SHS Girls' Hockey Captures First Middlesex League Division Title

There has never been a Middlesex League Small Division championship awarded to the Stoneham High School girls' hockey team … until Wednesday night, that is. After beating Wilmington 6-1 at Stoneham Arena, the Spartans claimed their first division title and finished the regular season with a 10-6-2 (6-1-1 in league games) overall record.

The Thrill of Achievement

Senior captain Colleen O’Quinn could not put into words how ecstatic and proud she was of the team for finally accomplishing the goal of winning the division title.

“Since the moment we stepped on the ice that first practice of the season, these girls have been striving for excellence and had such high expectations,” O’Quinn said. “It was something that I thought about each and every game. There has never been a Middlesex League title won in the history of Stoneham girls' high school hockey. Therefore, winning one is the greatest feeling of accomplishment we could ask for.”

O’Quinn discussed the team’s chemistry throughout the season as being the sole reason the team accomplished its goal.

“Each day of practice we arrive at the rink an hour before practice, not because we have to, but because we want to,” O’Quinn said. “We eat dinner together the night before every game so we normally spend about four hours on average together the nights before a game. Every person works hard during practice and during the games, and without strong desire and work ethic from each player we would not be where we are today.”

Friends, Teammates, Champions

Fellow senior captain Alycia Whooley was also very excited about winning the division title.

“We have been working hard since November and now that we finally have something to show our last year on the team is the greatest feeling in the world,” Whooley said.

This season was a special one because of the time and effort put in by the six seniors and two juniors who've played together for a couple years, Whooley said.

“We do everything together during the season and the locker room is pretty crazy at times with all the dancing and game prep that sometimes we forget we’re teammates and only look at each other as best friends,” Whooley said. “We have been so close on and off the ice our chemistry is unstoppable.”

Time and Effort Pays Off

Danielle Phalon, one of the team's three captains, concurred with her teammates on capturing the school's first division title.

“The feeling is unexplainable to finally know that all the hard work you have put in has finally paid off,” Phalon said. “Four years ago we got the program’s first league win and this year we brought home a title.”

Phalon said the team was special this year because half the team has played with each other for four years and the newer kids seemed to fit in seamlessly.

“Everyone on the team meshes so well together and play as one unit,” Phalon said. “We had great leaders this year from all six seniors, and every single person on this team wanted to win the title as much as the next.”

The team has its mind set on bigger and better things, as each of the three captains would love to play in the State finals at the Boston Garden—home of the Boston Bruins.