WHS SPORTS roundup
WHS GIRLS HOCKEY TEAM HOSTS PEABODY SATURDAY
The Winthrop High Lady Bulldawg hockey team, which was scheduled to open its season last night (Wednesday) at Marblehead, will host Peabody Saturday afternoon at Larsen Rink. The opening face-off is set for 1:30.
“We’ve played well in our scrimmages and things seem to be coming together,” said veteran WHS coach Anthony Martucci, whose squad tied Watertown, 0-0, and then overwhelmed Cambridge, 7-0, in its two pre-season encounters. “We have a lot of depth this year and expect to be skating three or four solid lines.”
The Lady Bulldawgs will be led by senior captain Gretchen Howard, who is returning for her fifth season as one of the premier goaltenders in the schoolgirl ranks.
Five senior assistant captains will provide Winthrop with plenty of leadership both on and off the ice. The quintet are: Kelsey Griffiths, Meghan Chavis, Abby Carleton, Mia Price, and Sydney Adamson.
Chavis and Carleton will be anchoring a defense that will feature a trio of talented sophomore blue-liners in Bella Perrotti, Sophie LeRay, and Abby Stafford.
On the front lines, the junior threesome of Katie O’Shea, Ashley Miles, and McKayla Norris will provide scoring firepower.
The Lady Bulldawgs will feature a pair of sister combinations in Kelsey and Kirsten Griffiths and Abby, Emma, and Grace Carleton on the 21-girl roster.
Winthrop will be playing in the Northeastern Hockey League with Beverly, Masconomet, Marblehead, Peabody, and Medford.
After Saturday’s contest, Winthrop will travel to Beverly, whom Martucci labels as “the team to beat in the NHL,” Wednesday.
WHS girls indoor
track defeats Salem
The Winthrop High girls indoor track team defeated Salem, 60-24, Monday.
Fiona MacPhail and Gianna Massa led the Lady Vikings with a pair of first-place finishes. Fiona won the high jump with a leap of 4′-6″ and captured the 1000 run in a time of 3:53.3, while Gianna took firsts in the shot-put with a throw of 34′-1″ and the 50 yard dash in 7.1 seconds.
Other Lady Vikings who took first place in their respective events were: Regina Garufo in the 300 dash in 48.6; Holly Benson in the 600 dash in 1:48.4; Gabby Hinchion in the mile in 7:04.6; and Camilla Miranda-Llovera in the two mile run in 14:15.
Second place finishers who added three points to the Winthrop cause were: Mary Kate Pote in the shot-put with a toss of 30′-7″; Daniella Zanelli in the 50 hurdles in 9.6; Kimberly McDuffee in the 1000 in 4:52.9; and Katherina Thano in the two mile in 17:14.
Adding single points for the Lady Viking cause with third place efforts were: McDuffee with a high jump of 4′-0″; Clare Nargi in the 50 hurdles in 9.7; Danielle Navarro in the 50 dash in 7.2; Soneida Dahquist in the 600 in 2:03.7; and Devon Barry in the mile in 7:46.3.
In the season-opening meet last week at Marblehead, MacPhail (high jump at 4′-8″), Massa (shot-put at 33′-2″), and Benson (600 in 1:53) were first-place finishes for Winthrop. Garufo (300), Massa (55M hurdles), and Miranda-Llovera (two mile) also scored points with third-place finishes.
Four Viking boys take
first places in Salem meet
A quartet of Winthrop High trackmen captured first place in their respective events in Monday’s meet with Salem that was held at Beverly.
Andrew McGrail won the shot-put with a throw of 39′-6″; Pat Haskell took the 1000 in 3:21.1; Will Holden won the mile in 5:19.4; and Nik Beshere captured the two-mile run in 11:34.
Other Vikings to score points were: Cormac MacPhail with a second in the mile in 5:21.1;Â Taylor St. George with a second in the 300 in 43.0; and Jaidon Brown with a third in the 50 dash in 6.2.
In last week’s first meet of the season at Marblehead, McGrail took first in the shot-put with his toss of 39′-9″. St. George took second in the 300, as did Holden in the mile. Brown added a point with a third in the dash.
Three sisters on Ice
By: Jim Lederman
The family tradition has been a key to the success of many Viking teams. The 2016-2017 Lady Bulldogs have ‘three sisters’ skating at Larsen Rink at the Michael Eruzione Center.
The “Carleton Gang†includes, assistance coach Sean Carleton, assistance captain Abbey, a senior, Grace a junior and sophomore Emelia.
Sean Carleton has been an assistance coach to Anthony ‘Butch’ Martucci on the ‘Lady Bulldawgs’ team for 2 years and a coach with Butch for the past seven hockey seasons.
“There is no greater feeling to see my three daughters competing at the high school level,†said a proud Sean Carleton. We can’t forget proud mom Gretchen, she has been behind the wheel driving the “Carleton Gang.â€
Abby is a three-sport athlete at WHS; she was another Lady Viking standout in the Powder Puff game at Harry Della Russo Stadium, in the very exciting (20-20) battle in Revere. Abby is a member of the National Honor Society, and she has set the bar very high for her two young sisters, when they skate at the legendary Larsen Rink this year.
We salute the Carleton sisters – catch the action at Larsen Rink this winter!
Let the Games Begin!
Who Let the Dawgs Out?
The ‘Lady Bulldawgs’ are excited about prospects for a winning season in (2016-2017).
Coach Anthony ‘Butch’ Martucci (recently inducted into the prestigious WHS Athletic Hall of Fame) enters his 8th season leading another exciting hockey team.
Captain Gretchen Howard, a four-time league all-star goaltender, is the backbone for coach Martucci. “We finished (9-7-3) last winter and we have some very talented seniors that went to finish their Bulldawg career with a very big year,†said coach Martucci.
The leadership of this years ‘Bulldawgs’ squad, consists of captain Gretchen Howard, assistant captains – Kelsie Griffiths, Megan Chavis, Sidney Adamson, Mia Price and Gabby Carleton.
The ‘Bulldawgs’ play in the six team NHL. Butch has a young super soph group – Bella Perrotti, Emma Carleton, Abby Stafford and Sophie LeRay.
Captain Gretchen, a four time all-star net minder, is the backbone of the team. The Bulldawgs play seven of their first eight games at home. “We need to get off to a strong startâ€, said coach Butch.
Lets give a big cheer – Who Let the Dawgs Out!
Let the Games Begin!
Thirty-Eight years
I enjoyed talking Viking football last week with my carpenter Harry Benson of HWB Builders. I did not realize Harry played defensive end on the 1978 NEC football champions. The Vikings defeated Lynn Classical to earn coach Bob DeFelice his first NEC title “38 years ago.â€
The battle between a heavily favored Classical team – (Seven Division one players) and the Vikings in 1978 at the legendary “Manning Bowl,†before a huge crowed for the title. The Vikings lost their first game to Saugus and won seven in a row – to beat Classical and win a title! Winthrop 22-Classical 18
The Vikings featured Steve Rubin (all-scholastic halfback) Jamie Keough – all NEC guard/linebacker Rubin and Keough, played at U Penn (Ivy League), Vinnie Eruzione, Frankie Ferrara, Bobby Oliver, Dale Dunbar, pat Staff, John Farley and many more unsung Vikings.
The Vikings faced an all-star Classical team with players like Tony Thurman (Boston College) Art Akers (UCLA) the Dempsey Twins, Jeff Alicudo and many more college standouts.
I drove to the game with ‘The Sarge’, a very proud dad Pat Staff. Harry talked about playing against Art Akers – 40 pounds more than Harry. Rubin’s 76-yard touchdown was the key play in the game.
Coach DeFelice remarked at halftime, “There is gold in this room, you can reach your potential in the second halfâ€, the Vikings won the game!
A great game – a great coach! Another Viking team playing as a heavy underdog wins a championship. Three years later coach DeFelice’s 1981 super bowl champions – the amazing 33-game win streak! The smallest school in the NEC wins their second NEC title, the start of “dominance†in the NEC from the Winthrop Vikings twelve NEC football titles!
Let the Games Begin!
Book Depot Athlete of the Week
The Lady Vikings Powder Puff game was the highlight of the 2016 football season. One of the standouts for Winthrop was Kelsie Griffiths. Kelsie is a three-sport captain at WHS.
Miss Griffiths plays soccer, hockey and track. The National Honor Society student follows her brother Jonathan on the Larsen Rink ice. Coach Butch Martucci is counting on Kelsie for a big season on the ice.
Kelsie has a huge family that cheers for her including parents Joe and Susan and her grandparents Phil and Margie.
We salute this weeks Winthrop Book Depot Athlete of the Week, Kelsie Griffiths.
See you at Larsen Rink!
Let the Games Begin!
Between the Periods
I will take a five-minute penalty for listing the Vikings home opener at Larsen Rink. Thanks to my good friend and neighbor, the ‘Larsen Rink Legend’ Mark Wallace (was he really there when Bobby MacDonald was scoring 57-goals in 1976?) Coach Dale Dunbar and his top assistant coach Michael Norris (did he really play against a NHL goaltender in 1980?) open the season at Larsen Rink on Saturday, December 17 – with a 3:30 face-off with East Long Meadow.
The ‘hockey doubleheader’ (like the old Fenway Park days). The Lady Bulldawgs play a 1:30 p.m. date with Peabody. Two games on Saturday at Larsen Rink.
Trivia:
Do you know when Larsen Rink opened? We will do a feature story next week on the history of Larsen Rink at the Michael Eruzione Center!
I left out the name Quinton Dale in last week’s edition (I must stop writing at 3 a.m. in the morning!).
Quinton is in his senior year at Wheaton College after leading the 2011 Vikings (coached by David Brown) to a state title. What happened to the ‘Dynasty’ called WHS boys basketball?
I will name my all-time Vikings hoop team next week! See you at the new WHS gym!
(Ed. Note) the ceremony for the naming of the Chris Tsiotos Basketball court will take place in March 2017!
Faces in the Crowd
Great to see ex-Boston Bruin Rick Middleton at the new “Marco’s Pizzeria†at J.W.’s Restaurant.
Captain Michael Eruzione and Rick Middleton were at the grand opening of Marco’s at J.W.s at Michael’s Mall.
Coach Michael Norris telling ‘The Voice’ “this is one of the fastest and best skating Viking hockey teams in many years.†Hockey prospects for the long cold winter at Larsen Rink are promising.
Happy Birthday to Rudy Howard – a Big 5-0! He is the proud dad of Gretchen Howard, all-star Lady Bulldawgs goaltender.
Coach Butch Martucci has an exciting hockey team this winter.
Best wishes to Joe Crotty on his recovery from an operation. JC – is missed at his office every morning at the Seven Eleven!
The questions I get answered very week – When will construction begin on the new Miller Field? Next March!
When will the football games – including the exciting Revere-Winthrop Powder Puff game be on television?
I hope to give you answers!
Let the Games Begin!
The New Conference
I am anxiously awaiting the final meeting of NEC-coaches, principals and athletic directors for the new Northeastern Conference.
The ‘new NEC’ will include the addition of four (GBL) Greater Boston League teams – Everett (don’t worry they will play an independent scheduled Medford, Malden and Somerville.
The rumor has the NEC split in three-five team divisions. The Vikings will be in a division including (Winthrop, Saugus, Salem, Swampscott and Medford) this will be confirmed next month – stay tuned.
New rivalries like Malden playing Lynn English, Lynn Classical and Revere. Will Everett play the Lynn schools? Will Gloucester and Somerville play? Will Revere play Beverly? Will Danvers and Marblehead play large schools like Malden and Medford?
There will be new rivalries: Winthrop will not have to travel to Medfield or Amesbury! Schools like Peabody and Revere with enrollments close to 2,00 students will play new rivals and make the ‘new NEC’ a very competitive league – 15 schools, one big conference – 2017 will be an exciting new year!
Let the Games Begin!