Hockey Headers wrap up season with close losses
In many respects, a couple of more close losses was unfortunately the appropriate way to end a frustrating season on the ice for the Hockey Headers.
First-year Marblehead High boys hockey coach Brendan Locke’s team was first shutout by non-league Algonquin, 1-0 in an opening round game of the annual Newburyport Bank Classic at Newburyport’s Graf Rink on Feb. 16. They then lost to North Andover in the consolation game two days later, 2-1 to finish up the year with a 5-14-1 record.
Goalie Bowden Laramie once again stood out to keep his teammates in a game, this time it was against aforementioned Algonquin. He came up with 26 saves to maintain hope throughout, only to come up just short in the end.
Against North Andover, the Headers lost another bitter battle. Teddy Dulac accounted for the lone Marblehead goal assisted by Holden Ferreira and Hayden Gallo, while Laramie delivered another solid performance in net after turning aside 24 Scarlet Knight shots.
Hart secures second straight North wrestling title
After a grueling three months of practices, dual meets and invitational tournaments, this time of the year is probably the cruelest for those seniors, who don’t advance to the next round of the state wrestling tournament, or are injured prior to the postseason. Three seniors on the Marblehead / Swampscott Black & Blue squad suffered that fate, either heading into or at the Division 2 sectional tournament at Woburn High School on Feb. 14.
“We brought a very young team to Woburn, with only two seniors wrestling for us,” said coach Mike Stamison. “The (underclassmen nonetheless) still gained eye-opening experience. As a team, we tied for 11th place out of 13 (schools that were participating in the postseason opener).”
The Black & Blue had nine first-year wrestlers in Woburn, three of which were seventh graders to go along with five freshmen and one sophomore. “(As the evidence shows), we are wildly young,” said Stamison, “but this group, with diligent work in the offseason on the mat and in the weightroom, has the makings of a very good squad for years to come.”
Senior Phineas Jakious was one of two seniors, who was unavailable to wrestle on this day. “He was a great teammate throughout his four seasons here, and as a three-year starter he won 40 matches for us, with his best season coming this year, when he went 19-12, and placed in several tournaments,” said Stamison. “His final match of the season was a win that sealed our victory over the Essex Tech/Masco co-op on Senior Night (Feb. 11).”
Captain Colin Hart was the other senior, who did not suit up for the sectionals after suffering a season-ending injury at the CAL/NEC Meet, but he continues to still be around his teammates every day, which is a great example of his leadership skills, according to Stamison.
“Over his three years here as a varsity starter, (Hart) amassed 75 wins, all while being a steady and calming influence around his teammates,” the coach added. “He is a two-year captain and a NEC All-Star this season, not to mention being just a good guy like his teammates Phin and X.”
Speaking of Xavier Tejeda, the X-Man, he did wrestle in the sectionals, and once again was a solid competitor. His first match was against the No. 1 seed from Melrose. He then took on a Billerica opponent, who pinned him during a home quad meet in January, and this time his Billerica foe still had the upper hand to record a 6-1 win, thus ending Tejeda’s high school wrestling career.
“Over his two years here as a starter, (Tejeda) won 22 matches, while also being a good practice partner the last three years,” said Stamison.
But there was some good news emanating from the sectionals, when senior captain Liam O’Brien advanced to the state divisional round at Whitman-Hanson Regional, where he and Anna Cruikshank are scheduled to represent the Black & Blue there.
After his sectional victory, where he went a perfect 4-0 with an overwhelming point differential of 30-1, O’Brien is now a two-time Division 2 North champion, as well as a three-time finalist and a three-time state qualifier.
