Tanners aim to continue momentum

Nineteen is a number of some relevance for this year?s Peabody High hockey team. As he embarks on his 19th season, head coach Mark Leonard welcomes back 19 returning players to a team brimming with potential.That potential became obvious down the stretch last season when the Tanners (7-12-2 overall in 2012-13) knocked off Winthrop, then-undefeated Beverly and Danvers. They also reached the championship game in their division at The Newburyport Bank Classic.Leonard is hopeful that closing surge will serve the Tanners well this season. It is not a stretch to think they will be among those challenging presumptive favorite Beverly for the NEC North title.?They worked hard during the off-season. We have 19 (who) are still fairly young with only four seniors. We have a ton of speed up front, some kids who can move the puck. I think we will continue to improve as the young kids mature,” Leonard said.?This could be a good season if the team builds off the experience from last year?s strong finish and they continue to bring the work ethic they had during the off-season,” he added.Each of Peabody?s four seniors will serve as captains. Bruising six-foot, three-inch forward Derek DeMild (8-8-16) and slick forward Mike Vadala (7-9-16), who played for Team Mass Elite, are the top returning scorers and were NEC All-Star picks a year ago. Forward Andrew Bisconti (9 points) and defenseman Giuseppe Zarro join them in the primary leadership roles.DeMild and Vadala will likely be joined on the first line by 6-3 sophomore Owen Brewster. The center Bisconti will be flanked by junior wings Ryan Carney and Reed Foster, and juniors Bobby Caproni and J.T. Eason and sophomore Daniel Pratto form the third group. Junior Jason Marshall and freshmen Nick Merryman and Chris Gillen provide depth.?The forwards will need to utilize their speed to get pucks and bodies to the net,” Leonard said.The defense blends size with speed among its projected top six. Six-foot one-inch junior Cam Smullen (9 points) and 6-2, 200-pound sophomore Don Shaw formed the first pair at Saturday?s NEC Jamboree. The 6-2, 200-pound Zarro will pair with junior Matt Pino, and junior Stephen Porfido and sophomore Aaron Dollin make up the third tandem.Rangy junior Stephen Ferrante has the inside track to replace graduated Joe Powers in goal and has been sharp during pre-season. Sophomore Freddy Robitaille and freshman Aaron McDonnell provide backup.?We have size and we have some defensemen who can move the puck. We have to play solid team defense and limit opportunities in our end and we?ll need solid goaltending as well,” Leonard said.The NEC North will be as competitive as ever, deepened by the move of Marblehead from the NEC South. The Tanners? non-league schedule includes games against Division 1 opponents Bishop Fenwick, Weymouth, Andover and Marshfield.?Our schedule is tough but I always play non-league games against top D2 teams and play at least three D1 teams every year. It makes our players better,” Leonard said. “It should be an exciting season in the NEC North. All six teams have some good returning players and every night should be a dogfight. It will make for some fun hockey down the stretch with meaningful games every night.”