will be a contender in Div. 1 North
Published December 20, 2019
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose Red Raider hockey team returns to its winter campaign looking to pick up where they left last year after completing a 12-5-5 winning season and playoff run.
Melrose is currently ranked in the top ten in a Boston Globe poll and within the top 20 in a Hockey Night poll. Much of that is due to a strong returning class that graces this year’s roster, including their quad-captains Joe Lucien, Cam Marks, Andy Calvert and junior Brendan Fennell.
Last year, Melrose fell to Billerica during playoffs in the Div. 1 North bracket. This year, Melrose hopes to go one step further. They certainly have the manpower. Melrose has already shown some pre-season bite when they competed on Dec. 8 at the Reagan Summit. Even as they played without top scorer Brendan Fennell (who was winning a Super Bowl trophy at Gillette Stadium) they skated to a 4-4 draw against Malden Catholic thanks to two goals from Sean Senier and Cam Marks. On Saturday, Dec. 14 they battled one of the best teams in the state: Arlington, and despite a final score of 4-1 (Melrose’s lone goal by Sean Senier) it was a very competitive effort that speaks volumes about their potential this season.
Head coach Vin Mirasolo offered his take on the game. “Arlington is obviously a very skilled team but I thought it was fairly even for most of it, although in the second half they [Arlington] capitalized on a few of our mistakes.”
Melrose’s long fall campaign in football delayed practice for some key players. “A few of our guys came to tryouts a little banged up and in “football shape” but hockey shape is a lot different,” the coach chuckles. “But we have all the potential in the world. We have the ability to be formidable. It requires taking that step.”
One spot they need to fill this season is their goalie, and the three contenders are juniors Nick Sicurella, Andrew Martin and Joe Shields. Sicurella got the nod in the Arlington effort, but according to coach Vin Mirasolo it’s wide open. “All three are competing for the role, so it’s to be determined.”
Melrose has some holes to fill on defense after graduating some top defenders last season. Count on Joe Lucien, Will Pierce, Ryan Maher, Gavin Crowley and Will Brandon to be the chief components of that. The defense also includes Anthony DelGenio, Peter Santos and Joe O’Keefe. Expect Cam Marks, Andy Calvert and Charlie Haggerty to make up Melrose’s first line, along with Sean Senier, Quinn McCarthy and Brendan Fennell. Look for TJ Sullivan, Kevin O’Keefe and Cam Gorman to also see much time on the ice. Other forwards in the mix include Joe McNeely, Mark Aylward and Connor O’Leary.
The road to a long-sought-after Middlesex League title may once again go through Burlington. The ranked team finished 14-8-2 last year and won the Freedom title. This year, they return most of their players. Arlington meanwhile, appears to be the pick in the ML Large.
“It does feel like it’s Melrose and Burlington and battling at the top every year,” confirms Mirasolo. “That will probably be the case this year. But I think this Melrose team will get better every passing game. And our goal is the same as last year: to win the league, qualify for playoffs and make a run in the state tournament.”
Season schedule
Melrose 12/21 1:00p @ Belmont
12/23 12:00p @ Medford (LeConte)
12/27 2:00p @ Kasabuski Tourney
12/31 2:00p @ Wilmington
1/4 8:00p @ Stoneham
1/8 6:10p @ Chelmsford
1/11 4:00p v. Wakefield Memorial (Stoneham)
1/15 7:00p @ Burlington (Burlington, MA)
1/18 8:00p v. Reading
1/20 11:00a @ Wakefield
1/22 6:00p v Bishop Fenwick (Stoneham)
1/25 12:00p @ Winchester
1/28 8:00p v. Lexington
2/1 6:00p v. Wilmington (Stoneham)
2/5 6:00p @ Stoneham
2/8 8:00p Malden Catholic (Stoneham)
2/15 8:00p Burlington (Stoneham)
2/18 1:00p @ Xavarien
2/20 11:00a Masconomet Regional (Stoneham)