Sports 01-25-2018

WHS sports roundup

WHS girls hockey defeats Peabody, 5-1

The Winthrop High girls hockey team earned a well-played 5-1 victory at Peabody Saturday evening.

The teams battled to a 1-1 deadlock after one period, with Catie O’Shea lighting the lamp for the Winthrop tally. The Lady Vikings controlled the play, outshooting Peabody 12-4, but, other than O’Shea, could not find the handle.

Two of the Lady Tanners’ shots on goal came on clean breakaways by their all-star player, Sammi Mirasolo, but on both occasions Mirasolo was thwarted by Winthrop’s eighth-grade goalie Summer Tallent, who made a pair of amazing saves that turned the momentum in Winthrop’s favor entering the second period.

The Lady Vikings took control in the middle stanza, with goals from O’Shea (assisted by McKayla Norris), Gemma DiMento (assisted by Norris and Ashley Miles), and Norris (unassisted) to move out to a commanding 4-1 advantage after two periods.

Emma Carleton put an exclamation point on the Winthrop win with a goal in the final stanza, assisted by Norris and Miles.

“The second period was a great period for us,” said WHS head coach Anthony Martucci. “We totally took charge of the game. Some people may say we are a second period team — not that I dislike that — but I want to be an all three-periods team.

“This was a big conference win for us against a quality opponent,” continued Martucci. “The two captains (O’Shea and Norris) took this game over. This year Osh’ and Mckay’ have been incredible leaders for this team. They have gone above and beyond their call. Their efforts on the ice are only the half of it. The character players that they are, and their dedication in the classroom as well, sets them apart. They are two class acts.

“Summer Tallent making three breakaway saves changed the entire game for us,” continued Martucci. “If she does not come up with those saves, it is a different game. Summer is an absolute warrior.”

Martucci also cited the fine play of junior defensemen Abby Stafford and Bella Perrotti. “Once again, they are dictating everything that goes on in these games. They are that good,” said the coach.

Martucci and his crew, who now are 7-2-1 at the halfway mark of the season, were scheduled to play in Waltham last night (Wednesday). They will host St. Mary’s of Lynn in the teams’ traditional rivalry game Saturday (1:30 face-off) and will entertain Beverly next Tuesday (6:10 face-off).

 

Viking trackman win four events vs. Salem

Although the Winthrop High boys indoor track & field team came up on the short end of a 56-29 decision to Salem last week, the Vikings captured first place in four of the nine individual events in the meet that was held at the Revere High field house.

Kim Haddar led Winthrop in the scoring department with 10 points, taking first place in the high jump with a leap of 5’-2” and in the 300 dash in 41.4 seconds.

Bobby Hubert sped to victory in the 50 dash in 6.1 seconds and Cormac MacPhail took the mile in 5:02.

Mark Goudge scored three points for the Vikings with a second-place effort in the 600 dash in 1:48.7.

Adding single points to the Winthrop side of the scoresheet with third place performances were: Pat Haskell in the hurdles in 9.6; Andrew Love in the dash in 6.3; Mark Amatucci in the 300 in 46.9; Matt Skoboleff in the 600 in 1:52.2; Renols Cahani in the 1000 in 3:28.1; and Michelangelo Marcoccio in the two-mile in 13:14.

 

Lady Viking gymnasts fall short vs. Masco

The Winthrop High gymnastics team put up a good battle, scoring its highest point total of the season, but dropped a 141.35-138.1 decision to Masconomet last Friday evening at the Winthrop Gymnastics Academy. The loss was the first of the season for the Lady Vikings.

“Our team goal was to score over 133 points,” said WHS head coach Peter Gobiel, whose team’s previous this season was 132 points. “We wanted to be at our best and he girls responded by scoring the highest team score going back eight years, which was incredible.”

“Masco may be one of the top three teams in the state this year,” noted WHS assistant coach Daria Millerick. “They had to work hard for the victory tonight.”

The Lady Vikings started the meet on uneven bars with Mary O’Donnell posting her season high of 8.0. Brandi DiCicco’s score of 8.6 also was her highest of the season, followed by Megi Zogasi’s personal-best of 8.5.

In the next event, the balance beam, “which has been a problem for us all season,” said Millerick, the Lady Vikings were at their best.

Zogasi topped the Winthrop score sheet with her highest score in her two year career at 9.0, followed by Danielle Carter (8.8), Alayna Ronan (8.7), DiCicco (8.45), Gracie Armitstead (8.05), and captain Lacy Scott (8.1).

Going into our third event, the girls knew they were heading for a high team score and beat Masco on vault, 34.8-34.3.

Scott started the event with a season-high of 8.3, followed by O’Donnell (8.4), Zogasi (8.55), and Danielle Carter (8.6). Rachel Farley anchored the team with a season high of 8.9.

The floor exercise is Winthrop’s strongest event and the home team gets to compete last. The Lady Vikings started their line up with Gianna Guarino (8.1) and Gabriella Giuffree (8.2). Farley stuck her routine scoring an 8.55, followed by Carter (8.6) and Ronan (8.65). Closing out the competition with a beautiful routine and receiving a personal best score was DiCicco with a 9.05.

“If you compare a gymnastics competition to a track meet, knowing the visiting team has the conference record  in each event, you ask each member of your team to push themselves to get their personal best and don’t give up any event without a fight,” said Gobiel. “Well, each one of our girls did just that, either hitting their routine or scoring their personal best of the season. You can’t ask for much more than that.”

The Lady Vikings were scheduled to travel to Beverly this past Tuesday night to take on a Lady Panther squad that hasn’t lost a conference meet in about eight years with a record of 69-0.

“We may be the underdogs, but we’re a very dangerous team to take lightly this year,” added Gobiel. “You can win a gymnastics meet by one-tenth of a point and our girls know it!”

The Lady Vikings will host Peabody at the Winthrop Gymnastics Academy Saturday.

 

Girls track team outruns Salem

 

The Winthrop girls indoor track & field team had an easy time of it in their meet with an undermanned Salem squad, winning by a score of 71-5.

First-place finishers for the Lady Vikings were Isabella Mahoney in the high jump and the dash; Daniella Zanelli in he hurdles; Alex Gibbons in the 300 dash; Gabrielle Hinchion in the 600; Camilla Miranda-Llovera in the 1000; and Anyra Silva in the mile.

Second-place points were earned by: Kim McDuffee in the high jump; Hinchion in the shot put; Clare Nargi in the hurdles; Crystal Campello in the dash;  Hannah Capone in the 300; Catherine Zuffante in the 600; Gabriella Ford in the 1000; and Devon Barry in the mile.

Third-place finishers for Winthrop were: Xhona Kokoneshi in the shot put; Nicole Newman in the hurdles; Alyssa Ferrara in the dash; Adriana Hester in the 300; Sofie LaFratta in the 600; Kat Thano in the 1000; and Mary Texiera in the mile.

 

WHS girls basketball team battling well

 

Although the Winthrop High girls basketball team has come out on the short end of its recent contests, the Lady Viking has been battling to the end against some of their toughest foes in there Northeastern Conference.

Winthrop lost a tough game in overtime to Somerville, 59-56, in a contest that was back-and-forth the whole way. The Lady Vikings were led by freshman Caroline Earl (14 points) and freshman Maura Dorr (13 points).

Junior Emma Turner hit for nine points and freshmen Lily Pulsifer and Carolyn Kinsella chipped in with six points each. Winthrop played a great defensive game, but Somerville hit some key free throws at the end of the OT.

Winthrop traveled to Lynnfield to play their first Division 4 game of the year. The Lady Vikings trailed after one period by a score of 12-4, but bounced back in the second stanza to outscore Lynnfield 9-7 and enter the locker room at the half trailing 19-13.

However, Winthrop struggled in the third period, being outscored 15-3, but the girls never gave up and fought to the end, outscoring Lynnfield 17-8 in the fourth quarter for a final tally of 42-33.

Dorr scored 11 points and senior Francesca Capone added five points.

Winthrop then traveled to Everett and showed a lot of fight against a quality opponent, but came out on the sort end of a 47-28 decision.

The Lady Vikings were unable to contain Everett senior Yaz Guerrier (who is on track to score 1000 points in her career) who scored 24 points on some tough contested shots by the Winthrop defense.

Capone led Winthrop with six points, followed by senior Cailyn Driscoll with five, Kinsella with four, and Pulsifer with four.

This past Tuesday the Lady Vikings hosted Revere. Though Winthrop lost, 66-51, the Lady Vikings displayed moments of good team defense.

However, Revere’s Valentina Pepic, a 1000-point scorer who is headed to Division 1 Niagara, was too much to handle in the paint, as she scored 35 points.

The Lady Vikings were able to pressure the ball and create turnovers at times. The Lady Vikings’ scoring was led by Capone with 15 points, Dorr with 14 points, Kinsella with six points, and Pulsifer with five points.

Driscoll and Earl each chipped in with some scoring and did their best on defense, as they drew the tough challenge of defending Pepic.

The Lady Vikings travel to Malden tomorrow (Friday) and will return home to host Marblehead Tuesday and Atlantis Charter Academy next Thursday.

 

JV girls basketball team stands at 4-6

 

The Winthrop High junior varsity girls basketball team has been enjoying success as the team hits the half-way mark of the season.

The squad currently stands at 4-6 with wins over Lynn English, Pope John, Salem and Somerville. They junior Lady Vikings dropped their last two games to strong programs, Everett by three points and Revere by six points, and played tough defense in both contests.

The JV girls travel to Malden tomorrow (Friday) and play at home against Marblehead Tuesday.

 

WHS boys hockey tops NE Voke

 

The Winthrop High boys hockey team defeated Northeast Regional Vocational School this past week to improve to 6-4-1 on the season.

Coach Dale Dunbar and his crew were set to host Peabody last night (Wednesday) and will travel to Medford Saturday for a 4:00 face-off at LoConte Arena.

Marblehead comes to Larsen next Wednesday for what should be the usual big rivalry match between the long-time Northeastern Conference rivals.

 

From the Press Box

Viking Girls Keep Rolling

By: Jim Lederman

The Viking girl’s hockey team is on a roll! Coach Anthony ‘Butch’ Martucci’s young squad improved to (7-2-1) with a (5-1) victory over Peabody on Saturday.

“Coach Martucci spoke with me early in December and said, “We will score a lot of goals.” The 10th year Viking mentor has a young and very dynamic team!

Saturday captain McKayla Norris lit the lamp twice. Catie O’Shea, Gemma DiMento and Emma Carleton (The third Carleton to play for the Vikings) added goals for the Vikings.

This is the first year of the Winthrop Vikings – Lady Skaters! Masconomet leads the league, but coach Martucci’s young lady skaters are in second place.

I covered my first “Bulldawg Skaters” – 10 years ago, they had Katie Burt (Boston College captain) in the net and they almost reached the Division One finals in an overtime thriller at Stoneham Arena.

Winthrop Hockey Capital of the North Shore!

Let the Games Begin!

 

 

The Comeback

The more unbelievable it seems, the more believable it becomes. We have witnessed three unbelievable Tom Brady comebacks vs. the Seattle Seahawks, the 28-3 comeback last year vs. the Atlanta Falcons.

The comeback on Sunday had shades of the two most recent Super Bowl victories. The Patriots have rewritten the script many times over in Tom Brady’s career. Sunday they erased a 20-10 fourth-quarter deficit – leading to a dramatic 24-20 AFC Championship.

TB-12 was 26 for 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns the Patriots are a victory shy of winning their third Super Bowl title in a four-year stretch.

Tom Brady went 9-for-19 for 138 yards with two touchdowns in the decisive fourth quarter. Danny Amendola was spectacular in the game. He had to fill the role with ‘The Gronk,’ recovering from a concussion (what a cheap shot that was) and they missed the leading slot receiver in the NFL – Julius Edelman!

Onto the Super Bowl!

Go Patriots!

Let the Super Bowl Begin!

 

 

The Big Defenseman

The Vikings have an exciting (2017-2018) hockey team once again. Ten seniors give the Vikings a strong MIAA playoff team.

Senior defenseman Michael Lane (number 19) has been a key to the Winthrop hopes. The ‘big number 19 (6’1) is a flashy skater and a solid defenseman I watched (Big Mike) play Lacrosse last spring on the turf (grass) at the Gorman-Fort Banks School and said,  “He can play the game and has a bright future” in lacrosse. He will play hockey at the next level!

I hope Mike and the Viking captains – Brooks, Marley, Holgerson, Mignosa and Adamson, show their ‘senior leadership’ with two months to play on the Vikings schedule.

A big victory over Marblehead (first in three years) and Danvers, will serve notice to the teams in the NEC – Vikings hockey is strong again!

We salute the Vikings hockey players and we will cheer their success in the NEC.

Go Vikings!

Let the Games Begin!

 

 

The First Touchdown

The historic opening of the sparkling ‘New Miller Field’ had many memories. The proud Miller Field Committee including Chairman Vince Crossman and the ‘leader of the gang’ – Jimmy Fabiano were extra proud of the results of the committee that helped pass the historic vote on the town ballot, had a smile as wide as the goal posts.

I left out the proud family of number 16 – co-captain Jake Adamson and the performance he had on the gridiron. Jake scored both Winthrop touchdowns on runs of two and one yard to give the Vikings a 14-14 tie on the holiday. Judos to Calvin Tufa, who booted both extra points that gave the Vikings a (14-14) tie before Revere had a 25-yard field goal by Badr Haou that was the difference in the (17-14) Revere victory.

 

Congrats to ‘Big Calvin’ for earning the Alexander Memorial Trophy (the Vikings senior who has given the most to the Winthrop program). Calvin will play college football next season and add to a long list of Vikings players who have success at the ‘next level.’ I am watching ‘number 14’ on the Larsen Rink ice – co-captain Jake Adamson, play for coach Dale Dunbar and company on the ‘Larsen Rink ice.’

Jake is having a very strong senior season for the Vikings. He is a candidate for the ‘prestigious’ Bentley Swift Cup, awarded to the top male athlete in the graduating class!

Kudos to Jake Adamson!

Let the Games Begin!

See you at Larsen Rink!

 

 

Where Are They Now?

In 2018 I will feature a weekly column – where are they now? Today the story is on the 1959 WHS ‘Blue Devils’ football team.

I was a fullback on the ’59 Blue Devils. Last week we had a ‘mini reunion’ with four players on my team. Captain Bob Milne drove down from Maine, Howie Conley, three-sport standout and a member of the WHS. Athletic Hall of Fame drove in from Saugus. Jimmy Adamson, dad of 4 outstanding athletes and Miss Katie arrived from South Main Street. ‘The Voice’ was the host at the Winthrop Arms.

The team lost the NEC Title by one touchdown to Woburn high school – we had a touchdown (76 yards) called back on a clipping penalty. Woburn high graduated 700 students – my class had 250.

Five members of my team went on to captain their college teams – yes – Five- Cornell, Tufts, Wyoming, University of Rhode Island, and a sophomore who was captain at Cornell. We won our last four games in a row, but the loss to Woburn cost us the NEC title. We played our home games on Saturday afternoon.

Plenty of Memories!

Let the Games Begin!

 

 

The Highlanders

The Vikings v. Somerville, a new NEC rivalry. Chris Tsiotos and Nick Tsiotos played in the legendary Tech Tourney in 1972-1973. The number one team in the Garden was Somerville – Jerry Knight, Vinny Piro, Ronnie Perry were just a couple of legends form Somerville.

The ‘number one’ Somerville fan, was an ex-Somerville player Bo0bby ‘in the saddle’ Acquillino. Bobby can be found most days at Suffolk Downs or at the Winthrop Book Depot and Café.

The Winthrop boy’s team lost to Somerville and the girls lost in overtime. The Vikings have to play Somerville, Everett, Malden and Medford in the new NEC alignment. Little school vs. big city – The Vikings will play Medford at the ‘new’ Miller Field this season.

The NEC has expanded and the old GLB teams make the schedule very tough.

Let the Games Begin!

 

 

Faces in the Crowd

The Flanagan Brothers were celebrating the Patriots victory at J.W.’s Restaurant on Sunday night.

Chief Paul Flanagan, Captain Chuck Flanagan and brother Flanagan, returned from Foxboro after attending the ‘championship game.’ The three ‘Flanagan Brothers’ – all there ex-Viking standout football players celebrated with ‘The Voice” and Chris and Maxwell Tsiotos at J.W.’s Restaurant. Yes! The Patriots are heading to another super bowl. The thrilling comeback victory. We salute the gang at J.W.’s – Ashley, Troy and Nick provided great service and the entire restaurant celebrated!

 

 

The College Report

The report of a few ex-Viking athletes returning home for the holidays. Sydney Adamson, ex-Lady Bulldawg skater is playing for the UMass Amherst Skaters. The daughter of Michael and Nicole and from the athletic Adamson family – is proud of the UMass frosh.

Gretchen Howard – the Boston Globe ‘Dram Team’ goalie is in the net for the Salve Regina Sea Gulls – (A full story next week to follow). The three Lady Viking hoopsters from the 2015 NEC champs Kristen Siscamanis, Niki Tsiotos and Nina Bartlette are playing Division 2 – College basketball. Name a team in the NEC that can match that?

Katie Jeter – an ex-Bulldawg Skater is playing for UMass Boston.

Please give me info on any ex-Viking athlete, who is playing in college.

Let the Games Begin!

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