After finishing with a win-loss-tie record of 14-2-4 last year, the varsity boys hockey squad is determined for an even more victorious season.
Senior captain Carter Huff ’16, forward, aspires for the team to do extremely well this year: “We hope to continue getting better,” said Huff. “Over my last three years on the team, I have seen us get better and better each year. Last year we even won a playoff game, which was a great experience.”
In that playoff game, Wellesley faced the 15th-seeded Bridgewater-Raynham boys at home in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 South state tournament. Wellesley, the 2nd seed, won with an easy 8-4 victory.
“Babson was packed and we scored within the first thirty seconds, which really got us pumped up,” said Huff. “From then on, the crowd was incredible.” This streak did not last for long, however, as Wellesley fell 4-0 to the 10th-seeded Hingham Harbormen the following round.
Huff hopes this loss only drives the team to do better this season. Under the leadership of coaches Paul Donato, Owen Dugan, and PT Donato, the Raider boys are hungry for a state championship: “Every year the goal is to make it to the playoffs, and to give ourselves a chance to compete for a championship,” said Huff. Huff hopes fellow captains Kevin Ward ’16 and Sean Cox ’16 will also help lead their team to the title.
The squad’s first game kicked off last Saturday, December 12, against the Marauders of Dedham at the Babson Skating Center. The Raiders won with ease with a final score of 5-1. The Raiders’ next game will be held at the same location, where Wellesley will face rival Needham on Wednesday, December 16. Huck hopes the team’s strengths of experience and team defense will hold true for this game.
While the boys hockey team may have had success in past seasons, they have no plans on stopping now. When reflecting on last year’s record, Huff has one comment: “I definitely wouldn’t say we are satisfied with that whatsoever.”
(Jameson O’Neil ’18, Staff Writer)