Sports Roundup

WHS Girls Hockey Team Is Working Hard

Coach Anthony Martucci and his Winthrop High girls hockey team have been working hard in anticipation of their season-opening contest that is set for Wednesday,  January 13, when they will travel to Gloucester for the first of the 14 games of their pandemic-shortened 2021 campaign.

“Things have been going great,” said Martucci. “The girls are adjusting well to all of the rules and regs they need to adhere to due to COVID. It has really helped bring them closer I think, as they are all going through the same thing. 

“Right now I would say the key is our leadership. Our two captains (juniors Mia Martucci and Summer Tallent) are just incredible leaders,” Martucci said. “They are both very passionate about hockey, and sports in general. They are both three-sport athletes and they put their heart and soul into whatever it is they are playing. 

“You would not be able to tell what sport is their focus, because they give all of themselves to whatever sport they are playing in a particular season,” Martucci continued. “Summer is a very driven person. She is our goalie, and does not like to be scored-on in practice — she is that type of player. She expects herself to be elite at all times. 

“Mia is the type of kid who believes in doing whatever she can to make the team successful, “ the coach said of his other captain. “She is a pass-first player and is always looking to make her teammates happy. She does a lot of cheering at practices and is very motivational. She also plays the game with a ton of heart. She is not very big, but she plays like she is 6’-3”, 225 lbs. 

“I would say right now, those two have had a huge impact on the way this team has performed to this point,” Martucci added.

Martucci has planned a busy week for his charges during the vacation.

“This week we have some good stuff in the works before we hit New Year’s Eve,” he said. “We will have an intrasquad scrimmage and be working on our systems. So it should be interesting to see how they respond.”

The 14-game schedule for Martucci and his crew will consist of two contests each against all seven of their Northeastern Hockey League rivals: Gloucester, Peabody, Newburyport, Beverly, Masconomet, Medford, and Marblehead. Newburyport and Gloucester are new additions to the league.

WHS Boys Basketball Working Hard in Pre-Season

The Winthrop High boys basketball team has been working hard to get ready for its season-opening contest, which presently is scheduled for Friday, January 8, at Gloucester. “We had a great week and I am amazed at how dialed-in the boys are on both the JV and the varsity levels,” said first-year head coach Mike Triant. “We have been sharing the gym and it’s a joy to see the effort they all have been giving. “We spend about 30-45 minutes everyday practicing skills and drills and conditioning together.  They are ‘all in’,” Triant continued. “I think that the opportunity for the younger guys to work with the varsity players is a great thing for the growth of our program. Those relationships are so important in the long run. We really are stressing the ‘greater good of the Winthrop basketball program’ motto. There isn’t one guy who is any more important than anyone else in this entire program.  We all bring our hard hats and lunch pails and get to work every single day.” Triant recently announced his 2021 varsity roster: Cam Conway (senior); Alijah Treble (senior); Tyler Rockefeller (senior); Tylor Sousa (senior); Chris Cappuccino (junior); Luca Zanelli (junior); Mikey Chaves (junior); Aiden Green (junior); Juan Guauque (junior); and Zach Bogus (sophomore). Assisting Triant on the sidelines will be assistant coaches Anthony Hatzisavas, Kevin Adamson, Jason Griffin, Anthony Griffin, and JV coach Joe D’Amore. Triant mentioned that he has been receiving support and well-wishes from the extended “family” of WHS alums. “It’s crazy,” Triant said. “Over the last couple of months I’ve heard from some amazing alumni. Lenny Riley (a captain and the leading scorer for the 1963 state championship team) reached out to wish us luck and a great season. Dave Lynch from the ‘95 state championship team reached out from California to offer encouraging words and his support from afar. We have Anthony Hatzisavas and Joe D’Amore, who both won the 2011 state championship, on our staff. The abbreviated 2021 season will consist of 14 games and extend from January 8 to February 12.