Hadley, South Hadley players on Cathedral hockey team that skated at Fenway
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The 100th anniversary of Fenway Park is coming up this April, but the most vivid memories of the fabled ballpark for four local hockey players will be of sticks and pucks rather than bats and balls.
Seniors Thomas Quinlan and Alex Vincellette of Hadley, as well as senior Jeff DeLoria and junior Cullen Geary, both of South Hadley, took the ice with their Cathedral hockey teammates as part of "Frozen Fenway" Monday night.
Although the Panthers lost 4-2 to Mount Saint Charles of Woonsocket, R.I., every player who exited the rink felt like a winner.
"Playing at Fenway was one of the greatest experiences of my life," said Quinlan. "Playing at such a historic venue was the chance of a lifetime, and I feel blessed with the opportunity."
Vincellette said, "I really can't describe it with words. It was a perfect night, and everyone from the two schools was there, along with many Cathedral alumni. We couldn't have asked for anything better, except to maybe come out on the winning side."
Vincellette put Cathedral (3-3-1) on the board with a second-period goal, his team-leading fifth of the season.
"Frank Crinella won the draw, then Dominick Blad chipped it to me," Vincellette said. "I walked around the defender into the slot and shot it real quick. I couldn't have been happier, and the feeling was indescribable."
Vincellette was fresh off scoring a hat trick with two assists in a victory last week over Bishop Guertin of New Hampshire. His seven points ties him for the team lead with Crinella.
Quinlan set up Jordan Kozub for the game-tying tally in the second, before the Mounties scored the final two goals to leave Fenway with the win.
"While I was out there all I could think about was making this chance special, so I had to get a point," Quinlan said. "I picked up the puck and saw the odd-man rush playing out before me, so I pulled the defenseman over to my side and dropped the puck to Jordan, who scored and made my goal come true. I was ecstatic."
An outdoor game presents the possibility of tough weather conditions, but Quinlan and Vincellette both said the flow of the game was pretty smooth.
"I've played outside many times, a little pond hockey with the boys is always a good way to spend winter vacation," said Quinlan. "To my surprise, playing outside at Fenway was not as chilly as I thought. I have never played outside under the lights. It was unbelievable."
Vincellette added, "There was a little wind but not too much, and no precipitation. Just a perfect night for hockey."
Vincellette, who attended Cathedral his first two years of high school, returned for his senior year after spending a year at the Harrington College of Canada, a hockey training prep school in Quebec.
Quinlan has three goals and a pair of assists on the season. Geary (one goal, three assists) and DeLoria (one goal) have also contributed for the Panthers.
After last June's tornado left extensive damage to the Cathedral school building, classes are being held at a middle school in Wilbraham. For as challenging as 2011 might have been, these players began the new year helping to bring the school together.
"This meant so much to our team," said Quinlan. "As we passed Yawkey Way, everybody's eyes lit up and we were speechless. We went from not having a school or jerseys to having the chance to play hockey on the oldest ballpark in the United States. It was unreal."
SABLAK SHINES - The Amherst Regional hockey team knew it would be difficult to replace star goalie Alex McGeoch, but junior netminder Eddie Sablak has filled his skates and pads quite nicely.
Despite scoring just 12 goals in six games, the Hurricanes sit at 3-3 overall due largely to the play of Sablak, who's stopped 194 of 211 shots faced, a save percentage of .919. In all three Amherst victories, he posted shutouts of 41, 20 and 35 saves.
Even in a 6-1 loss to powerhouse South Hadley on Dec. 22, Sablak played extremely well with his season-high of 47 saves.
Sablak is one of five players on the team who attends Palmer High School.
LESURE BACK IN AMHERST - Amherst native Mariah Lesure, a 6-foot freshman forward on the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team, will be back in her hometown Saturday when the Hawks square off against Atlantic 10 rival University of Massachusetts at the Mullins Center at 2 p.m.
Lesure was a standout at Amherst Regional through her junior year before attending prep school at Tabor Academy for the 2010-11 school year.
She has seen action in five games for the Hawks (9-4) heading into conference play.
GORDON AT 298 - Longtime Frontier Regional wrestling coach Don Gordon sits two wins shy of 300 for his 36-year career.
"It means I've been at it a long time," Gordon said. "The last two will probably be the toughest to get. I'm not thinking about it much, if we wrestle well enough it'll happen eventually."
Following a loss to Dean Tech Wednesday night, the Red Hawks are at the South Hadley Tiger Duals on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. Gordon is unable to attend the meet because of a family commitment, but any team victories would count toward his win total.
On Saturday, Frontier will face host South Hadley, Mount Everett and Minnechaug.
FORTIER AT 249 - Easthampton girls basketball coach Jay Fortier is one win shy from his 250th career victory.
Fortier, whose squad is 6-1 overall and tied with Hopkins Academy for first place in the Franklin South at 4-1, can reach the milestone tonight at Pioneer Regional in Northfield. The Eagles then have a big game at the Golden Hawks on Monday at 7:30.
Fortier has a career record of 249-59.
GAMES OF THE WEEK - Boys basketball: Granby at Hampshire Regional, Tuesday, 7 p.m. - Bi-County North rivals meet in Westhampton.
Northampton at Central, Tuesday, 7 p.m. - The Blue Devils' defense will be put to the test. The Golden Eagles average 88.8 points per game and are always tough to beat in Springfield.
Staff writers Jim Pignatiello and Mike Moran contributed to this report. Michael Wilkinson can be reached at mwilkinson@gazettenet.com.
