2 days Ago By Tom Mulherin
WORCESTER – In the final chapter of another incredible hockey season, some of the MIAA’s best flexed their strength Sunday afternoon with wins for both the boys and the girls in the MA/CT Border All-Star Games at the Worcester Ice Center.The MSHCA’s junior boys all-stars overwhelmed Connecticut’s in an offensive fury, toppling it 15-2 before the girls’ junior/senior squad ground out a 4-0 win in a much closer affair.Stars from the North particularly stood out, with Essex Tech’s Brian Delisio (two goals) taking home MVP for the boys.
Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading junior Eleni Spack (goal) earned the same honors for the girls.“It’s super, it’s such a big deal,” Spack said. “I was working so hard out there.
I just felt like, ‘This is my game.’ So, I just felt right at home. I got to meet all these new players and we played so well together.
I’m just so proud of the entire team and I’m proud of myself for stepping out there and having a good game. It’s really awesome (to be a part of).”In the second game, East Catholic goalie Sarah Gionfriddo (22 saves) did well for CT to hold off a talented group of scorers in a scoreless first period.
The second period was a different story.Milton senior Molly Murphy lit the lamp first, taking an exchange from Waltham’s Sophia LaFacui to the left circle before ripping in the 1-0 lead. Spack soon followed with a shot from the point that got through, and HPNA senior Quinn Bennett rounded off a three-goal frame with the first of her two goals.
Bennett added an empty-net goal in the final seconds for what felt like a proper senior send-off.“Definitely, it was super fun,” Bennett said. “Scoring in general is kind of a big deal for me, I love to score.
I’m not going to say I don’t, it’s fun. But I definitely wouldn’t have been unhappy if I didn’t score, I’m just happy I got this opportunity to be able to play in this game. .
.. To be able to play with the best players in Massachusetts, that I played with in the high school season, is really fun.
”Massachusetts goalies Megan Mullarky (Malden Catholic), Morgan Murphy (Marshfield) and Jil Costa (Belmont) combined for a 16-save shutout behind an impressive defensive showing.Duxbury was well-represented with five players, including seniors Sami Norton, Zoey Madigan and Maeve Gallagher that Dragons head coach Dan Najarian got to coach one final time.He cherished the opportunity alongside Belmont head coach Brendan Kelleher behind the bench, but also the chance to help organize a meaningful game.
“This is just a culmination for the kids, to get recognized for their efforts throughout the year ...
it’s just a really nice cherry on top,” Najarian said. “It’s a great time. You see these kids all year long with their helmets on, and you play against them and you battle them.
...
It’s just really nice for them all to sit on the same bench and joke around and just realize that they’re all kind of the same, working towards the same goal. It’s really neat.”The junior boys wasted no time in their game, building a 5-0 lead after the first period and a 13-1 advantage by the end of the second.
Delisio was one of six players to score multiple goals for MA in an impressive showing of talent and gelling on the fly, and the entire group seemed loose from the very first puck drop.“It’s a lot of fun (to be a part of),” said Duxbury head coach Mike Flaherty, who was behind the bench for MA. “There’s some pretty talented kids here.
Getting to talk to them on the bench is a lot of fun, getting to know them a little bit.”Delisio’s two goals in the first period paired with scores from Oliver Ames’ Brendan Teehan, Westfield’s Joe Maffia (two goals) and Marshfield’s Ben Berian (three goals, assist) for a dominant start. MA ramped up the scoring even further in the second period, as Berian and Belmont’s Leo Packard each scored two of their three goals, and Concord-Carlisle’s Cam Doull scored both of his, in the frame.
“It means a lot, we all worked hard to be here,” Berian said. “These are some of the best kids from New England, so it just means a lot that we’re able to put up so many (goals). .
.. We all worked really well together, even though it’s our first time playing.
Pembroke’s Kevin Murrin, Canton’s Joey Ryan and St. John’s of Shrewsbury’s Brady Chenevert each posted two assists in the win, while Marshfield’s Brendan Kiziuk had three assists..
