Tide boys’ hockey adds JV, middle school teams following large tryout turnout

Everett co-op begins GBL season Wednesday at home against Somerville

By Joe McConnell

Everett High School coach Craig Richards’ boys’ co-op hockey team, comprised of players from Everett, Revere, Mystic Valley and Malden, ended up with an 9-11 record last year, just missing a state tournament berth. Since Richards and his staff took over the program, they have gone from three wins to last year’s high of nine, and more progress is expected from them once again this winter.

Optimism is bursting at the seams throughout the team with its two top lines back in the fold. Michael Brandano, Jake Simpson and Ollie Svenson make up one unit. Matt Lacroix, Frankie Annunziata and Lucas Deguire is the other trio of veteran forwards.

Richards expects Liam Thompson, Vishant Chawla and Jacob Cantone to also step up and add depth among the forwards.

Jacky Summers, Andrew Crasco and Riley Constantine will help anchor the defense, along with returning players Ben Saia and Jonathan Brandano. Freshman defensemen David Perez and Tommy Cronin are also expected to make an impact this season, along with goalie Ray Blauvelt, who will be a nice depth piece in net that will also feature returnees Ben Rosa and Aaron Al Marayati.

“We have 10 seniors on this year’s roster, and we expect a lot from them,” said Richards. “There’s a lot of experience on this team, and as a result our expectations are extremely high this year.”

Brandano, Simpson, Summers, Svenson and Deguire are the team captains this winter, prompting Richards to remark, “there’s a lot of leadership on this team.”

Richards welcomed over 30 players to tryouts on Nov. 27. It was a large turnout for a program on the upswing, which gives it more than enough players to put together a JV and middle school team, as well.

Assistant coach Jamie Branzel, one of the best X’s & O’s mentors around, according to Richards, is going to be a huge part of the program this winter. Branzel will be joined on the bench by Kirk Tomajian and Ryan Ceratto, who will coach the defense. “They have a great rapport with our players along the blue line,” said Richards.

The Crimson Tide played in the annual Reagan Summit Jamboree at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro last Sunday, where they battled Boston Latin to a 6-6 tie. They will take on Peabody / Saugus, another co-op team, Saturday night, Dec. 9, in Everett, starting at 7:30 p.m., before beginning the Greater Boston League season against Somerville on Wednesday, Dec. 13, also in Everett, starting at 4 p.m.