Season Preview: Girls Hockey Begins Season On Wednesday
David Creed •
Last winter was a challenging one for Nantucket's varsity girls hockey team, which played just one home game last season (against Duxbury High School’s junior varsity team) due to lack of players. But this winter, Nantucket is back with a full team and has 11 games on their schedule – beginning with Barnstable on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Hyannis.
"Just the first initial meeting we had two and a half, three months ago, just over 17 players show up which is unbelievable and then the first day of tryouts, we have 20 players, so 18 skaters, two goalies,” Whaler head coach Andrew McNeilly said. “You can't beat that compared to last year. It's just great to have that many players showing up and being part of the program, compared to what we had last year... only having 15 players. Obviously, the big question was, do you have the numbers? So to be able to have the numbers and everyone be there was great.”
Nantucket will be led by senior captains Sadie Paterson and Alex Wisentaner. McNeilly and the Whalers also have Ruby Muise returning in net.
"I'm hoping to accomplish, within the first five games, I'm hoping to get the program's first win in three seasons," McNeilly said. "That's the goal right now. I think the first game of the season against Barnstable is going to be a very competitive, hardworking game for us. We got to get our fundamentals down pat these first two weeks of practice. It's going to be a competitive and winnable game, which is going to be awesome.”
McNeilly said the whole team has stood out to him in preseason practices. He said this is the first year since he’s been the head coach that every girl on his roster has skated before day one of tryouts/practices.
"Everyone's trying and everyone is putting the effort in with youth hockey before coming to us," McNeilly said. "Public Skate, Learn to Play. They were all playing, so it's great to see that. Right off the bat, Alex and Sadie – our two captains – have been putting in great work. For the younger group, Olivia Shuttleworth and Phoebe Fitch. They're going to be solid players. Meghan Olsen on defense. But right now, looking at everyone, there's not a single person on this roster that's not going to see equal ice time. It's awesome to have 12 forwards, five defensemen and there's not like, 'Oh, who's our first line? Who's our second line?’ No one's really going to be above or below each other.”
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