Senior hockey captain joins elite Winthrop High career point club
By Cary Shuman
Michael Holgersen, whose
family name has long stood for athletic excellence in the Town of Winthrop, is the newest member of the Vikings’ 100-point career milestone club.
A senior captain and four-year player, Holgersen knocked the door down to legendary status-ville with two goals and two assists in a 6-0 victory over Beverly Saturday night
at Endicott College.
Holgersen’s late first-period goal, assisted by captain Philip Boncore and Aidan Survilas, was the milestone-producer, giving Winthrop a 3-0 lead over Beverly, who was coming off a solid 5-2 win over tournament-bound Essex North Shore Tech.
“I’ve had three Holgersens (Steve, Joe, and Michael) 12 years total of Holgersens, and all have been great captains,” said head coach Dale Dunbar. “It’s a tremendous family (led by Steve Holgersen and Jeanne Hurley Holgersen). Michael has been a great player for us for four years.”
Sophomore Joe Pumphret had a goal and two assists. Senior Nolan Upton scored his first goal of the season. Following a scoreless second period, senior captain Philip Boncore traveled the unassisted-goal route for a 4-0 lead. Holgersen’s second goal made it 5-0 before sophomore Dom Spinale completed the scoring, assisted by Paul Ferrara and Holgersen.
Senior goaltender Michael Donahue stopped 22 shots to earn the shutout.
Dunbar said the shutout was impressive against a rising Beverly team.
“Our objective was to make a statement,” said Dunbar. “Beverly is much improved. I knew they were going to be a tough opponent, and we had to play our best hockey. We came out flying and we were rewarded for it, getting pucks into the net.”
In a matchup of perennial NEC contenders, Winthrop fell to Marblehead, 3-1, last Wednesday at Salem State University.
Holgersen made a sensational play in the Magicians’ end to account for the first goal. Holgersen adroitly stole the puck and instantly sent a shot past Marblehead goalie Leo Burdge for an unassisted tally and a 1-0 lead.
Winthrop had a great opportunity to extend its lead and build momentum late in the first period and early in the second period on a 5-on-3 power play situation (for 1 minute, 48 seconds). But the Marblehead PK unit rose to the challenge.
While All-Scholastic candidate Michael Donahue matched Leo Burdge save for save, Marblehead took advantage of some miscues to score three unanswered goals, including one of the short-handed variety.
“We generated chances, but we needed more scoring, and you need that to happen if you want to be a champion,” said Dunbar. “I thought Donahue gave us a chance to win. He gives us a chance to win every single game. He’s amazing.”
Comments from Marblehead coach
Marblehead head coach Mark Marfione, who is in his third season, called the game with Winthrop “a hard-fought battle, same as our last meeting (a Winthrop 3-1 victory).”
“It was a very even game, just like the last one,” said Marfione. “I think the home ice is important, and we had the fans behind us. It was a solid effort. We made a few adjustments from last game, but both teams worked hard, and it was a good battle. We try to play physicality with a purpose. With these two teams, it’s a rivalrly, and both teams really wanted to win and it turns into a physical game. I thought overall it was pretty clean, and just a physical hard-fought game on both sides.”
Marfione said he previously worked at as a special education teacher at Winthrop Middle School. “I also coached Cambridge hockey, so I was teaching in Winthrop and coaching Cambridge, and we came to Winthrop to play a non-league game. I took a year off from teaching, and this is my second year at Marblehead High as a teacher and third as a hockey coach.”