The Winthrop High girls hockey team raised its record to 11-0 with a 9-1 victory over Shawsheen Tech last Friday at Larsen Rink at the Mike Eruzione Center.
Senior captain Emma Holmes led the way with two goals and two assists as Coach Anthony “Butch†Martucci’s Vikings extended their regular-season unbeaten streak to 29 games (28-0-1).
Hannah Parker, Samantha DiMento, Amelia Spencer, Talia Martucci, Reese Ferrara, Mia Norris, and Julia Holmes also scored goals for the Vikings.
Freshman goaltender Riley Towse played well, recording 18 saves while keeping the Rams off the scoreboard during the final two periods as Winthrop scored six unanswered goals. Winthrop led, 2-1, after one session.
Tegan Pereira Steps Up for Winthrop
Coach Martucci said freshman Tegan Pereira has emerged as a valuable presence in the Vikings’ defensive corps.
“Tegan has really been playing well,†lauded Martucci. “She’s a tough, strong, kid, with a big shot. She’s sacrificed a little bit of her offensive numbers to be a better defenseman for us, and she’s been fantastic.â€
A Word About Shawsheen
Shawsheen Tech, located in Billerica and whose full name is Shawsheen Valley Regional Technical High School, is a perennially strong girls hockey program. Shawsheen is a co-op team with Bedford High and there are five communities (Billerica, Bedford, Tewksbury, Burlington, and Wilmington) in the Shawsheen Valley School District.
The Lady Rams have a 6-7 record and are in the top-32 teams in Division 1, so it is possible that Winthrop could meet Shawsheen in the MIAA Tournament.
Showdown With Peabody
As the Sun-Transcript was going to press Wednesday, the unbeaten Vikings were set to play Peabody High in a key Northeast Hockey League showdown.
“This game is as big as it gets,†said Martucci, noting that Peabody’s only loss in the Northeast Hockey League (to Winthrop) and undisputed possession of first place in the NEHL was at stake in the contest.
High Rankings
Winthrop is ranked No. 2 in the state in the Hockey Night in Boston rankings. With St. Mary’s 3-2 loss in overtime to Archbishop Williams, Winthrop is now the only remaining undefeated team in Division 1. The Boston Globe ranks Winthrop at No. 4 in its weekly Top 20 poll.
Division 2 schools Archbishop Williams and Duxbury are the other unbeaten teams in Massachusetts.
Matt Serino Reflects on his Career at Saugus
Winthrop High School Athletic Director Matt Serino can certainly appreciate how special it must be for the Vikings’ fantastic triplets – Emma Holmes, Julia Holmes, and Abby Holmes – to be playing in such a highly successful hockey program.
Serino, who scored 112 points in his Hall of Fame career at Saugus High, teamed up with his twin brother, Craig Serino, during their spectacular four-year varsity careers with the Sachems, who won back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004 and lost in overtime in the state final in 2005.
A younger brother, Nick Serino, played two years of hockey at Saugus High with the twins.
“All three of us were super competitive and never wanted to lose,†recalled Matt. “Off the ice, we were best friends, but in practice, any chance we got to go against one another, we relished at the opportunity, especially to have bragging rights at home.
“It brought out the best in all of us and certainly pushed each of us to become better players,†concluded Matt.