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04/04/2019 12:00 AMThe Amity-North Haven-Cheshire (A-NH-C) girls’ ice hockey team took a tough start and turned it around leading to a conference title in the 2018-’19 campaign. Head Coach John Peschell’s squad began its season with a seven-game losing streak, but that didn’t stop the Blades from competing hard every chance they had. Eventually, that perseverance paid off, and A-NH-C powered its way to a 12-11-1 overall record on the season thanks to a second-half push. The Blades also made an appearance in the State Tournament this season.
This marked Peschell’s third season at the helm of the Blades, and he believes that coaching this squad was the most fun as he’s had yet. Peschell saw his players grow closer and support each other as they won.
“This was probably one of the most enjoyable season that we ever had. It wasn’t the most talented team, but we overcame obstacles, jelled, and became a cohesive unit,” Peschell said. “We always stressed that cohesiveness from day one. The kids have become best of friends this season.”
The Blades finished the regular season strong and that trend continued through the Southern Connecticut Conference South Division Tournament as they captured the championship. The Blades defeated Guilford by a 6-3 margin in the opening round, and then humbled Hamden to the tune of a 5-2 score in the semis. Peschell’s squad wrapped up its Cinderella story in a comeback 4-3 victory against West Haven-Sacred Heart Academy (WH-SHA) in the final.
That SCC-final victory was a monumental game for the Blades for several reasons, according to Coach Peschell. A-NH-C battled hard for every puck and made it tough on WH-SHA. To top it all off, the Blades’ win will always share an anniversary with another unlikely victory.
“We outworked them. I believe in my heart the girls wanted it more,” said Peschell. “We back-checked more than we ever had before. We got our sticks on their sticks. We disrupted everything that they were trying to do. I don’t know if I believe in miracles, but it was on the anniversary of The Miracle on Ice.”
The Blades’ turnaround and subsequent conference title came in a large part due to the staunch support and leadership of its three senior captains. Two-year captain senior winger Shannon Reilly kept everyone focused and was an integral part of the Peschell’s offensive schemes, providing 14 goals and 20 assists.
“Shannon is a vocal leader. She really gets on people if they aren’t hustling out there on the ice,” Peschell said. “She’s also a big part of the offense. She sees the ice really well, and she’s a playmaker. She really works our offensive system.”
Fellow senior captain Meaghan Hogan had a heavy hand in A-NH-C’s success, as well. Hogan played an inspirational role while she was on the bench, and on the ice, she held strong on defense while netting nine goals and 10 assists. Hogan also garnered All-SCC First Team honors for her efforts.
“Meaghan was the between-period speech giver to get the kids motivated. She got the kids fired up,” said Peschell. “She anchored the defense. She was First Team All-SCC. She was a great captain and great leader.”
Senior captain Andrea DelVecchio was also named All-SCC First Team and led the Blades in scoring with 23 points to go with 13 assists on the season. DelVecchio took a quieter approach in the captain’s position.
“Andrea was our leading scorer, and she was a sniper out there,” said Peschell. “She was more of a leader by example. She was every bit of a captain as everyone else was, and she’s just a great player.”
One of the surprises of the season was the play of first-year goalie Caitlin Ranciato. The senior had never laced up a pair of hockey skates prior to the season, and it seemed that as she became more comfortable in the net, the Blades would have better results. Ranciato earned A-NH-C’s Coach’s Award for her dedication to the team.
“Caitlin was a first year hockey player. She struggled early, but she worked hard at practice, and she improved on a weekly basis,” said Peschell. “She kept us in that West Haven game. She has a real quick glove hand. She focused on angles and positioning. She was someone we could rely on.”
Earning the team’s Most Improved Award was sophomore Kelsey McCarthy. The sophomore had been familiar moving on the ice but not as a hockey player, and really found her niche as the season wore on.
“Kelsey is a very goods skater. She’s from a figure skating background,” said Peschell. “She’s learning the game and getting her hockey sense. She was definitely one of our most improved players this year.”
Additionally, freshman Paige Kergaravat was recognized with the Team Spirit Award.
As for the Blades’ future, Coach Peschell is reluctant to make any predictions after the improbable results of this past campaign. Still, A-NH-C should have the talent and team-oriented play to make some noise in 2019-’20.
“We’re losing some players, but going into this year, we didn’t know what to expect. We lost our first seven games and won a championship,” Peschell said. “We have some kids coming back. We’ll expect big things from our seniors. We’ll see what happens. When kids buy into a system and keep the faith, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”