Published March 20, 2019
LYNNFIELD — The Saugus/Lynnfield Stars Bantam Hockey Team went into the weekend of March 1 with one goal: to bring home a state championship title for their hockey community. They had five games standing ahead of them before they could accomplish this goal.
Game one against Medfield ended in a 6-0 shutout win for the Stars. Goals in the first period were scored by Larry Graffeo, Danny Storella (two) and Brendan Powers. Second period goals were scored by Nate Alves and Drew Damiani.
Game two against Billerica was a chippy affair by all accounts. Billerica was first to score but 90 seconds later, the Stars answered with a goal by Brendan Powers assisted by Danny Storella. In the second period, Billerica went up again leading 2-1 but in the third period Dante Mauro notched a goal tying things up.
Regulation time expired and the first five minutes of overtime was back-and-forth action with both goalies coming up with big stops. As time expired the two teams went into the second overtime again with back-and-forth play but nothing on the board.
THE SAUGUS-LYNNFIELD Youth Hockey Bantam AAA team recently won the Massachusetts Tier 2 Bantam State Title, defeating Billerica 1-0 in the championship game. Pictured in the first row from left to right is Ben Sieve, Ryan Ragucci, Evan Fitzmeyer, Nick Hubbard, Marcus Dennison and Lucas Cook. In the second row from left is Aidan Andrews, Brendan Powers, Manny Alvarez-Segee, Danny Storella, Drew Damiani, Larry Graffeo, Nate Alves, Jake McLaughlin, Nolan Drislane and Dante Mauro. In the third row is the coaching staff: Darren Damiani, John McLaughlin, Darrell Segee, Scott Ragucci and Mark Andrews. (Courtesy Photo)
That meant it was shootout time with the first team to score taking the win. Coach Segee stuck with goalie Nick Hubbard who stopped a rifle of a shot from the Billerica player. Manny Alvarez-Segee took the ice for the Stars and cruised in, beating the Billerica goalie glove side for the 3-2 win.
Game three was against Franklin County who scored in the first period. But then the S/L Stars went on a tear outscoring Franklin County 7-1. First period goals were scored by Manny Alvarez-Segee assisted by Danny Storella and Nolan Drislane. Second-period goals scored by Larry Graffeo assisted by Danny Storella, Storella from Brendan Powers and again Storella assisted by Powers.
Third period goals were scored by Storella, Dante Mauro assisted by Jake McLaughlin and Ben Sieve and finally Brendan Powers to cap off the game.
Game four against Everett/Revere was a tough, hard-fought game. First period goals were scored by Manny Alvarez-Segee assisted by Drew Damiani and Marcus Dennison assisted by Lucas Cook and Ryan Ragucci. Everett/Revere cut the lead in half in the second period with a goal but it proved not to be enough as the Stars won 2-1.
Game five the Stars matched up against Billerica again to fight it out for the championship.
Larry Graffeo lit the lamp with 4:08 left in the game on a rebound shot from Dante Mauro to give the Stars a 1-0 lead. It was another nail bitter of a game but, with absolutely fantastic team play and an outstanding performance by goalie Evan Fitzemeyer the buzzer rang.
Sticks, gloves and helmets went flying through the air as the kids swarmed the ice. Mission accomplished: they were State Champions.
