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Season Review: Young volleyball team impresses

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Halle Julian (No. 42), Audrey Fuller (No. 22) and Amanda Anderson (No. 15). / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball, despite finishing the season with a 4-17 record, made significant strides this year.

Sometimes success doesn’t just show up in the win column.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball, despite finishing the season with a 4-17 record, made significant strides this year.

W-H came into the year with a tall task – trying to make up for the production it lost via the departure of a seven-player senior class – headlined by captains Jordyn Keith, Sophie O’Brien and Chloe Roberts – who played an integral part in helping the program reach the tournament in back-to-back seasons.

With that many seniors on the roster last season, that meant playing time for the younger players was scarce. Four players who would turn into regulars on the court this fall had little to no experience as the varsity rank.

Junior Allison Hanlon, and sophomores Olivia Martin and Ella Sweeney were all previously penned on the JV roster. Sophomore Alexis Connolly had just 15 sets of varsity experience under her belt. This season, Sweeney was in action for 74 sets, which was tied for the second-most on the team, as Hanlon and Martin played 66 and 59, respectively. Connolly saw her time on the court rise to 52 sets.

The growing pains, however, were evident, as the Panthers went nearly a month without a single win. But, they never lost faith.

“We were able to stay up despite how many losses we took,” first-year Panthers head coach Ashley Balbian said. “But, I think the team really worked together. The chemistry between the girls, especially between the really young girls and the seniors, I think that was definitely our strength in just trying to keep the energy up, fight for every point.”

After a loss to Quincy on Oct. 25 dropped W-H to 2-17 with senior night against Middleboro in less than 24 hours, Balbian said there was an instant shift in the mentality of her squad.

“I think a lot of what changed is kind of a change in our mindset about seniors thinking like this is our last two games we’re going to put it all out there,” she said. “Then for the underclassmen to come in and think, look we want to do this for the seniors. [We’re] putting our effort in for the seniors the last two games, but also realizing we’re it next year, this is it, so we have to step it up.”

After celebrating the storied careers of their seniors, the Panthers downed the Sachems in four sets, 3-1. Senior Halle Julian led the club with 18 kills and classmate Tori Perry shined with 40 assists. Two days later, they finished off Bridgewater-Raynham in another four-set affair, 3-1.

The recent success left Balbian thinking a few things. “I wish we had five more games,” she said. “I had felt we finally hit a lot of the goals we were working towards all season, and then just as we hit that stride the season [is] over.”

But, there is no denying that finishing your campaign on a two-game winning streak must build some assurance about the future.

“It was huge boost in confidence, especially for the girls that are younger on the team and were getting more time on the court, and they feel a little more prepared coming in with the seniors leaving next year,” Balbian said.

As they look ahead to next season, the Panthers will be tasked with replacing the leadership and production from departing seniors Madison Adams, Amanda Anderson, Cathryn Johnson, Julian and Perry, all of whom left their stamp on the program, according to Balbian.

“I think that they have left such an impression on the younger players, like really kept a high standard on the team,” Balbian said.

For W-H, despite the struggles, the team should come into its own in the not so distant future.

“A lot of them came into new positions, especially towards the second half of the season,” Balbian said. “They kind of found what works for them. Maybe they decided I want to be a libero or I want to be a setter or I want to play front row, and they kind of found where they fit on the court. It makes me already excited for tryouts next season.”

Season Review: Boys’ soccer rises to meet challenge

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The Panthers after a Nov. 4 win over Catholic Memorial in the opening round of the Div. 2 South Sectional tournament. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team – under the watch of first-year head coach Dave Leahy – qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2014.

At the outset of the season, first-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy acknowledged there were challenges ahead.

“I am looking for our players to face the multiple challenges each game throws at us in a positive, unified effort. If we can stay together as a family throughout the first two weeks, we will be able to face any challenge going forwardtogether,” he said.

The Panthers entered the new year trying to put a wretched one-win 2016 campaign in the rearview mirror.

W-H opened 2017 with a 3-2 loss to Silver Lake, and eventually finished out its first week of play at 0-3. It was tough, but the Panthers remained confident they had what it took to be successful.

In their second week of action, the Panthers had turned the corner. It started with a 3-2 win on the road against Plymouth South and carried over to a 3-0 victory over Plymouth North three days later.

“We started to believe and we kept pushing forward each day after that,” Leahy said. “We had some setbacks but it was never for too long. We had a few bad halves, but never a bad game. We kept learning and improving.”

W-H, driven by a sheer desire to succeed, would then go on to claim victories in eight out its next 13 games to cap off the regular season at 10-7-1. In the midst of the Panthers’ surge, a 2-1 triumph over Quincy qualified them for the Div. 2 South Sectional tournament for the first time since 2014. Leahy said it was just a case of getting his team to buy into the fact it could be successful.

“For whatever reasons the team had been unlucky for a few seasons, and as a result we had learned that we were typically on the losing end at the end of the game,” he said. “So, getting this belief changed for us was the biggest.” In the preliminary round of the tournament, No. 13 W-H downed No. 21 Catholic Memorial, 2-1, in game that was decided with penalty kicks.

However, in the next round, the Panthers’ run came to an end at the hands of Oliver Ames, 4-0.

“The biggest advantage was playoff experience,” Leahy said. “They wanted to jump out early and try and end the game quickly. And they succeeded in doing so.”

While postseason maturity may have worked against W-H this November, the script may be flipped next time around. The Panthers will have an abundance of young talent back in the fold next season, which includes four of their top-five goal scorers in sophomores Jason Brodeur and Adam Milewski, and freshmen Joel Arsenault and Brendan Nehiley.”

The majority of teams that win championships were in the playoffs in prior years,” Leahy said. “So, playoff experience is integral to a successful program.”

As for departures, W-H will lose 11 seniors – headlined by captains Kyle Nehiley, Anthony Pasciuto and Cameron Rogers. Their shoes won’t be easy to fill.

“They came into preseason motivated,” Leahy said. “They worked hard in the offseason and were ready to play hard this summer. Each day they all worked hard to improve and their efforts were noticed by our underclassmen. They took their role seriously and led with courage. They were outstanding for us.”

As the Panthers embark on the offseason, there is a lot more clarity now then there was just a few short months ago.

“I am extremely proud,” Leahy said. “This team had to learn a lot and do it quickly together. They came together and worked hard for each other and kept pushing forward. It was a fun ride.”

Season Review: Golf stays on course: Panthers put forth another solid season

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The Whitman-Hanson Regional High golf team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ golf team qualified for the state tournament for the fifth time in the past seven years this season.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ golf team turned in another steady campaign on the course this fall.

Under the watch of head coach Brian Dempsey, the Panthers posted a 9-8 record and qualified for the state tournament for the fifth time in the past seven years.

In the Division 2 South (Cape & Islands) Sectional qualifying round – held at Easton Country Club on Oct. 24 – W-H was represented by seniors Tommy Bombardier, JP Drier (captain), Nick Duffy and Anthony Palmacci, junior Owen Manning (captain) and sophomore Matt Korzec.

The Panthers shot a 336 as a team, which was good for ninth. Manning was W-H’s top performer as he carded a 79 and missed the state tournament by one stroke.

“Every year, the team’s main goal is to quality for the state tournament, which puts us in a position to give six of our players a chance to move on to the state finals,” Dempsey explained. “I definitely consider this year a success – entering this year, our team was pretty much unknown around the league, and in my opinion, was probably written off. Though we had a slow start, we not only found our identity, but shocked a few teams.”

Shocked a few teams is right — on Oct. 11, with their postseason hopes hanging in the balance, the Panthers downed Duxbury by a final score of 232-241. The triumph was the their first ever over the Dragons. Dempsey said going into that match his team’s mindset was to play smart, consistent golf.

“I can’t remember a time where I was as excited for the guys on the team than I was for them this year after upsetting Duxbury,” Dempsey said. “You can’t strategize or plan for things to happen in golf like you can in most other sports, but on that day, it was as if we executed our game plan perfectly, which is why, as a whole team, we were able to beat Duxbury for the first time; everyone did their part, and everyone earned the win.”

In the victory, Palmacci scored a 1-over-par and Manning, who was paired with him for the match, shot a 2-over par to help set the tone.

Just a week prior, the Panthers took a tough Hingham team down to the wire before falling, 223-230.

However, it wasn’t always easy sledding this autumn for the Panthers who sat at 1-3 after a 261-266 loss to Plymouth South on Sept 14. Dempsey said he believes strength of schedule played into the Panthers’ struggles as their first three losses came to Silver Lake (231-239), Hingham (256-279) and Plymouth South, all of which ended the season with winning records.

But following that Plymouth South defeat, W-H turned a corner, and turned it the next day by downing East Bridgewater, 263-312. The victory propelled them to wins in five of their next eight matches which pulled them above .500 at 7-6 as a bevy of players began to step up. One player who was a pivotal part in the Panthers’ success this fall was Manning, who was their top golfer. Dempsey said Manning is a true role model on and off the field and he is excited to have him back in the fold next season.

“His approach to the game is so calm and methodic, which is what allows him to play so consistently throughout the season,” Dempsey, who will lose nine seniors off this team’s roster, explained. “He has improved so much from where he was last year as not only a player, but as a teammate and leader as well. What I appreciate about Owen so much is his ability to remain calm throughout his round and to be able to focus on the next hole.”

As the Panthers head into the offseason, one thing is certain: they’re in a good spot.

“I’m very proud of the recent success of the program,” Dempsey said. “I give all the credit to the leadership on the team each year. The commitment of players to the sport continues to grow every year.”

Season Review: Field hockey nets some success

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The Panthers during a 6-2 win over East Bridgewater. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey team set highs in goals and wins this season.

It was back in 2014 when the Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey program was revived after a 30-year hiatus.

W-H head coach Todd Humphrey said he remembers it like it was yesterday.

“I look back at the past and four years ago, it was 28 girls with me in the middle of a grass field trying to figure out field hockey,” Humphrey said. “That’s where we were at.”

The following fall, W-H, which competed at the junior varsity level during its first season back, was granted a varsity team. As expected, it was a struggle for the Panthers who didn’t manage a single victory and scored a mere three goals.

Last season, the program formed a freshman squad as participation numbers boomed to nearly 60. At the varsity rank, W-H battled through its first 17 games without a single win, before fielding a 3-1 victory over East Bridgewater in its final game of the season.

This autumn, the Panthers – led by senior captains Colleen Hughes, Ashley Memmolo and Tina Woodward – roared to new heights. For starters, their win total climbed to six. Humphrey said that despite the challenges his group has faced in the past, it never hung its head, and it paid off.

“It’s just a matter of learning from our mistakes or learning from losing really,” the fourth-year Panthers head coach said. “If you don’t learn from losing then you’ll never know how to win, so I think that’s kind of our philosophy.”

On the field, one aspect W-H honed in on improving was ball movement and it showed as its goal total spiked 11 last season to 30.

“It definitely helped, and how we took care of the offensive zone was big too,” Humphrey said. “The way the girls positioned themselves and we capitalized on scoring chances for sure, a lot better than last year.”

Humphrey said he felt his club’s biggest advantage was its speed, which was on prime display in the Panthers’ final game of the season, an 8-2 win over Norwell on Oct. 27.

“They were flying, everybody was giving everything they had,” he said. “It was really fun to watch the girls play all-out as much as they did. We were flying.”

For Humphrey, despite the result, it was a bittersweet ending as he was forced to say goodbye to his senior class of 15 players. About half of those girls were part of the 28 Humphrey was in the middle of a grass field with trying to learn field hokey a few years ago.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how special that group is,” Humphrey said. “They’ve been with me since the beginning. They shaped [and] molded the entire program and just their positive attitudes and their willing to take risk has elevated our entire program, and I couldn’t be more proud of them and grateful.”

Humphrey said he is highly optimistic for the continued success of the program, which had a record 64 girls in it this fall.

“It depends on the energy you put into it as a coach and as a coaching staff and my players just believing that we can be competitive,” he said. “But we’ve come very, very, very far. It’s going to be a very young varsity team next year, but they’re going to be fun to watch.”

A new year on the pitch

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The Panthers during a September game against Plymouth North, a 3-0 win. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team has bounced back from a one-win 2016 campaign and has qualiefied for the tournament this fall.

What a difference a year can make. For the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team, it saw what that difference can be first-hand.

After a 1-16-1 campaign last season, the Panthers now find themselves with a 10-7-1 mark. With that comes a berth in the Division 2 South Sectional tournament for the first time in three years.

The win that qualified them for the tournament was a 2-1 triumph over Quincy on Thursday, Oct. 26. First-year W-H head coach Dave Leahy said his team was a tad jittery going in.

“We were a little bit nervous about making a mistake, but we pulled it together [and] got it done,” Leahy said. “We’re on a mission.”

However, the Panthers have had their fair share of struggles over the past few months, which included starting the season with three straight losses. W-H, despite the record, didn’t hang its head.

“I believe every player that is on this team has sacrificed for each other and for themselves,” Leahy said. “And as far as sticking together, they’ve come together to become a really solid team that can face a lot of adversity.”

When you look at the Panthers on the field, it’s not just the juniors and seniors leading the way, but it’s the underclassman chipping in as well.

“The freshmen on this team, all four of them, have just really given in awesome minutes,” Leahy said. “And they’re scoring goals, they’re defending, getting assists, they’re very unselfish, they’re a great building block for this program and this team currently.”

A prime example of that was in the Panthers’ final regular season match, a 6-1 win over Cardinal Spellman, on Saturday, Oct. 28. Senior Brendan Nehiley may have paced the W-H offensive attack with two goals, but freshman Joel Aresenault and sophomore Jason Broduer each chipped in a tally as well.

In net, Leahy opted to give senior captain and starting goaltender Anthony Pasciuto the afternoon off, and sophomore Andrew Sullivan and junior Griffin Nickerson combined to get the job done.

“Tremendous growth from what I saw in the summer leagues to the preseason to the first game to the last game” Leahy said. “Just every single day there is growth, even in losses, even in wins, it was all growth.”

Leahy, who said he is extremely proud of how far his group has come from June to now, added he doesn’t want the Panthers’ next bout to be their last.

“We’re going to work as hard as possible, have fun in that first game, but we’re going to be working like we can have success every single game we play,” he said.

No. 13 W-H will open the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. when it will host No. 20 Catholic Memorial (5-10-1) in the preliminary round.

Pasciuto makes mark in the net

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Anthony Pasciuto makes a save against Silver Lake. / Photo by: Sue Moss

First-year starting goalie Anthony Pasciuto has been a key for the Panthers this season.

Starting between the pipes on a regular basis at the varsity level has been something Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer senior Anthony Pasciuto has been waiting for since he was a freshman.

Pasciuto, who has been playing on the pitch since he was in kindergarten, served as the starting goalkeeper at the lower levels during his first two high school campaigns. Last season he backed up Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Conor Keane on varsity, while receiving reps on defense as well. This fall there was never a doubt, even to first-year W-H head coach Dave Leahy, that Pasciuto was ready to take over.

“He knew he was the starter, I knew he was the starter, he’s just, he’s a great goalie,” Leahy said.

Pasciuto, despite receiving minimal playing time in goal last season, said the move from second to first string wasn’t too much of a challenge.

“It’s not really much different because I’ve been playing goalie my whole entire life, so I’ve been playing goalie and defense so it’s really no change for me,” Pasciuto said. “I used to play goalie in club, so it’s been an easy transition for me.”

Pasciuto, who stands at 6-foot-4, has relished in the opportunity.

In 15 regular season games, he posted a 1.5 goals against average and recorded six shutouts for the Panthers (10-7-1). W-H is headed to the Division 2 South Sectional tournament for the first time since 2014.

“This year in goal I’ve been feeling really good,” Pasciuto said. “Probably my best year in goal in my whole entire life, so I’m feeling really good right now.”

Leahy said his senior goalkeeper has been everything he could have imagined this season.

“We had a tough first week going 0-3 and then from that point on, after a very important Hingham game (2-1 Panthers loss) for him, he has been outstanding in the league,” Leahy said.

In preperation of the new season, Pasciuto said he spent count less hours with the rest of his squad trying to get better at anything they could.

“In the summer, I was on the field four times a week just to work on goalie stuff,” Pasciuto said. “My whole entire team went every single week. We just worked really hard and that’s why we’re here right now, 10-7-1, making the tournament.”

Pasciuto said if there is one aspect of his game that separates him from his opposition on the field it’s his work ethic.

“I’ve been working really hard, I’ve been waiting for this since my freshman year,” he said. “I wanted to be the starting goalie since my freshman year. So, I’ve been waiting for this so I got to make the most of it.”

Not only is Pasciuto crucial to the Panthers’ on field performance, but he’s a leader off the field as well, serving as a captain. Those two combined make a player like him tough for a coach not to appreciate.

“He’s got the heart of a lion and he’s just a gentleman,” Leahy said. “You add all those things up, and he’s an athletic guy, he’s an outstanding goalie and outstanding captain.”

As W-H heads into the tournament, Pasciuto said it is essential for it to keep doing the things that got it there in the first place.

“We have to stay together, stick together,” he said. “One focus, we’re a family, we’re gonna go far. We just [have to] stay focused and hungry.”

Panthers return to postseason play

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The Panthers’ offensive line in a 43-20 win over Silver Lake. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson football head coach Mike Driscoll is “very proud” his team is back in the postseason, a feat it accomplished with a 43-20 win over Silver Lake.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team is back in the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

“I’m very proud,” W-H football head coach Mike Driscoll said. “They worked hard in the offseason, they worked hard in season, so they expected it. We’re just happy [with] what they’ve done so far.”

The Panthers are fresh of what Driscoll coined their best game of the season, a 43-20 win over Silver Lake. In the tilt, W-H (5-2) didn’t punt once, and the defense didn’t allow a touchdown until the third quarter, when it was a 35-6 game.

But, the playoffs present a different challenge and W-H certainly knows that. The Panthers have been subject to a first-round exit each of the past three seasons. Last fall it was North Attleboro which ousted W-H from the playoffs. In its two campaigns prior, Driscoll’s squad entered as the final team in, which is no easy task.

“I think a lot of it comes down to just match-ups, and we haven’t had good matchups for us,” Driscoll said. “Last year we had to go into North Attleboro as a young team, and that’s intimidating. We were the eight seed [two] years in a row so you’re not going to get much luck there.”

This time around, W-H which is boasting its best record since 2004, will enter the Division 3 South Sectional tournament as the No. 5 seed and will face off against No. 4 Stoughton at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at Brockton High’s Marciano Stadium.

The Black Knights, who hail from the Hockomock League Davenport Division, finished their regular season campaign at 5-2. A 28-24 triumph over Catholic Memorial in Week 3 was by far their most impressive win. Stoughton’s last loss came two weeks ago at the hands of North Attleboro, 35-21. It was the Red Rocketeers who ended the Panthers’ playoff run last season in first round of the Division 2 South Sectional tournament.

“They got a good team,” Driscoll said of the Black Knights. “They fly around on defense [and] their offense is very methodical. Their running backs are good, they have a huge tight end, and defensively they create some match-up problems for us, but I think it’s going to be a classic game.”

Since the MIAA switched to a new playoff format at the outset of the 2013 season, the Black Knights, who are coached by Greg Burke, have made it past the first round each time – which included a trip to the Division 3 state semifinals in 2013.

Driscoll said the key to this one is going to be unfamiliarity.

“When you play these teams over and over again in the league, they tend to know you, and will take away something, or will try to,” he said. “This is a little bit different match-up so teams are just going to come out and do what they do. It’s going to come down to who makes the plays during the game and who’s going to make the plays.”

LEANING ON PHELPS

W-H is going to rely heavily, like it has done all season, on the legs and arm of junior dual-threat quarterback Ethan Phelps, the repertoire he has built with his receiving corps, the steady presence of junior running back Brendan Frawley and the two-way leadership of senior Riley Holland if it’s going to upset Stoughton.

The winner will advance to play the victor of No. 8 Walpole (2-5) at No. 1 North Attleboro (6-1) in the South Sectional semifinals next week.

“I finally feel like we’re where we need to be,” Driscoll said. “We’re probably a year away, but we can be competitive in this, and I like the matchup. I think its two really even teams. If we do what we do, we’ll be pretty good in this tournament.”

Whitman Nationals a hit in Cranberry League

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Led by general manager Conor McDonough, the Whitman Nationals are located smack in the middle of a Cranberry League that features eight teams ranging from Bourne to Quincy.

Who doesn’t love baseball?

From the state tournament qualifying high school team in the spring to the American Legion squads battling for a spot in the postseason right now, Whitman is filled with action on the diamond all year. However, many forget about the other boys of the summer. That is the Whitman Nationals.

Led by general manager Conor McDonough, the Nationals are located smack in the middle of a Cranberry League that features eight teams ranging from Bourne to Quincy.

Founded in 1960, the Cranberry League features some of the top talent in the Massachusetts from college athletes to former collegiate standouts.

For the Nationals (0-17), who kicked off their season May 21 with a doubleheader against the Canton A’s, it has been a rough few months as they sit in search of their first win of the year.

However, there have been a handful of solid performances on the field for Whitman.

On the mound, Jared Silva leads the Nationals with 16.1 innings pitched, in which he has gone 0-2 with a 2.14 ERA. He has struck out 15 batters and surrendered just six walks and 21 hits.

At the plate, Jose Collazo boasts a team-best .423 on base percentage and is slugging .500. Ben Carney leads the club in hits with nine in 17 games.

Whitman will hope to get on track Sunday, July 9, as it travels to Quincy for a doubleheader with the Phillies. Game times are set for 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Senior Legion edges Brockton Post 35

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Ten strikeouts from John Murphy pushed Whitman Post 22 past Brockton Post 35, 5-4.

WHITMAN — After the final out was recorded and the handshakes finished, the Whitman Post 22 Senior Legion team gathered in left field as per usual. There was one man who was the center of head coach Todd DeCouto’s congratulatory speech after a 5-4 win against Brockton Post 35 Sunday, and that was John Murphy, and rightfully so.

The right-hander hurled a complete game and simply dazzled the Brockton bats all evening – recording 10 strikeouts and surrendering four hits en route to the victory.

“We came out to play today,” DeCouto said. “Johnny has been our go-to guy on the mound, so I was expecting a good game from him, which we got. When the curveball is working, he is really almost unhittable.”

Thanks to a pair of two-run innings, Post 22 was able to go up 4-0 early and they never looked back in a pivotal bout with playoff implications on the line.

After Murphy was able to strand two Brockton runners on base in the top of the first, Whitman gave him some support. A quick Nick Spyropoulos single that cracked the hole between shortstop and third base got the inning going and he was sent home two batters later when James Dolan reached on an error to put Post 22 up 1-0.

After a Brett Spano double play pushed Tim DeCouto, who was on base via a hit by pitch, over to third base, Ryan Sawtelle knocked him in to make it 2-0.

James Dolan would begin the bottom half third inning with a rocket to left field for a double. Spano then would reach second courtesy of an error to knock in Dolan and make it 3-0.

The next batter, Sawtelle, would continue his monster game with a double to plate Spano and extend the Post 22 lead to 4-0.

After a scoreless fourth inning from both squads, Murphy would get Post 35 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth, in what was the quickest half inning of the game.

In the bottom half of the frame, Spano got the action going with a line-drive single to right field, and he was sent home on a Sawtelle poke to left field, pushing Post 22 up 5-0.

“He’s been huge for us,” DeCouto said of Sawtelle. “He’s had a lot of big hits for us this year.”

However, Brockton would not go easy as Post 35 was finally able to get to Murphy with four runs, on three hits, in the top of the sixth inning to slice its deficit to 5-4.

Murphy would return to the hill for the top of the seventh, after Post 22 was unable to get anything cooking in the bottom of the sixth, and he was able to work around a two-out single to close out a 5-4 Whitman win.

Sawtelle led Post 22 on offense with three hits and two runs batted in as Caleb Burke chipped in two hits.

“He’s been huge for us,” DeCouto said. “He’s had a lot of big hits for us all year.”

The victory moved Whitman to 6-9-1 and Brockton fell to 5-12.

Post 22 sits in the ninth spot, one point behind Rockland Post 147 (7-8), in the Senior Legion standings in a league that the top eight make the playoffs.

Whitman will be back on the field at home against Pembroke Post 143 (12-4) Friday, July 7, at 5:45 p.m.

“That should be a good game,” DeCouto said. “We beat them the first time around, and there at the top of the standings, so it’ll be good to see them here.”

Eli hockey standout

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Yale freshman Billy Sweezey has found smooth going on the ice as he has also worked to tackle the challenges of an Ivy League college’s classrooms. / Courtesy photo

Hanson native Billy Sweezey has been a standout for Yale’s men’s hockey team.

Commitment, confidence, grit, poise, resolve and wit. All are on full display when you watch Yale men’s hockey defenseman Billy Sweezey skate.

The Hanson native just concluded his inaugural campaign on the ice for the Bulldogs. He coined it his “most fun” season yet. The 6-foot-2, 204-pounder appeared in all 33 games for Yale, scored a goal, notched five assists and led the club with a +13.

Sweezey’s path to one of the oldest schools in the nation is an interesting one. After beginning school and high school hockey at Archbishop Williams, he transferred to Noble and Greenough, repeated his sophomore year and played three seasons there and was honored as a captain his senior campaign. After Nobles, he decided to take a year off from school and competed in the United States Hockey League for the Chicago Steel. In the midst of all that, he committed to Yale as a junior in high school.

Sweezey said one of the toughest shifts to the collegiate ranks he was tasked with was not on the ice.

“The transition into a college classroom, especially at a place like Yale, was pretty tough,” Sweezey said. “My dad always stressed doing well in school to my brother and me, so I was able to get back into the swing of things after a few weeks.”

Sweezey said everything on the ice went relatively smooth after he was able to work diligently with his coaches to get past the adjustment period.

“The biggest difference is the speed,” Sweezey said. “Guys are faster and stronger so you have that much less time to make a decision out there. The room for error is extremely small.”

One aspect Sweezey said he prides himself on is his physicality on the ice. However, it can be a detriment at times, and caused a few issues at the early stages of the season. Though, he was able to figure out how to become more disciplined, which can be seen by a season-best sixgame no penalty streak from Jan. 13 to Jan. 28.

“I think I improved in that aspect a lot this season,” Sweezey said of his discipline. “A lot of it comes down to being able to relax during the games and keep my emotions in check; never getting too high or too low.”

The rising sophomore said when he reflects back at his 2016-17 campaign, one moment that comes to mind is Yale’s 3-2 overtime win over Dartmouth in the first round of the ECAC playoffs on March 4. In the triumph – the Bulldogs’ last home tilt – Sweezey netted a third-period assist that knotted the score at 2-2.

“After the game and handshakes, we lined up and saluted our games for the final time,” Sweezey said. “It really hit me that I was going to be part of something really special for the next three years.”

Sweezey, who went through the Hanson School System up until high school, said he looks forward to the offseason for a bevy of reasons.

“I still see all my friends from home when I’m there and look forward to coming home,” Sweezey said. “I’ll probably skate two to three times a week doing skills work. Then I’m in the gym lifting four to five times a week. I also play three on three with my best friends once a week which is probably the most fun.”