different types of players and I think that’s why they had such a good year together,” Googins said. “Chris is more of a pass-first type of a kid and Adam is a shoot-first type of kid and it’s a great formula. They really did not care who scored, it was always about the end result.”

Freshman Matt Solari was the other piece of the Panthers’ top line and made quite the first impression, finding the back of the net 18 times with 14 assists. 

“He’s very fortunate that he played in three postseason games, three tournament games,” Googins said. “We’ve got other important kids coming back along with Matty who played significant time in the tournament.”

No one played more significant time in the tournament than junior goaltender Bobby Siders, who oftentimes stood on his head. A Patriot League All-Star, Siders recorded 26 saves in a 2-0 shutout victory over Scituate in the quarterfinals.

“Bobby is a hockey player,” Googins said. “He knows when we need a whistle and he knows when to deflect a puck in a certain corner. He’s constantly communicating. He really has been the backbone of this team. He’s going to continue and hopefully elevate his game because we are losing some production.”

Junior blueliners Jack Allen and Kevin Willis should once again form a strong nucleus in front of Siders next winter. 

“They know the system, they communicate very well with each other,” Googins said. “Looking for much bigger and better things from all of them.

“The bottom line is the heart, the desire, the work ethic, that’s there. But now there has to be a little more sport-specific training and it comes down to skating. You have to be able to skate at a higher level and make quick decisions. That starts in the weight room and working on legs.

Googins said he believes this season could be a turning point for his program, which had struggled to gain traction in the past. 

“Moving forward, the new normal is to get to this level annually and try to see if you can get some good opportunities and move forward,” Googins said. “We talk a lot about the word complacency and we try not to let it infect our team and I’m hoping getting into the tournament and trying to go deep is kind of the new normal. 

“There’s a lot of good programs at Whitman-Hanson and these kids all see it and want to try to get their program to where they’re contenders every year.”

Season Review: WHSL finds its winning ways with confidence

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Junior captain Emily McDonald (Whitman) had nine goals this season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

WHSL went 11-10 this season and made the tournament for the first time in three years.

Coming into the season, Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake high school girls’ hockey head coach Kevin Marani had an idea of what it would take to jumpstart his team.

“We just need that signature win — that one signature win that we know we can do. And once that happens — winning is contagious,” said Marani back in December.

He was right. After an 0-4 start to the season, the co-op shut out Plymouth, 5-0, and finished the season winning 11 of its last 16 games for its first tournament berth in three years.

“When we started off 0-4, it was almost like, ‘Here we go again,’” Marani said. “I think the signature win was against Plymouth. They were good and we gave them a good popping and I think at that point they were like, ‘Ya know what, we really can, we can believe in ourselves,’ and they did.”

WHSL fell to Waltham, 5-3, in the first round of the Div. 1 tournament.

“Just making the state tournament is huge for this program,” Marani said. “What happens is little girls start watching you and want to be a part of the success.”

Senior captain Alyssa Murphy (Kingston) was a huge part of WHSL’s success. The Western New England bound-forward finished the year with 31 goals and eight assists. She was named a Patriot League All-Star.

“She reminds me a lot of Mel [McAleer],” Marani said. “She just made every single person on that team better. She had that leader’s attitude. She’s a great leader and a great captain with all the skills in the world. It was always team first.”

Freshman Shea Kellleher (Kingston) was also a league all-star after finding the back of the net 13 times to go with 14 assists.

“She is really, really good,” Marani said.

Junior captain Emily McDonald (Whitman), who was Kelleher’s linemate, scored nine goals, but her coach said it could have been a lot more.

“She was snakebitten this year,” Marani said. “She played crazy good. Her and Shea are a great combination together. She should have probably had 20 goals.”

In net, junior Kat Gilbert (Halifax) was a rock yet again this season.

“I knew she had it in her,” Marani said. “She worked her butt off all offseason. She is the most improved player in the league by far. It was just confidence and concentration. The sky’s the limit for her. She can be the best goalie in the league, I truly believe that.”

Fellow junior Caleigh Tompkins (Kingston) was the backbone of WHSL’s defense. And with 11 rising seniors set to return next season, Marani has set the expectation high.

“If we don’t make the state tournament, it’s going to be a disappointment,” Marani said.

*This article will run in the Express’ print edition at a later date.