By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
PEABODY—On Nov. 28, the Melrose High girls’ soccer team had its end-of-season banquet at Spinelli’s in Peabody on Route 1.
That evening, Melrose head coach Rob Mahoney handed out six awards. Goalkeeper Ava Tormo went home with two of them. The senior co-captain received the MVP Award and the Jim D’Entremont Youth Soccer Scholarship Award. The three-time Middlesex League Freedom Division All-Star went 11-3-2 in net as she only allowed four goals all year. She also posted ten shutouts.
Junior defensemen Jill Frawley won the Unsung Heroine Award and she also made the ML Freedom All-Star team.
The Steven Turner Award (Coaches Award) went to senior co-captain Emily Lucien. Lucien, a defenseman, also made the all-star team for the second year in a row.
Sophomore midfielder, Emma Drago, received the Most Improved Player Award.
“It was a really fun night,” said Mahoney, who just completed his sixth year at the helm.
It was a memorable season for Melrose this fall as they reached the MIAA Division 2 quarterfinal round before losing, 1-0, at Nashoba Regional to end the year at 16-3-2. In the Middlesex League, they captured their first-ever ML Freedom division title as they went 12-2-2 overall in the league. Ten seniors will graduate from this roster. Along with Tormo, and Lucien, the team will also lose, fellow senior captain, Ellie Deeble, who was named the MVP of the Middlesex League Freedom division.
The forward had nine goal and five assists as she also was a member of the First-Team eastern Mass. All-Stars.
The other seniors were Kat Whisler (defenseman), Lily Nolan (wing-back), Amy Rowe (wing-back), Zoe Smith (striker), Mia Galego (center-midfielder), Mia Cerretani (wing-back), Maria Jelley (wing-back).
“This was the most successful class in team history,” stated Mahoney, about the ten seniors. “I credit the whole group for what we have accomplished the last two years. They had a tough freshman year with the short season due to Covid but they were still able to build a foundation with their talent, support and maturity.”
Next season, the team should still be in good shape as they are slated to return 12 veterans including sophomore striker Sophie McElligott who had 14 goals and two assists. She made the ML Freedom division All-Star team for the second year in a row and was also an eastern Mass. First Team All-Stars.
They also have an experienced goalie as freshman Kate Stratford went 5-0 in net to start the year before Tormo came back from injury.
“I am excited about next year,” admitted Mahoney. “We have a lot of strong players coming back.”
At the banquet, the players also voted on next year’s captains and they will be Frawley, Paige Crovo (wing-back) and Chloe Mahoney (striker).
All three will be 12th-graders next fall.
