THE MHS girls’ hockey team opens their season at home on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at home at 6:00 p.m. at Flynn Rink. (photo by Raj Das, edphotos.com)

Starts season on Dec. 14 against Woburn

 

MELROSE—The hard-working Melrose High girls’ hockey team is back for their second-straight season as an independent squad and kick off their home opener against Woburn on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 6:00 p.m. at home at Flynn Rink in Medford.

Coach Frank Sorrenti returns to helm a team of 16 players. This year he has a very young roster of players in an increasingly youthful high school sport.

Just one captain returns, an ever-hardworking junior Lucy Clark.

The forward/right-wing is a multi-year starter who coach Sorrenti will count on for just about everything. “Lucy’s the best. She helps with administrative matters, and we lean on her for helping run the locker room and mentoring our younger players. She’s the epitome of leadership,” he says.

Among those returning are junior Sam Lyons and sophomores Ella Bonacorsi and Charlotte Demers.

“We are young with a captain ‘Y’,” says the coach. He notes that an impressive freshman class of eight returning players will pick up where they left off last season when they played as eighth graders. They include Teagan Altman, goalie Ruby Hansen, Julia McNeely, Ella Daniels, Nora Murray, Addison Savidge, Anna Scalfani and Jessica Zulon.

“They’re really showing how much they’ve progressed. They’re taller and stronger. And they don’t have that ‘deer in headlights’ look to them,” he adds.

Meanwhile, returning goalie Ruby Hansen will help keep Melrose competitive. “Ruby looks great out there and she has the right kind of pluck you need for the position,” notes Sorrenti.

Eighth graders include Anna Matthews and returner Keira Twomey while seventh graders include Zoe Blackburn, Riley Bolduc and Grace Daniels.

With such youth comes opportunity. For these players, they’re able to create a niche for themselves in this program for years to come. And while the team struggled last year, this early season has seen some quality work from scrimmages.

“We won a scrimmage against Lexington so we’re definitely going to be stronger than last year,” says the coach. “We still have work to do, like defensive zone coverage, and some fundamental skill work, but I already see a more competitive season. We will be very challenged against larger Middlesex teams, but I know there are league teams and non-league teams we can beat.”