All-Western Mass. Hockey: Minnechaug, Longmeadow earn four first-team picks – MassLive.com
DIVISION I
First Team
Cam Griffin, Pope Francis. Senior defenseman and co-captain provided a steady, physical presence on the blue line. A strong one-on-one defender, reliable in all three zones, he scored his only goal of the year in a win over Central Catholic on Dec. 26 and also earned five assists this season.
Riley Prattson, Pope Francis. Junior forward became the Cardinals’ go-to player on offense, with 26 goals and 28 assists. The Providence commit stood out against the best teams in the state, with two goals and an assist in two games against eventual Super 8 champion Malden Catholic, and two assists in the Cardinals’ season-ending 2-1 win over Central Catholic. Named Western Mass. Player of the Year.
Cam Peritz, Pope Francis. Junior forward anchored the Cardinals’ top line along with Prattson all year, finishing with 19 goals and 27 assists. A quick skater and talented playmaker, he recorded his 100th career point on a late game-winning goal against Central Catholic on Feb. 24.
Dan Petrick, Pope Francis. Junior defenseman continued to grow as a shutdown defender and helped the Cardinals return to the Super 8 semifinals. A Northeastern commit, he achieved a rare feat for a defenseman when he recorded his 100th career point this season, and finished the year with eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points.
Zack Roncarati, Pope Francis. Freshman goalie appeared in 19 games for the Cardinals, posting a .913 save percentage in his first varsity season. Earned shutouts against St. Mary’s of Lynn and Hingham, and stopped 28 of 30 shots to beat Malden Catholic on Feb. 17.
Devan Tongue, Pope Francis. Sophomore forward posted a career-high 36 points, more than doubling his previous high of 15, with 10 goals and 26 assists. Thrived on Cardinals’ top line late in the year, setting up the team’s only goal in the Super 8 semifinals against Malden Catholic.
Second Team
Joe Brosseau, Pope Francis
Cole Foster, Pope Francis
Jacob King, Pope Francis
Tim Zmuda, Pope Francis
DIVISION II GIRLS
First Team
Katelyn Joyal, Longmeadow. Sophomore forward led the team in goals for the third straight year, scoring 19 along with five assists. Recorded four multi-goal games, and scored one of the Lancers’ two goals in the team’s first-ever playoff win, against Dennis-Yarmouth on the road on March 2.
Mackenzie Pelletier, Longmeadow. Junior defenseman led a young group of Lancers defenders, chipping in consistently on offense as well with a goal and 17 assists. Helped Longmeadow earn a 6-2 win over Archbishop Williams on Feb. 7, with two assists.
Madison Pelletier, Longmeadow. Junior forward led the team in points, with 12 goals and a team-high 22 assists. Scored the Lancers’ only goal in their state tournament loss to top-seeded Methuen, and earned an assist in their first-round win over Dennis-Yarmouth.
DIVISION III
First Team
Josh DeCarolis, Minnechaug. Junior forward scored 14 goals and added 17 assists, bringing his two-year career total to 64 points. His speed made him a breakaway threat on the top line, and he played well in all three zones and on special teams, along with earning the Boston Bruins-MIAA Sportsmanship Award.
Anthony Forest, East Longmeadow. Senior forward grew into one of the division’s top offensive players in his final season, ranking second in the Berry in goals with 20. A strong two-way center, he was a constant scoring threat on the power play and recorded six multi-goal games.
Joe Fratini, Longmeadow. Senior defenseman led a strong Lancers penalty kill and consistently matched up against opponents’ top forwards. Played a tough defensive game and also added five assists, including one in the Feb. 25 win over Minnechaug that clinched the Berry title for Longmeadow.
Cam Mariani, Minnechaug. Sophomore forward built on a breakout freshman season with a division-high 22 goals, tying with teammate Anthony Piteo for fourth in the division in points with 37. A strong shooter with great hands, he had a goal and an assist to beat East Longmeadow in the WMass semifinal.
Connor McAnanama, Agawam. Junior goalie missed time due to injury, but turned in some excellent performances while healthy, finishing with a .908 save percentage despite facing an average of 36.5 shots in his nine starts. Stopped 41 of 42 shots to beat WMass champion Westfield, 3-1, on Dec. 26.
Mario Metallo, Westfield. Senior defenseman led a tough defensive group for the WMass champion Bombers, combining physical play with strong skating. Westfield’s captain led all D-III defenders in points, with seven goals and 11 assists, and shut down the league’s best players throughout the postseason.
Sean Moorhouse, Westfield. Junior defenseman was a steady, physical presence all year, consistently keeping the Bombers in close games. In addition to his toughness on the blue line, recorded five assists, including one in the Western Mass. final as Westfield beat Minnechaug.
Matt Pierson, Longmeadow. Senior forward played an excellent two-way game, finishing with 12 goals and 18 assists without sacrificing his defensive responsibilities. Scored twice, including the winning goal, on Feb. 25 as Longmeadow beat Minnechaug, 4-3, to claim the Berry League title.
Anthony Piteo, Minnechaug. Senior forward’s speed and tenacity provided a spark for the Falcons all year, and his 15 goals and 22 assists tie him for fourth in the division in points. Finished his career with 118 points and earned five assists in the WMass semifinal against East Longmeadow, leading the Falcons to their first WMass final in years.
Michael Tabb, Longmeadow. Senior forward led the division in points (43) and assists (29), finishing his career with 31 goals and 71 assists for 102 points. A quick skater with great vision and awareness on the ice, he was a threat to score or set up a teammate on nearly every shift.
Aleks Vanderleeden, Minnechaug. Junior goalie led all D-III starters with a .916 save percentage, backstopping the Falcons to the WMass final. Made a season-high 40 saves against Westfield on Jan. 26, giving Minnechaug a 3-2 win despite Westfield’s 42-23 edge in shots.
Matt Walthouse, Longmeadow. Senior forward ranked third in the division in points, with 14 goals and 24 assists. Provided size and skill on the Lancers’ top line, and finished second in the division in assists behind only his linemate, Tabb.
Ben Wosky, East Longmeadow. Senior forward finished second in the division in points (40), and ended a four-year varsity career with 61 goals and 67 assists. Followed a hat trick against Division II Stoneham on Dec. 26 with a four-point performance in a win over Longmeadow.
Liam Whitman, Westfield. Junior forward scored the two most important goals of the year for Westfield: the overtime game-winners to beat Longmeadow in the Western Mass. semifinal and Minnechaug in the final, along with a second goal against Minnechaug in that game. Led the Bombers in scoring, with 15 goals and 11 assists.
Second Team
Jack Barron, Longmeadow
Brett Fila, Agawam
Zach Jarvis, Westfield
Paul Iellamo, East Longmeadow
David Modzelewski, Ludlow
Nik Morrissette, West Springfield
Cam Parent, Westfield
John Passerini, Agawam
Michael Pierre-Pierre, Longmeadow
Spencer Robbins, Longmeadow
Tyler Rose, Minnechaug
Joe Saracino, East Longmeadow
Liam Walsh, Minnechaug
Shane Wilkinson, West Springfield
DIVISION IIIA
First Team
Jake Balderston, Amherst. Junior forward capped a strong season with a hat trick in the Western Mass. final, including the overtime game winner to beat Chicopee Comp, 3-2. Will enter his senior year with 96 career points after finishing tied for fifth in the division with 49 points this year.
Andrew Beaudoin, Wahconah. Senior forward led the Warriors in scoring with 40 points, providing a strong presence around the net as a senior captain. Passed the 100-point mark for his career this season, and recorded seven multi-goal games.
Brandon Bryant, Turners Falls. Senior goalie led the division with a .907 save percentage despite facing 497 shots, more than any other goalie in the Fay-Wright League. Made a season-high 50 saves on Jan. 9 to earn Turners a 3-3 tie with Western Mass. finalist Chicopee Comp, and made 49 saves in a 3-1 loss to St. Mary on Feb. 20.
Jake Corcoran, Mount Everett. Sophomore forward recorded 24 goals and 16 assists for 40 points, bringing him to 87 points in two varsity seasons. Scored multiple goals in six games, highlighted by a four-goal, two-assist effort against Taconic on Jan. 25.
Matt Gazaille, Amherst. Senior defenseman played lockdown defense for the WMass champion Hurricanes, matching up with the division’s top forwards all year and shutting them down consistently. Stood out against Comp in the WMass final, and also recorded seven goals and 10 assists this season.
Dylan Gillen, Belchertown. Senior forward led the Orioles with 37 points, nearly doubling last season’s total of 20. Earned five goals and three assists in a two-game stretch against Chicopee and Chicopee Comp in February, and had a goal and an assist as Belchertown beat Chicopee in the WMass quarterfinals.
Kyle Greene, Belchertown. Junior goalie consistently kept the Orioles in close games, posting a 29-save shutout in a 1-0 win over Chicopee on Feb. 10 and finishing with an .896 save percentage. Turned in another strong postseason effort to beat Chicopee in the WMass quarterfinals, stopping 24 of 26 shots.
Cam Kagan, Chicopee Comp. Senior led the area in points (81) and assists (45), with 10 multi-goal games, including one in the WMass semifinals to beat Wahconah. A physical force with great speed, he was hard to stop in open ice and tough to hold off around the net.
Nate Lapine, Wahconah. Senior captain brought speed and relentless energy on the forecheck, as he racked up 39 points for the Warriors. Scored a goal and assisted on the other three in Wahconah’s 4-1 win over St. Mary in the WMass quarterfinal.
Jeremy Lewis, Chicopee Comp. Senior forward led the division in goals for the second straight year, matching last year’s total of 37 and adding 40 assists this season. A smooth skater with a quick shot, he scored 109 goals in his career, the last one coming in the WMass final, and finished with a total of 195 points.
Nathan Masteralexis, Amherst. Junior forward scored 26 goals with 23 assists, tying with his linemate, Jake Balderston, for fifth in the division in points. Scored a goal and an assist to help Amherst past Belchertown in the WMass semifinal, and earned an assist in the WMass final to beat Comp.
Brandon Pavoni, Chicopee Comp. Senior defenseman rarely left the ice, carrying a heavy workload for the WMass finalist Colts and outscoring every other defenseman in the division by a wide margin, with 42 points. An excellent skater who was key to both sides of the ice for the Colts, he ends his career with 76 points.
Kevin Quinto, Taconic. Junior forward finished third in the division in points (54) and goals (32). Scored at least a point in all but one of Taconic’s games, and posted four hat tricks, with a season-high three goals and five assists in an 8-6 win over Mount Everett on Jan. 25.
Logan Rumbolt, Wahconah. Senior was one of the area’s toughest one-on-one defenders, fast enough to rush the puck himself and to keep up with any opponent’s top forward. Made significant contributions on offense as well, with 14 goals and 16 assists.
Johnathan Spear, St. Mary. Senior forward’s team-high 40 points helped the Saints reach the postseason for the first time since 2012. Scored a goal in the playoff-clinching win over Turners Falls on Feb. 20, and scored two against Chicopee in the regular-season finale.
Evan Sullivan, South Hadley. Senior forward finished fifth in the division in goals with 28 and sixth in points with 48, bringing his career points total to 134. A constant breakaway threat, he scored multiple goals in eight games, including a two-goal, two-assist performance to beat Belchertown on Dec. 19.
Jeff Zebrowski, Chicopee. Senior forward finished in the top 10 in the division in scoring, with 39 points, despite missing almost half of the season with an injury. A physical presence around the net, he became a leader for a young Pacers team, and earned six assists in his first game back from injury, against St. Mary on Feb. 24.
Second Team
Christian Assimus, Belchertown
John Baker, Chicopee
Mike Bloom, Wahconah
Nick Freniere, Amherst
Shaun Gezotis, St. Mary
Ben Jablonski, Chicopee
Ben Magarian, Belchertown
Ryan McDonough, Chicopee
Parker Nunes, Chicopee Comp
Garrett Riopelli, Chicopee Comp
Jack Rees, Amherst
Jonah Swotes, Mount Everett
Shane Tierney, Taconic
