The Methuen High boys hockey team is off to a flying 6-0-1 start, and part of the success has been the unexpected production upfront. Sophomore Kevin Nestor has come up from the JV team and is tied with Patrick Morris for the team lead in points with 11. Right behind them are Quinn Ronan and Andrew Cox, who both have eight points.
Ronan was previously a defenseman before being moved up, and he’s taken every advantage of switch.
“Quinn was always a bit of an offensive defenseman growing up, but this year we found ourselves with an abundance of defensive upperclassmen, so Quinn took his talents to the forward position,” said head coach Bill Blackwell.
“At first Quinn struggled a bit with positioning, but since then, he has settled down and began trusting his athletic ability being a three-sport athlete with golf and lacrosse as well. His sheer speed has helped him flourish in the new position. In just seven games this year Quinn has produced three goals five assists while also leading the team in shots on net.”
Besides that production, Quinn still sees some time on defense as part of the penalty killing team, which has allowed just three power play goals in seven games.
Howard making presence felt for Scarlet Knights
Senior Colin Howard has continued to drastically improve for North Andover. In his third season with the varsity team, he continues to bring a lot of energy to the team each game, especially with his physical presence.
“While his play isn’t always showing up on the scoresheet with just two goals this season, Colin is making an impact every day for us in both games and practices,” said head coach Scott Greene. “He is one of the hardest working players in the program. Although he is small in size, he plays about two feet taller than he actually is. Colin has no fear of going into the corners to battle for pucks, even against much larger opponents. He also takes pride in penalty killing and blocking shots.”
Besides the physical aspect, Greene said that Howard provides tremendous leadership.
“While Colin doesn’t wear a letter on his chest, he is still a leader on the team,” said the coach. “He supports his teammates and shows everyone else what it takes to get better. At practice he battles hard and never gives up on drills. He’s always at the front of the line and sets the tone for everyone at practice. He is regularly meeting with coaches to learn what he can do better to improve as an individual and help the team.”
The coach added that after high school, Howard plans on joining the United States Navy.
Girls
Andover girls led by duo
The Andover girls team is off to a 2-2-1 start, which includes a 4-0 non-league loss to Duxbury, followed by a hard-earned 3-2 win over an always pesky Westford Academy team. Playing well for the Golden Warriors includes senior captain Rose Memmolo and junior Nora Hurley.
“Rose has been a varsity player for four years,” said head coach Meagan Keane. “She is a big impact on the ice and is a great example of an overall player. She battles in the corners, back checks and finds the open person. Rose is leading the team in assists right now with five. With a lot more games to come this season, I know that she will find the back of the net. Rose is playing another year with her wings, Bella Difiore (2 goals) and Scarlet Glass (2 goals). This line will continue to progress as the season goes on.
“This is Nora Hurley’s second year on varsity. She has stepped up into a major role this year. Nora has speed, she is tenacious, and wants the puck on her stick. So far Nora has had two goals this season and one assist. She is continuing to learn and develop as the season goes on and I look forward to her building on her success.”
There’s so much more than stats
The Methuen/Tewksbury Red Rangers are 6-1-0 on the season, which includes giving up just three goals in seven games and posting four straight shut outs. Among the stars on the blue line is senior co-captain Emma Ryan.
“Although she has no points, Emma has been absolutely invaluable to our defensive success,” said head coach Dave O’Hearn. “The things she does very well for us does not show up on stat sheets. She is all over the ice, breaking up plays and moving the puck to our forwards. She has a motor that never quits and is probably one of the most tenacious players in the league.”
She’s Locked In
Over the last five games, HPNA is 4-0-1 which includes a 1-1 tie against last year’s state champion Shrewsbury. Co-captain Gabi Locke has been on a tear with 7 goals.
“She plays wing and is a junior captain for us. She’s played significant impactful minutes over her previous two seasons,” said coach Gary Kane.
Blue Devils earn first win
Over the Christmas Break, the Salem Blue Devils participated in the New Hampshire High School Girls Holiday Tournament hosted by Kingswood Prospect Mountain.
Salem faced three teams, losing to Concord 6-1 and Exeter 7-0, before coming away with a 7-5 win over Kingswood.
In the loss to Concord, goalie Grace Brito stopped 30 of 36 shots, while, Grace Hoover scored the lone goal.
In the loss to Exeter, Zeynep Yildrim got the nod in net and she turned away 33 of 40 shots.
In the win, Salem trailed 3-0 early on before totally dominating the rest of the way. Hoover and Grace Driscoll led the offense that day with two goals each.
During the tournament, Salem had the skills competition. Driscoll, Hoover, Meg O’Callahan and Jocelyn Harvey competed in the fastest skater event and Driscoll placed third. Amber McAdoo, Abigail Ogborn, Keegan Power and Yildrim competed in the hardest shot event.
Dunn on fire
The Pinkerton Academy Girls Hockey team is off to a terrific 6-0 start, including outscoring teams 40-3. In the team’s last three games, senior forward Riley Dunn has scored 7 goals and dished out 14 assists – averaging 7 points per game! She currently has 29 points in six games. In an 11-1 win over Salem, Dunn registered 4 goals and 4 assists.
Emily Gosselin has also been instrumental in the offense with 20 points through the team’s first five games.
Defensively, goalies Devyn Lyons and Madison Beyor have split the duties and given up just three goals all season. The defensemen group includes Jordan Gravel’Maher, Emma Cassier, Ryleigh Belanger and Lillian Sibona, who have all played exceptionally well to this point of the season.
Twitter: @JamiePote