2020 HockomockSports Boys Hockey Awards

Canton senior Johnny Hagan has been named the 2020 HockomockSports.com Boys Hockey Player of the Year following a tremendous campaign that finished with the Bulldogs being named D2 State Champions for the second straight season.

Hagan wrapped up one of the most impressive individual careers in the storied history of Canton hockey. He was named to the HockomockSports All Underclassman Team his freshman year, as the HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year and to the Second Team as a sophomore, to the First Team as a junior, and again to the First Team this season.

He led the Bulldogs in points this season, scoring 18 goals to go along with a team-high 31 assists, finishing with a team-high 49 points. Under his leadership, Canton went a perfect 8-0 in Hockomock League games and posted a 21-1-3 record. The top-seed in D1 South, Canton breezed through the bracket for the second straight season and Hagan scored four goals in the D1 South Sectional final, which proved to clinch the state title due to the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled the state final.

“Johnny makes everyone around him better,” said HockomockSports.com Editor-in-Chief Ryan Lanigan. “Not only has he been one of the most skillful individual players over the past four seasons, but he also does an incredible job of getting teammates involved and making everyone on the ice with him better. And when it mattered most, under the brightest lights, nobody was better than Hagan. Time and time again he came through and delivered in the big moments.”

In his four years on varsity, the Bulldogs lost just one league game, posting an impressive 34-1 mark against Hockomock foes. In Canton’s remarkable 2018-2019 season, in which the Bulldogs went 25-0-1, Hagan scored a hat trick on the ice at the TD Garden to secure the D2 State Championship. He finishes his career with 61 goals and 99 assists.

“Johnny has been one of the best players in the state for the past two seasons now,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “His exceptional speed, skilled playmaking ability, and fierce competitiveness help carry our team throughout the regular season and especially through the postseason.”

This is the fifth straight season, and sixth overall, that a Canton player has won this award. Ryan Nolte (2018, 2019) and Jackson Maffeo (2017, 2016) are the previous two winners and Brian Brooks (2013) is the other Bulldog to be honored. Franklin’s Ryan Spillane (2015) and Oliver Ames’ Tyler Provost (2014) also received this award.

Honorable Mention: Chris Lavoie (Canton), Tom Tasker (Franklin), Rocco Bianculli (King Philip)

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Please note these are the HockomockSports.com Awards and are selected strictly by our staff. They are not affiliated with the Hockomock League or its all star selections.

 

Espen Reager – Foxboro – Goalie
Foxboro senior goalie Espen Reager continued his strong play between the pipes this winter. The 2019 Hockomock League MVP and the 2020 HockomockSports.com Goalie of the Year (see below) finished the regular season with a goals against average under two and made nearly 500 saves for the Warriors, who won 12 games, finished at .500 in league play, and reached the Div. 3 South semifinal. He was selected as a league all-star for the second season in a row. Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk said, “Espen has been unbelievable for our program, a total game-changer. His level of focus and his ability has made him one of the top high school goalies in the state.”
 

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Rocco Bianculli – King Philip – Defense
King Philip junior defenseman Rocco Bianculli spearheaded the KP attack from the defensive zone, showing off his speed and stick-handling to be the league’s top offensive-minded blue line players. Bianculli finished in the team lead in assists and tied for the team lead with 24 points overall as the Warriors finished just two points behind Franklin in the league title race. KP coach Paul Carlow said, “He’s an excellent skater that can really handle the puck. He’s quick to transition from defense to offense with his ability to rush the puck or join the rush. He was our QB on the power play, led the team in assists and tied as the team’s leading scorer.”
 

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Tom Tasker – Franklin – Defense
Franklin senior defenseman Tom Tasker was not only an imposing physical presence in all three zones, but he also scored important goals for the Panthers throughout their run to another Kelley-Rex division title and a spot in the Div. 1 South semifinal. Tasker scored eight goals and had two assists in the regular season and added a goal and two more helpers in three playoff games. Franklin coach Anthony Sarno said, “His leadership and talent has helped guide this team all season. He has become the face of our club. So strong and has one of the best shots I’ve ever seen. He is such an amazing young man on and off the ice and in the classroom.”
 

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Johnny Hagan – Canton – Forward
Canton senior forward Johnny Hagan wrapped up his remarkable hockey career by leading the league in scoring and helping the Bulldogs win a second straight Div. 2 state title. Hagan, the 2020 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year (see above), finished the season with 18 goals and 31 assists as Canton won a 10th straight league title. He was also named the league MVP. Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “Scoring all four of our goals against Bishop Feehan in what would unknowingly be his last high school game was a fitting end to one of the most impressive Bulldogs hockey careers of all-time.”
 

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Chris Jenkins – Mansfield – Forward
Mansfield’s Chris Jenkins returned for his senior year and picked up right where he left off two years ago. After a standout freshman campaign during the 2016-2017 season, Jenkins came back for this season and helped the Hornets get back to the state tournament. A member of Mansfield’s top line, Jenkins had a team-high 13 goals and 17 assists to lead the team with 30 points. “Chris continually worked hard in practice, especially on the little things to make him a more, well-rounded player,” said Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini. “Throughout the season, he spent time on both special team units and excelled at both and he finished the season as our point leader.”
 

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Dennis Morehouse – North Attleboro – Forward
North Attleboro senior Dennis Morehouse was a force throughout the season and was one of the most dangerous forwards in the Hockomock League. When the Rocketeers were in need of a big goal, Morehouse more often than not came through in the clutch and was a big reason North qualified for the state tournament. He finished with a team-high 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points this season. “Dennis was outstanding for us offensively,” said North Attleboro coach Ben McManama. “He has come a long way over the past three years. He consistently gets better year to year because of the work he puts into his game. Dennis has exceptional hands and great size. His leadership on and off the ice really helped us through the season.”
 

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Sean McCafferty – Mansfield – Goalie
Mansfield senior goalie Sean McCafferty concluded an impressive career with the Hornets with yet another strong season between the pipes. A reliable option in net for four years, McCafferty turned in another stellar year and was a big reason why Mansfield made it back to the state tournament. He made 477 saves this season, playing over 900 minutes with a 0.910 save percentage. “Sean led by example and was depended on each and every game,” said Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini. “He would always keep pushing himself and never once got discouraged, no matter what the situation. This player was a true leader on and off the ice and as the season progressed, so did he.”
 

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Kyle Gray – King Philip – Defense
King Philip senior defenseman Kyle Gray provided the Warriors with a physical presence on the blue line and in the corners on both ends of the ice, helping KP challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Gray was also a talented skater, who could jump into the attack. He racked up 15 assists and was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. KP coach Paul Carlow said, “He’s a four-year varsity player and an excellent defender. He’s a big strong defenseman with a good D-stick. He was tough to play against in front of our own net and in the corners. He played in every situation and was our anchor on defense.”
 

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Owen Lehane – Canton – Defense
Canton senior defenseman Owen Lehane was an integral part of the Bulldogs making it a decade of dominance in the Davenport division, with a 10th straight league title, and winning back-to-back Div. 2 state championships. A strong presence on the blue line and a skilled skater and passer, Lehane scored once this season and recorded 11 assists and was selected as a league all-star. Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “Owen has anchored our defense for the past two years. He is a smart, tough defender who was often called upon to play big minutes, especially on special teams and at the end of periods and games.”
 

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Joe Boselli – King Philip – Forward
King Philip senior forward Joe Boselli tied for the team lead in points this season and was one of the focal points of an attack that helped the Warriors finish just two points back of the league leaders and book a return to the state tournament. A four-year varsity player, Boselli finished with 24 points overall, including 11 goals and 13 assists, and was selected as an all-star by Hockomock League coaches. KP coach Paul Carlow said, “He was our best face-off center and tied as our teams leading scorer with 24 points. He has a great compete level and he came to play every game. He was voted most valuable player by his teammates.”
 

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Chris Lavoie – Canton – Forward
Canton senior forward Chris Lavoie was the breakout star for the Bulldogs this season, building on his play in last year’s playoff run to lead the league in goals this winter. He helped Canton win another league title and go back-to-back as Div. 2 state champions. Lavoie scored 31 goals this year, including four against Taunton in the playoffs, and had nine assists. Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “In order to win championships, a team needs a new impact player to emerge each season. For us, Chris was that player. He is one of the most dangerous and gifted goal scorers I’ve seen on any team in the past 15 years.”
 

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Kirk Leach – Foxboro – Forward
Foxboro junior forward Kirk Leach has been part of the program’s surge over the past three seasons, as the Warriors have set new program bests in wins and points in each of the past three winters. Leach was a dynamic attacker this year, scoring 20 goals and assisting on 14 others to help Foxboro pick up 12 wins and reach the Div. 3 South semifinal. Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk said, “Kirk has the ability to create a lot of offense. He gets pucks to the net and has a quick release with his shot. With the combination of that quick release of his shooting ability and his skating ability makes him a dangerous player.”
 

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Ray Ivers – Franklin – Goalie
Franklin senior netminder Ray Ivers started in between the pipes for the Panthers this winter and helped them retain the Kelley-Rex division title and reach the Div. 1 South semifinal. Despite going up against some of the top teams in the state this season, Ivers allowed only 2.29 goals against and saved 91 percent of the shots he faced, stopping 486 shots in 885 minutes in the regular season. Franklin coach Anthony Sarno said, “His dedication and passion as a student as well as an athlete was refreshing to witness and be a part of. He was our backbone all season and suck a great inspiration for all to follow. He will be missed and we all wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
 

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Joe LeBlanc – Franklin – Defense
Franklin junior defenseman Joe LeBlanc made sure there was no drop-off when the Panthers went to their second pairing and was an important piece of their winning another league title and making a run to the Div. 1 South semifinal. LeBlanc scored once and assisted on eight goals in the regular season and added another goal in the playoffs. Franklin coach Anthony Sarno said, “His passion for the game is incredible and he is extremely hard on himself to work harder and be better each week. It will be nice watching him develop even further and be a leader on and off the ice. He will be looked upon to lead the charge on the back end next season.”
 

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Jake McNeany – North Attleboro – Defense
North Attleboro senior Jake McNeany emerged as one of the top players on the blue line for both the Rocketeers and in the Hockomock League. Big Red relied on McNeany in all three phases of the game and he delivered. Not only did he handle opposing offenses, he was an option in the attack for the Rocketeers with five goals and seven assists. “Jake was asked to log a lot of minutes and his conditioning allowed him to be effective,” said North Attleboro coach Ben McManama. “He is a strong physical player but helped with some timely goals for us. Jake was the hardest working player and our younger players looked up to him all season. Jake showed up and gave everything he had in every practice and game.”
 

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Michael Albert – Taunton – Forward
Taunton senior forward Michael Albert put together one of the best careers in program history, scoring 116 points (fourth-best all-time) and playing in a record seven playoff games over his four years. This winter, Albert scored 15 goals and assisted on 23 others to help the Tigers reach the postseason and pick up a playoff win against North Attleboro. Taunton coach Kris Metea said, “Michael is an exceptional character student-athlete that puts his nose to the grindstone every day. There are not enough kind words that I can say about his work ethic. He has earned every accolade he has received and has made a special mark on the Taunton Hockey program.”
 

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Jake Lund – Mansfield – Forward
Mansfield senior Jake Lund emerged as a top two-way player for the Hornets this season. Lund logged a lot of time on ice for Mansfield and became a vital piece of the power play unit, delivering key goals in clutch moments. He was one of the top producers on the Hornets with 12 goals and eight assists, finishing at +12 with just two penalties. “Jake juggled between roles on the power play and was player who came up big when we needed him the most,” said Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini. “He was another player that worked on all individual aspects of his game, including one-timers from the slot.”
 

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Ronnie MacLellan – Foxboro – Forward
Foxboro senior Ronnie MacLellan was one of the league’s toughest forwards, who seemed to be at his best when he was camped out in front of the opposition goal. MacLellan scored 12 goals and had 17 assists for the Warriors, who finished with 12 wins overall and reached the Div. 3 South semifinal. It was the third straight season that Foxboro set a new program best for points. Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk said, “In all my years of coaching hockey I’ve never seen a player with a more competitive mindset than Ronnie. When he had the puck it was hard for other opponents to get the puck from him. He would give everything he had every shift.”
 

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Franklin sophomore forward Dylan Marchand has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Boys Hockey Underclassman of the Year for the 2019-2020 season. This is the seventh season that the award has been given out. He is the first Franklin player to earn this honor.

“Dylan may be the fastest player that I’ve seen in the Hock,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “He just flies up and down the ice and there never seems to be a puck that he can’t chase down, but he also has the attitude to never back down or let up. He has the potential to lead the Franklin attack for the next couple of seasons.”

Marchand scored four goals and had nine assists during his debut season on varsity and going up against Franklin’s typically loaded schedule. He helped the Panthers win another Kelley-Rex division crown and then added another goal and two assists in three playoff games, as Franklin made a run back to the Div. 1 South semifinal.

“He is such an electrifying young player to say the very least,” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno. “His passion, high energy, and pure skill level are amazing for a sophomore! I can just imagine as he matures and grows what his game is gonna look like? I will say, if this year was any indication, I have absolutely no doubt what-so-ever that he will be one of the best players in Division 1 high school hockey! To top it all off he is one of the nicest kids and such a great teammate! He just loves hockey and bleeds Panther blue!”

Marchand is the third player from the Kelley-Rex division to win the award and second in a row. He joins North Attleboro’s Sean Young (2013) and Mansfield’s Matty Copponi (2019). Other previous winners include North Attleboro’s Ryan Warren (2016) and Canton’s Johnny Hagan (2018), Ryan Nolte (2017), Jackson Maffeo (2015) and Matt Lazaro (2014).

 

Nick Piazza – Attleboro – Goalie
Attleboro sophomore Nick Piazza exploded onto the scene this season, emerging as one of the top goaltenders between the pipes. After seeing little time last year, Piazza was a reliable option for the Bombardiers this year. In back-to-back games, he held Mansfield and Canton to just one third period goal each. In 19 games, Piazza had 489 saves with a 0.911 save percentage and two shutouts. “Nick was the backbone of our team this past season,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “He showed the poise and consistency of a four-year veteran in every situation he faced this year. Nick focuses just as hard in practice as he does in games and never allows himself to lose that concentration in wanting to be the best that he can be.”
 

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Jack DeMoura – Taunton – Defense
DeMoura, a sophomore defenseman, proved to be a dynamic presence on the Taunton blue line and a playmaker on the Tigers power play unit. DeMoura scored once this season and added 22 assists, as the Tigers returned to the postseason and picked up a playoff win. Taunton coach Kris Metea said, “Jack is the best of both worlds. He has a penchant for puck movement which makes him one of the better playmakers in the league, but is tough, hard-nosed and plays the game with a heart on his sleeve.”

 

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Eoin Reager – Foxboro – Defense
Reager, a sophomore who played several positions for the Warriors this season, stepped into a bigger role this winter and showed that he can give Foxboro another strong presence in attack. Reager scored four goals and had 10 assists and seemed to get better as the season progressed. Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk said, “Eoin improved in all aspects of his game. From his stick-handling, shooting, and overall confidence made him a huge part of our team’s success this season.”

 

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Nolan Feyler – King Philip – Forward
Feyler, a sophomore forward, emerged as one of the league’s top young offensive players and helped the Warriors challenge for the league title and make a return to the state tournament. He scored 10 goals and assisted on six others. His 16 points was tied for fourth-best on the team. KP coach Paul Carlow said, “He had a strong sophomore season scoring 10 goals. He’s got good stick skills and an accurate shot. He’s going to get better as he gets stronger.”

 

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Eamon Kelly – Canton – Forward
Kelly, a sophomore forward, emerged as a scoring threat last winter during Canton’s run to a state title and he returned from an early season injury to add scoring punch and help Canton win a second straight championship. Despite missing the start of the season, he scored five goals and assisted on 12 more. Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “Eamon battled his way through injuries since the start of the season, and we were a different, better team when he was in the lineup. He is a team-first player whose speed, toughness, and grit allowed his linemates to thrive.”

 

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Dylan Marchand – Franklin – Forward
Marchand, a sophomore forward, stepped right onto the first line for the Panthers this season and his speed and tenacity was one of the reasons that Franklin won another league title. Marchand, the 2020 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year (see above), finished the season with five goals and 11 assists, including a goal and two assists during Franklin’s run to the Div. 1 South semifinal. Franklin coach Anthony Sarno said, “He is such an electrifying young player to say the very least. His passion, high energy, and pure skill level are amazing for a sophomore!”

 

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Foxboro senior Espen Reager has been selected as the 2020 HockomockSports.com Goalie of the Year. Reager is the seventh goalie to receive the honor in its eighth season being awarded.

“Espen has been outstanding for the Warriors and one of the main reasons that the program made huge improvements over the past couple of seasons,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “He stood up against some of the league’s top attacking teams and shut them down. Having a goalie like Espen in net gave the entire team confidence that it could hang with anyone.”

Reager, who was named Hockomock League MVP in 2019, was third in the league in goals against average, allowing less than two goals per game and he made 493 saves in the regular season. With Reager standing tall in goal, the Warriors won a program-best 12 games, finished .500 in league play, and reached the Div. 3 South semifinal. He is going to play juniors with the Northeast Generals next year with an eye towards playing at the collegiate level.

“Espen has been unbelievable for our program, a total game-changer,” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “His level of focus and his ability has made him one of the top high school goalies in the state. He will play at the next level.”

Reager is the first Foxboro goalie and the sixth goalie from the Davenport division to earn this award, following Oliver Ames’ Jimmy Tierney (2013 and 2014), Canton’s Justin Slocum (2016) and Quinn Gibbs (2017), and North Attleboro’s Ryan Warren (2019).

Honorable Mention: Sean McCafferty (Mansfield), Ray Ivers (Franklin), Nick Piazza (Attleboro)

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Coach of the Year – Mark Cedorchuk, Foxboro

Foxboro head coach Mark Cedorchuk has been named the 2020 HockomockSports.com Boys Hockey Coach of the Year after leading the Warriors to the most points in program history and a spot in the Div. 3 South semifinal.

The Warriors won 12 games this season, finished second in the Davenport division while going .500 in league play for the first time, and collected a program-best 29 points. Foxboro also won a pair of games in the playoffs to reach the South semifinal before losing a close game against perennial power Hanover.

During the regular season, Foxboro tied league rivals Franklin (for the second season in a row), North Attleboro, and Mansfield and lost by only two goals to state champion Canton. The Warriors went 12 games unbeaten (9-0-3 over that stretch) after the loss to the Bulldogs, including wins over Abington and No. 2 seed St. John Paul II to reach the South semifinal. Foxboro was second in the league with 74 goals scored and second with 38 goals allowed. Only Canton was better in either category.

“Mark has led Foxboro to the program’s best ever season in each of the last three years,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “He’s worked through graduations and players defecting to junior programs and kept the Warriors rolling along. Teams know they’re going to be in for a battle when they take on Foxboro and the Warriors are capable of competing with the league’s best teams every game.”

This is the second time that Cedorchuk has earned this honor, after also being selected in 2018. He joins former Franklin coach Chris Spillane (2015 and 2016) and Canton coach Brian Shuman (2013, 2014, and 2019) as repeat winners of this award.

Honorable Mention: Brian Shuman (Canton), Anthony Sarno (Franklin), Paul Carlow (King Philip)