Cranston Co-op's youth movement isn't waiting around

By Matt Metcalf
Posted 12/7/16

The future is bright for the Cranston Co-op boys' hockey team, as the Falcons hold just four seniors on their roster this winter - one forward and three defensemen. But, just because there is a youth movement in the program,

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Cranston Co-op's youth movement isn't waiting around

Posted

The future is bright for the Cranston Co-op boys’ hockey team, as the Falcons hold just four seniors on their roster this winter – one forward and three defensemen.

But, just because there is a youth movement in the program, that doesn’t mean that expectations have been reduced.

Division I expanded to eight teams with the top four teams playing for the state title and the bottom four playing essentially for a Division I-B championship.

First-year Cranston head coach Matt Brannon is hoping that his team can work its way into the top four and play with the state’s best come playoff time.

“We should be in the middle of the pack and battle for the No. 4 spot with Smithfield and Burrillville,” Brannon said. “We’re young so we just need to play games and gain experience.”

Cranston already proved in the opening weekend that it belongs with the state’s elites.

The Falcons played traditional hockey power Mount Saint Charles to a 4-4 tie last Friday night at Cranston Ice Rink, marking the first time that Cranston has taken a point from Mount in over 30 years.

“That was incredible,” Brannon said of his team’s effort against Mount. “The kids trusted each other and played their hearts out.”

Coming up big in net in that contest was junior goaltender D.J. DeAngelis.

DeAngelis, who was tabbed First Team All-Division last winter as a sophomore, made multiple spectacular saves against the Mounties to help the guys in front of him keep pace.

Brannon is expecting big things from DeAngelis once again this season.

“In my opinion, he’s the best goalie in the state,” Brannon said of his starting netminder. “The scorekeeper had him for 38 saves against Mount, but we had him for something like 55. There were some saves he made, I still don’t know how he made them. He’s just living up to the hype.”

DeAngelis will have an experienced defensemen group in front of him.

Senior captain Kyle Poland and fellow senior Jacob Pagnozzi will play on the top defensive pairing, and they will be relied upon to log a lot of minutes.

“They’re two guys who have played three years on the varsity team,” Brannon said of Poland and Pagnozzi. “They’re both tough kids. Kyle is a great leader and has taken some of the younger guys under his wing.”

Senior Colby Alfred and freshman Joshua Zambarano will skate with the second unit, and a pair of juniors – Luke Cavalloro and Marco Palombo – will likely make up the third defensive pairing.

Up front, Cranston East junior Justin Neary will center sophomores Jaycob Hargreaves and Nathan Baldini.

Neary and Hargreaves, in particular, played major minutes a season ago and that line has already showed that it can cause headaches for opposing teams, combining to score three of the team’s four goals against Mount.

Hargreaves netted two goals in the opener, and Brannon expects the skilled forward to build off his solid freshman campaign.

“He had a great freshman season, he was thrown into the fire last year,” Brannon said of Hargreaves. “This year, he’s showing leadership abilities and he’s vocal with his linemates, which is big because we only have four seniors.”

The lone senior forward, Sam Eacueo, will center the second offensive unit with juniors Anthony DiSano and Jake Drohen on the wings.

The third line will feature two freshmen on the wings in Cam Koretsky and Noah Amaral, while sophomore David Sczerbinskini will play the middle.

Brannon is excited to take over behind the bench after serving as an assistant for the team under Mike Boyajian, Sr., for the past several seasons.

Because of his familiarity with the program, the transition from assistant coach to head coach has gone smoothly thus far for Brannon.

“It’s a little bit of a different experience, but it’s exciting,” Brannon said when asked about his move from an assistant to the head coach. “I’m a 2001 graduate of West, so it’s something I’ve always thought about.”

The Falcons suffered their first loss of the season, 6-0, at Burrillville on Saturday night, dropping their record to 0-1-1 on the young season.

Cranston will get two tough tests this weekend.

It will host defending state champion Hendricken on Friday at 8 p.m. at Cranston Ice Rink, and it will host La Salle at the same time and place on Saturday evening.

Despite the Burrillville loss, the tie against Mount should instill confidence in the young Falcons moving forward.

“The kids are just trying to get used to me, but so far, they’re trusting each other and playing together,” Brannon said.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here