By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
SAUGUS—The Melrose High girls’ hockey team had its end-of-season team banquet recently at Rosaria in Saugus. That night head coach Frank Sorrenti gave out awards to six players.
Seniors Ella Bonacorsi and Charlotte Demers each received the Coaches Award. Bonacorsi played center while Demers was a right winger. The Most Improved Player Award went to freshman defenseman Zoe Blackburn. Melrose earned three Middlesex League All-Stars: juniors Ruby Hansen (goalie), Julia McNeely (forward) and Ella Daniels (forward) who also received plaques from the team along with certificates from the league.
Melrose had one of the biggest turnarounds in the state this year. After winning only three games last winter, Melrose went 11-8-1 in the regular season. They ended up losing, 4-1, to host Sandwich in the MIAA Division 2 state tournament Round of 32 game to finish at 11-9-1 overall.
It was the program’s first appearance in the states in seven years. In the Middlesex League they went 6-5-1.n the ML Freedom division they were 3-2-1 as they finished in second place behind Burlington.
“The team exceeded my expectations,” said Sorrenti, who just completed his seventh-year at the helm. “We had great leadership and a lot of help from the eighth-graders on our roster. I was very proud of all of them.”
The last time the team made the states was Sorrenti’s first season. “The eight win difference from last year was the biggest in all of Division 2,” the coach pointed out.
Melrose should be in great shape next year as they lost only two seniors, Bonacorsi and Demers.
“Ella became a force on our third line with her line-mates being eight-graders,” said Sorrenti. “That was a great checking line for us.”
Demers was a role model with her actions. “She was the consummate teammate and worked very hard,” said Sorrenti. “She was a quiet leader and did everything we needed her to do.”