Published in the March 31, 2016 edition
By BOB TUROSZ
NORTH READING – For the NRHS winter sports teams, the 2016 campaign was so successful it’s hard to believe the season is over. But the calendar doesn’t lie. Not only will the spring season begin shortly but the winter teams wrapped up their annual Sports Awards night recently, always a special night for the athletes and their families, especially the many seniors.
BOYS BASKETBALL CAPTAINS Junior Anthony Eldridge, Senior Nicolas O’Connell and senior Justin Dorosh led their team to the Cape Ann League Championship. (Courtesy Photo)
In addition to the traditional letter awards, over 20 special awards were distributed to the members of eight sports teams.
One added highlight of the season: 2016 was the first time since 1988 that the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams were both champions of the Cape Ann League in the same year.
Winter special awards
Varsity Teams
Boys’ basketball
Nicolas O’Connell won the Coaches’ Award, also known as the Dan Callahan Award. Michael McCauley was awarded the Unsung Hero Award and the Most Valuable Player Award (two plaques) went to Co–MVPs Justin Dorosh and Adam Goldstein.
IN ADDITION to the girls’ varsity basketball team being the CAL champions and Division 3 North Finalists, members Kat Hassapis, Jess Lezon and Carly Swartz received the CAL post-season awards. From left: Katerina Hassapis (second team All-Star), Captain Jess Lezon (League Co-MVP) and Captain Carly Swartz, (first team All-Star). (Courtesy Photo)
Girls’ basketball
Carli Eldridge won the Coaches’ Award. Katie Welch was awarded the Unsung Heroine Award and the Most Valuable Player Award (two plaques) went to Carly Swartz and Jessica Lezon.
Boys’ varsity swimming
Noah Belinowiz was awarded the Unsung Hero Award and Andrew Shedd took home the MVP Award.
Letters
Julien Beauregard, Noah Belinowiz, Patrick Davis, Owen DeCleene, Andrew Kay, Aidan O’Connor, Caleb Pelmas, Andrew Ressler, Andrew Shedd, Logan Stansbury, Scott Valenti and Dan Wall.
Girls’ varsity swimming
The Coaches’ Award went to Kimberly Bockley. Molly Feffer won the Unsung Heroine Award and the MVP Award went home with Nicole Shedd.
Letters
Kimberly Bockley, Molly Feffer, Meghan Griffin, Anna Jones, Maddie Rutherford, Nicole Shedd, Carly Sponzo.
Girls’ Indoor Track
Alexa Capozzoli was the recipient of the Coaches’ Award and Meredith Griffin was the recipient of the Unsung Heroine Award. Julia Valenti won the team’s MVP Award. Team Captains were Alexa Capozzoli and Jenna Raffael.
2016 HOCKEY CAPTAINS Patrick Driscoll, Nick Ponte and Michael Driscoll at Merrimack College with Coach John Giuliotti and Athletic Director Dave Johnson. (Bob Turosz Photo)
Letters
Frankie Bonacci, Alexa Capozzoli, Elizabeth Carlson, Jillian Comeau, Olivia DeMonico, Elizabeth Flett, Jenna Raffael, Julia Valenti, Johanna Walsh, Kristina Copelas, Claire Finnegan, Olivia Esposito, Meredith Griffin, Lauren Gulbicki, Jerlin Kaithamattam, Margaret McCarthy, Jillian McCullough, Julia Tatone, Abigail Griffin, Kerry O’Brien.
Boys’ Indoor Track
The Coaches’ Award was awarded to Benjamin Hui. The Unsung Hero award went to Angelo DiSanto and Nicholas Copelas took home the MVP Award. Captains were Nicholas Copelas and Ben Hui.
Letters
Matt Ashness, Peter Audier, Brendan Carter, Nicholas Copelas, Anthony D’Ambrosio, Angelo DiSanto, Shawn DiVecchia, Jackson Hastings, Ben Hui, Dan Jackson, Aidan McDonald, Jack Meaney, Noah Spicer, Charlie Wagner, Justin Zhang, Vitaly Andrushysyn, Antonio Catino, Cam Davis, George Giunta, Tom Helms, Jenson Kaithamattam, Liam Rutherford, Anthony Tramontozzi, Cameron Wade, Seth Wing, Kyle Bythrow, Jake Doucette.
Cheering
Alexandra Colella was the recipient of the Coaches’ Award. Sarah Wilson was the team’s Unsung Heroine and Katie Heffernan won the MVP Award.
Boys’ Basketball
The 2016 Hornets were Cape Ann League Champions with an 18-2 record and played in the state tournament semi-finals. Justin Dorosh and Adam Goldstein were All League players and Anthony Eldridge was selected as an All Star. Coach Joe Case was named Coach of the Year.
Letters
Sean Castro, Anthony Eldridge, Justin Dorosh, Nathan Dionne, William Brandano, Nic O’Connell, Mike McCauley, Patrick Riley, David Smith, Shawn Tilton, Adam Goldstein, Matthew McCarthy, Jackson Tormey, Anthony Maldonado, Bob O’Donnell.
Girls’ basketball
The Lady Hornets were Cape Ann League Champions with an 18-2 record and in the state tournament they progressed all the way to the Division 3 North Finals. Jessica Lezon and Carly Swartz were All League players and Lezon was Cape Ann League MVP. Katarina Hassapis, a junior, was a CAL All Star.
Letters
Emily Dwyer, manager. Sophia Paone, Carly Swartz, Tristan Hoffman, Julia McDonald, Kirsten Bradley, Katie Welch, Casey McAuliffe, Carli Eldridge, Ciera Mastascusa, Lindsey Carroll, Victoria Grasso, Gretchen Burgholzer, Mia DeNofrio, Cailin Walsh, Julia Miele, Jessica Lezon.
Boys’ Hockey
The boys finished with a 15–4–3 record and played against Lincoln–Sudbury in the MIAA Division 2 North quarterfinals, falling in overtime. Nick Ponte, Michael Driscoll and Jared Valade were All League players and four Hornets were All-Stars: John Merullo, Patrick Driscoll, Tyler Collins and Tyler Calos.
Letters
Nick Ponte, Owen Maxwell, Tyler Calos, Mark Potter, Michael Driscoll, Kevin Murphy, Justin Bruzzese, Michael Finocchiaro, Brian Cotter, Matthew Gravallese, Matthew Correiri, Jared Valade, Jackson Schille, James Doran, Jason Tannian, Sean Buckley, Tyler Collins, Nicco Pastore, Collin Chase, John Merullo, Patrick Driscoll, Patrick Scanlon, John Stringer, Andrew Shaw, John Day, Justin DiPlatzi and Jacob Ancri.
Girls’ Hockey
On the co-op team with Peabody and Lynnfield, letters went to Erin Hunter, Cassandra Mirasolo, Charlotte Grant and Jessica Robert.
Co-op Gymnastics
On the co-op team with Danvers, letters went to Erika Beherrell, Nathania Brachanow, Jenna D’Ambrosio, Alexa Galuppo, Rachel Hill, Alyson Kelleher, Shannon Kelleher, Nadia Rawle, Emily Roesch, Ariana Romeo.
Swimming
The varsity swimming team participated in the state sectionals and state meets. Andrew Shedd was named All League and there were four All Stars: Andrew Shedd, Owen DeCleene, Nicole Shedd and Molly Feffer.
Wrestling
The co-op wrestling team with Lynnfield won first place in the Division 3 North Sectionals and were participants in the All State Tourney.
Letters
Jared Curran, Michael Reardon, Aaron Gautreau, William Glover, Joseph Gonthier, Timothy Goucher, Christopher Reardon, John Reardon, Adam Rossetti, Connor Stead, Andrew DiPietro, Kevin Farrelly and Dylan Reardon.
Cheering
The Cheer team won the CAL championship and participated in the state tournament at Wachusett Regional H.S. Katie Heffernan and Devyn Dyler were named All League.
Letters
Devyn Dyer, Katie Heffernan, Olivia Senneville, Victoria Angelesco, Sarah Wilson, Ashley Bate-Hoff, Alexandra Colella, Julia Costantino, Grace Exum, Veronika Fortin, Felicia Frammartino, Isabella Giacalone, Kasey Kavanaugh, Abigail Leighton, Juliana MacAdams, Isabella Mejia, Paige Sampson, Megan Lawlor, Mary Madden and Jada-Mirian Rameriz.
Indoor Track
The indoor track team was CAL Co-Champs with Pentucket H.S. Julia Valenti was All League for the girls and Nicholas Copelas, Ben Hui, Kyle Bythrow and Jackson Hastings were All League for the boys.
Olivia Esposito and Meredith Griffin were All Stars as were Ben Hui, Nick Copelas, Brendan Carter, Alex Brown, George Giunta and Ryan McAneny.
Julia Valenti was CAL Kinney Athlete of the Year and Sotirios Pintzopoulos was CAL Kinney Coach of the Year as well as the Boston Globe Division 5 Coach of the Year.
