ECHL STANDINGS
Manchester wing Mike Doherty delivered an assist in the Monarchs 8-3 walloping of the Adirondack Thunder. Walpole wing Will Ahearn scored a goal in the Express 5-0 wipeout of the Philadelphia Junior Flyers.
MIAA WINTER TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
- Boys’ basketball
THEY’RE IN:
POPE JOHN XXIII (14-1) – Coach Leo Boucher has the Tigers on the verge of a league championship and a top Division 4 tourney seed. With a 2014 state title notch already on his belt (as well as 400+ wins), Boucher gives PJ a decided X-and-O advantage. Junior forward Conor Kelly provides “in the paint” depth.
WINCHESTER (11-5) – Senior sensation Liam Fitzpatrick, who will put the final touches on a extraordinary football (Boston Herald All Scholastic) and “hoop” (1,000+ points) career, is very capable of taking the Sachems on a “deep” Division 2 tourney run.
MOST LIKELY:
CHARLESTOWN (9-8) – Coach Edson Cardoso needs his Townies to win one of their remaining three games to clinch a Division 2 spot. TOWNIE SPORTS predicts this will be a done deal. Charlestown certainly has the capability of wreaking havoc in the tourney.
- Girls basketball
THEY’RE IN
:BRAINTREE (11-2) – The Wamps and junior forward Adriana Timberlake (granddaughter of Townies football legend “Nippy” Nolan) will settle for nothing less than a Division 1 state championship.
THEY’RE OUT
:CHARLESTOWN (5-9) – The young Lady Townies showed enough to make themselves a team “on the rise” in the Boston City League.
MIAA WINTER TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
- Girls’ hockey
THEY’RE IN:
BOSTON LATIN (7-3-5) – Though not official, TOWNIE SPORTS is confident the Lady Wolfpack will return to the Division 1 field. Senior wing Kaley Kyle is tourney-tested and is looking to go out with a “bang.”
MOST LIKELY:
MATIGNON (8-7-1) – A favorable schedule to close out the regular season should help the Warriors qualify in the Division 2 bracket. Senior standout captain Maeve Leahy (two goals, 10 assists) and junior defenseman Caitlyn Killoran (three assists) are part of a well-balanced, highly experienced team which is more than capable of “making noise” in the tourney.
ON THE BUBBLE:
READING (6-7-0) – First year coach Alexa Hingston has her young team right in the Division 1 mix, but it won’t be easy. Rematches against formidable foes should up the intensity for Rockets junior wing Abbie Collins (four goals, eight assists) and assistant coach Catherine Taglilatela.
LATIN ACADEMY (7-8-2) – A pleasant surprise for the Lady Dragons has been the emergence of 8th grade wing Jessica Pistorino (five goals, three assists) who notched a hat trick in her last game. LA, however, will have to earn their spot in the Division 2 field.
MIAA WINTER
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
- Boys’ hockey
THEY’RE IN:
BC HIGH (11-3-1) – The Eagles have been ranked as one of the top teams all winter and are a lock for a Division 1 Super 8 bid. Junior wing Matt Lakus (eight goals, six assists), in particular, has been piling up the points.
LOWELL CATHOLIC (8-5-1) – The defending Division 3 champs moved up to Division 2 and, according to “puck” pundits, are a lock to snag a Super 8 bid; seems likely given the Crusaders strength of schedule. Defenseman Mike Andrea (one goal, four assists) and brother Mitch (11 goals, 11 assists) provide senior leadership and a much needed “edge” on the ice.
CAMBRIDGE (12-4-1) – The Falcons have all but wrapped up the Dual County/Merrimack Valley title and should be rewarded with a high Division 3 seed. Assistant coach Kevin Gallagher Jr. brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the bench.
MOST LIKELYS:
NORTHEAST (7-4-3) – Barring a complete meltdown, the Golden Knights should qualify for the Division 3 field. Junior wing Ryan McGonagle and freshman wing Braden Fitzpatrick carry the “Townie” hockey baton.
BOSTON LATIN (7-5-2) – Senior defenseman Devin Gallagher (3 assists) and brother Noel, a freshman defenseman, lead a young but tourney-experienced Wolfpack squad that is always on the “I hope we don’t play them” Division 2 list.
LATIN ACADEMY (8-9-0) – The Dragons have all but clinched the Boston City League title (and automatic Division 3 tourney bid) and are playing their best hockey winning four of the last five games. Freshman wing Jack Adduci will get his first taste of playoff action.
ON THE BUBBLE:
ARLINGTON CATHOLIC (3-6-6) – The up-and-coming Cougars backs are against the wall but hope springs eternal despite a grueling schedule. Rugged sophomore defenseman Jason Smith brings tenacity to the blue line; should AC miss the cut pencil them in as “players” in next year’s tourney.
THEY’RE OUT:
EAST BOSTON (2-14-0) – Miracles do happen and if the Jets defeat Latin Academy for the league crown it will be a great story. First-year coach Kenny Guittarr, nonetheless, has stayed the course with help from assistant coaches Pat and Ryan McGoff. The “Townie” contingent of standout junior defenseman Jacob Leavitt, senior defenseman Anthony Bolger, junior wing Gilson Dosouto, sophomore wing Jared Burhoe and eighth grade defenseman Andy Qiu continue to show steady improvement.
O’BRYANT (0-11-0) – The Tigers played their best game of the year in a 4-2 loss to East Boston and are chomping at the bit for their rematch in the league playoffs. Junior cousins Aiden (wing) and Jeremy Shea (defense) provide instant energy.
DRAGON THE LINE
Latin Academy 8th grader Adriana Cepeda placed fourth in the 200 Freestyle to help the Dragons capture their 11th consecutive City of Boston swimming championship.
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Latin Academy eighth grader Jessica Pistorino notched a hat trick in the Lady Dragons 6-1 smackdown of Arlington Catholic…Lowell Catholic wing Mitch Andrea tallied an assist in the Crusaders 4-1 victory over Arlington Catholic…BC High wing Matt Lakus scored a goal in the Eagles 6-1 win over Malden Catholic.
COLLEGE HOCKEY
Salem St. wing Danielle Kelley scored a goal and blasted two shots on net but it wasn’t enough as the Lady Vikings fell to Utica by a score of 3-2. In another hard fought loss, the Lady Vikings fell to Johnson & Wales 4-2 despite a goal and 3 shots on net from Jacqueline Sindoris, 4 shots on net by Rose Sullivan, and 3 shots on net from Danielle Kelley…Assumption wing Tommy Mahoney tallied an assist and rifled 3 shots on net in the Greyhounds 2-1 win over SNHU. Tommy added an assist and 5 shots on net in a 3-0 blanking of Stonehill…Worcester St. wing Brendan Boyle blasted 3 shots on net in a 4-1 loss to Plymouth State…Maine wing Nolan Vesey notched an assist in the Black Bears 4-3 triumph over Merrimack…Army wing Trevor Fidler dished out two assists in the Cadets 6-2 beatdown of Niagara.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Kimball Union forward Nick Timberlake tossed in 23 points to lead the Wildcats to a 96-63 drubbing of Brewster Academy. Nick added 30 more points in a 89-69 blowout of Proctor…Winchester guard Liam Fitzpatrick deposited 20 points in the Sachems 64-52 win over Melrose. Liam added 23 points in a 73-65 victory over Lexington which clinched a tourney bid for the Sachems…Charlestown senior guard Jose Garcia scored 13 points to lead the Townies to a hard-fought 53-47 triumph over O’Bryant…Coach Leo Boucher’s Pope John XXIII Tigers toppled Matignon 70-57 in a key Catholic Central League showdown…Braintree forward Adrianna Timberlake scored a team-high 14 points as Wamps trampled Walpole by a score of 64-37
TIGERS “COME OUT AND PLAY” WITH WARRIORS
In a Catholic Central League showdown last weekend, Pope John XXIII flexed their muscles late in the game to pull away from Matignon by a score of 70-57. What the Warriors (12-3 overall, 8-3 league) may have lacked in depth, they more than compensated for in grit but the Tigers (14-1 overall, 10-0 league) just had too many weapons in their arsenal. A late-third quarter technical foul on Coach Leo Boucher seemed to ignite PJ as the momentum swung considerably in their favor. With the MIAA tourney around the corner, the Tigers look to wrap up the league title and solidify a Division 4 North #1 seed.