Daccord starting
North Andover’s Joey Daccord is off to a monster start to the 2023-24 NHL season.
Daccord has played in nine of the Seattle Kraken’s first 18 games, with eight starts, going 2-2-4 with a 3.00 goals-against average. That has already beaten his previous career-high of eight NHL games in a season, set in 2020-21.
Relive the action
For video highlights from Andover’s MIAA Division 1 semifinal matchup with St. John’s Prep from Friday and Pinkerton’s NHIAA Division I semifinal clash with archrival Londonderry, visit eagletribune.com.
E.J. Perry‘s Andover squad was making its second appearance in the Division 1 semifinals since the format was introduced in 2013, while legendary coach Brian O’Reilly and Pinkerton are out to earn its first state championship game berth since 2018.
Michaud a finalist
Pinkerton Academy star running back Caden Michaud has been selected as one of three finalists for the the inaugural Yukica Player of the Year, an award sponsored by the Joe Yukica/New Hampshire Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Michaud heads into Saturday’s Division I semifinal as Pinkerton’s leader in rushing (916 yards), receiving (169 yards) and scoring (16 touchdowns) and is also a top defensive back.
The other two finalists are Londonderry lineman and Holy Cross commit Ty Miles — who Michaud will face on Saturday — and Souhegan running back/defensive back JJ Bright (1,471 yards, 21 touchdowns rushing).
Freiermuth making his returN
It looks like Pittsburgh Steelers tight end and local legend Pat Freiermuth is nearing his return to the field. The former Pentucket and Brooks School star — and Eagle-Tribune Defensive Player of the Year — has been dealing with a hamstring injury that put him on injured reserved, but on Wednesday the Steelers opened his 21-day practice window to return.
And all signs point to Freiermuth playing this weekend against the Browns.
Captains Corner
The fall sports season is nearly at an end, but we at The Eagle-Tribune still want to honor the area’s high school captains as part of our Captains Corner series. Coaches — or parents or the athletes themselves — who would like their captains featured are welcome to submit a photo to dwillis@eagletribune.com. Photos should have all captains featured and ideally in uniform.
One Final Thought
As Michael Muldoon used to say, “If you can bring a smile to someone’s face today, just do it!
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