DREW DAMIANI

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — The Cape Ann League champion Lynnfield High boys’ hockey team had five players who received postseason honors from the league coaches. Three Pioneers were named to the CAL All-Conference team while two more were named to the CAL All-Star Team.

The three players to make the All-Conference team were Chase Carney, Drew Damiani and Aidan Burke.

Carney led the league in scoring with 63 points as he had 32 goals to go with 31 assists for 63 points.

“He works his tail off every offseason and he made a big jump this year,” said Pioneers head coach Jon Gardner, about the senior captain.

Damiani, a junior defenseman and assistant captain, had 50 points with 18 goals and 32 assists.

“That is a staggering point total for a defenseman,” stated Gardner. “He had a remarkable year.”

Damiani and Carney were also named the league’s co-players of the year. Damiani was an All-Conference player last season while Carney was an All-Star.

CHASE CARNEY

Burke, a senior forward and assistant captain, had 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points. He was a CAL All-Star last winter.

“He took a giant leap from last year,” said Gardner.

The two Pioneer All-Stars are Will Steadman and Phineas Mitchener.

Steadman, who was on the first line with Carney and Burke, had 27 points as the senior assistant captain had 13 goals and 14 assist for 27 points.

“He is a very coachable player who is always in the right spot,” said Gardner, about the senior. “He was consistent with his play.”

Mitchener went 15-4-1 in net this winter and the 12th-grader won three playoff games.

“I was very proud with the way he played this year,” said Gardner.

Along with the All-Conference and All-Star players, the Pioneers will also be losing five other seniors, Janssen Sperling, Tyler Scoppettuolo, Patrick Barrett, Owen Kennedy and goalie Evan Fitzemeyer.

“The seniors were a competitive and tight-knit group,” said Gardner, who just completed his 10th-year at the helm. “This was the most successful year in all of my years here.”

This was a memorable year for the team as they won the league title for the first time since the 2004-2005 squad. They then won three playoff games before losing, 3-2, to Marlboro, in the Division 3 state semifinals on March 14 at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.

They ended the year at 19-4-1. In the CAL they went 9-1.

“We set ambitious goals at the start of the season and we hit just about all of them,” said Gardner. “It was a remarkable year overall.”

Next year, Gardner expects to have 16 veterans back as they look to defend their league title.

“We will lose a lot of our offense but most of our defensive core will be back,” pointed out Gardner.

The biggest question will be in net with both goalies graduating.

“That will be unchartered waters for us,” admitted Gardner, an LHS alum.