Core group of veterans must lead Big Blue

One season removed from the program?s single greatest campaign, a somewhat inexperienced Swampscott hockey team begins this season with modest goals – to contend for the NEC South championship and qualify for the Division 3 Tournament.Eight players graduated from last year?s squad that set a program record for wins (19), won its first tournament game in 44 years, and claimed both the North Sectional and Eastern Mass. titles before falling to Westfield, 4-1, in the Division 3 State Championship game at TD Garden.?We lost a big senior class. We do have some key players back who were part of it last year but this is mostly a completely different team. We?re counting on the guys who experienced it last year to show the younger players the way,” said coach Gino Faia.With the elevation of Marblehead to Division 2 and the NEC North, Faia feels the four remaining NEC South teams are comparable.?This is one year where all the teams look pretty evenly matched. Salem and Revere have improved and Lynn always has a pretty strong team. I think we?re all pretty similar teams,” he said.The Big Blue should be fine at forward, powered by senior captain Joey Silva (5-5-10) and sophomore Noah Maercklein (10-10-20), a returning league all-star looking to build on a stellar rookie season. Junior Ryan Cresta (7-8-15) is a proven scorer. Junior Steve Dandreo returns from an injury that sidelined him most of last year while sophomore Peter Doyle takes on an expanded role after seeing time as a freshman.Returning goalies sophomore Tristan Bradley (1.62 gaa) and junior Trent Gallagher (2.14 gaa) both saw ample action a year ago and provide the Big Blue with a pair of reliable puck-stoppers.?They?re both working very hard. Having them both back is a luxury and we will definitely be relying on them in what I anticipate will be a lot of tight, close games,” Faia said.Graduation took four senior defensemen, meaning the back line is being completely re-tooled. For starters, rangy senior Griffin Hunt (7 goals) drops back from forward to defense, a position he has played in the past. Senior Max Cohen returns after missing last year due to injury. Junior Joey Faia figures to log regular time upon his return from a football injury. Sophomore Dante Ceccarelli moves into the top four.?We lost all four defensemen and we?re inexperienced. There is certainly going to be a learning curve involved. To be successful we are going to have to do the same things we did last year, including playing team defense all over the ice in all areas, not just the defensive zone,” Faia said.?I like our core group – our goaltending will be strong and we have a good crop of skilled players. Qualifying for the tournament is our main goal, first and foremost. As we saw last year, once you get in anything can happen,” Faia said.Swampscott opens the season Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Revere (Cronin Rink).