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Whitman-Hanson’s Uva scores lone South goal in Shriners All-Star Classic

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Alex Uva (No. 6) scored a late second-period goal. / Photo Credit: Twitter/@WHBoysHockey

Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior Alex Uva scored the only goal for the South team in Saturday’s boys’ hockey Shriners All-Star Classic.

Alex Uva provided a silver lining for the South team in a 10-1 loss to the North on Saturday in the Shiners All-Star Classic at the Canton Ice House.

With 44.5 seconds remaining in the second period, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior, who was an assistant captain on the boys’ hockey team, took a feed from Blue Hills’ Anthony Sarno and buried it home, bringing the South within 8-1.

“It felt great scoring a goal in the game,” Uva said. “It was a great way to finish my high school career.”

On Thursday, Uva was awarded the Charles P. Driscoll Community Service Award for his fundraising efforts for Shriners Hospital for Children.

“I want to send a special thank you to all who donated,” Uva said. “I was happy to be selected as an all-star and it was great to play in the game with all that talent.

“The best part of the experience was being recognized with the community service award. Raising money to save kids lives is what the game is all about.”

Uva a Shriners’ All-Star

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Photo by: Sue Moss

Alex Uva was one of 52 Massachusetts boys’ hockey players to be selected to play in the Shiners All-Star Classic, which will take place Saturday, March 31 at 4 p.m. at the Canton Ice House.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior, Alex Uva, will be capping off his high school hockey career at the 2018 Shriners All-Star Classic.

Uva was one of 52 Massachusetts boys’ hockey players to be selected to play in this event, which will take place Saturday, March 31 at 4 p.m. at the Canton Ice House. Uva, an assistant captain and four-year varsity player for the Panthers, said he was informed of the selection after a Jan. 24, 8-3, victory over Pembroke.

“We came out with a big win that day and after the game coach [Chris] Googins told me that I had been selected,” Uva said. “I was very proud and honored to be selected to the Shriners All-Star game. I thought of my teammates, too. I wouldn’t be in the position to be selected without them.”

Googins, who was the one to nominate Uva before he was selected by a committee, said in the two years he’s known Uva, his commitment at excellence, both in the classroom and on the rink, was unparalleled.

“His dedication as a student-athlete has been really noticeable,” Googins explained. “Just his passion and love for the game, along with his character is probably what stood out to me to nominate him. He’s a high-character kid and he’s very passionate about the game, and I respect that.”

Uva said he first began skating when he was 3 years old and shortly thereafter was playing competitively. He credits his father, Jeff, who is an assistant coach on the boys’ hockey team at Cardinal Spellman, for his success on the ice.

“Ever since I first put on my skates, I fell in love with the game,” Uva said. “My dad is my biggest hockey influence and he has taught me everything I know about the game. Without him, I wouldn’t have made it where I am today.”

DONATIONS

With the selection to the Shriners All-Star Classic comes an immense responsibility: raising money. The game is centered around generating proceeds to benefit the Shriners Hospital of Children. Uva is using the three standard options offered by Shriners to accept donations.

• The first option is a $75 donation to sponsor him. This donation comes with a polo shirt and two tickets to the game.

• The second option is a $30 donation to be a hockey patron — that gets your name in the program.

• Third, you can donate any amount ($2 minimum) and write Uva a short message wishing him the best of luck in the game.

If you are willing to donate, Uva can be reached at [email protected].

All checks, which should be written out to Shriners Hockey Classic, and donations must be in by Feb. 28.

MORE THAN A SHOWCASE

“The Shriners game means a lot to me,” Uva said. “Of course, it is great to be recognized as one of the top high school players in Massachusetts, but this is so much more than just a showcase. Being able to help raise money for such a great cause is something I take pride in.

“At the orientation, they showed videos of what patients go through at Shriners. The severe burns and other awful injuries these kids deal with makes you feel terrible. What really hit me was when they said that all the money we donate as a group can save a child’s life. I’m willing to go above and beyond in fundraising to be able to accomplish this goal.”

All-Star skaters: McAleer, Tracy named to Shriners team

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Hanson’s Mel McAleer and Hannah Tracy have been selected to skate in the Shriners All-Star Classic on Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

Two members of the Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake high school girls’ hockey team have been tabbed to skate in the Shriners All-Star Classic.

Hanson residents and WHSL captains Mel McAleer and Hannah Tracy will be representing the co-op as members of the South roster in this year’s event on Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m. at the Canton Ice House.

The Shriners All-Star Classic features the best players in the state and squares off the North against the South. After the rosters are finalized, each player is tasked with raising money for Shriners Hospitals for Children, a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals.

WHSL head coach Kevin Marani said he couldn’t be more proud to have two of his players in this prestigious contest.

“It means a lot to our program because of the game and what the game represents,” Marani said. “I’m very happy.”

MCALEER

For McAleer, this will mark her second straight trip to the event. “I would say being nominated for the Shriners [All-Star Classic] twice was absolutely my biggest achievement on the ice,” McAleer said.

McAleer, who has scored a lot of goals — 110 to be exact — in almost four seasons competing for Whitman-Hanson/Pembroke and then WHSL said it’s a great honor to be known as one of the best hockey players in Massachusetts but that says little about her as a person.

“Being able to be use my ability to create [an] opportunity to give back to those who really need it as much as I do is a greater accomplishment that any number of times I can put a puck in a net,” McAleer said.

With the Division 2 state title game slated to take place in mid to late March, this will be the final time McAleer skates as a member of the Panthers.

“I am most excited for the game because it will be a great completion and it will ultimately be the last time I represent WHSL on the ice,” McAleer said.

TRACY

For Tracy, who was on the bubble of cracking the roster last season, this will be her first time in the Shriners All-Star Classic. The Whitman-Hanson senior said she received word of her nomination while skimming through her email and almost accidently deleted it.

“I was excited that I’m going to be playing up against the best in the state in a game that has such a strong meaning behind it,” Tracy said. “Playing next to some of the best and some of the girls I’ve played with over the years is exciting, so it will be a fun time.”

Tracy has racked up 21 goals and dished out 22 assists thus far this season and has been an integral part of WHSL’s success since its inaugural campaign in 2014— helping the co-op reach the postseason for its third straight year. In this contest, she said she isn’t worried about the fi- nal score.

“The most exciting part about playing in this game is even if my team wins or loses we still win by helping out the Shriners Hospital,” Tracy said.

The 1-2 duo of McAleer and Tracy is split up most of the year due to their instant impact on whoever they play with, and Tracy said she is hopeful the two can skate on the same line in this event.

“It’s a good feeling knowing you can play with a teammate,” Tracy said. “We don’t play together much during the season, but when we do we areunstoppable.”

FUNDRAISING

In preperation for the game, the two participants have set up GoFundMe campaigns to raise money for the Aleppo Shriners Children’s Transportation Fund.

McAleer’s page can be found at: https://www.gofundme. com/shriners-all-starclassic- hockey

Tracy’s page can be found at: https://www.gofundme. com/3c9qoa8?lang=en-US