Mamaroneck may be coming into the 2016-17 season with a huge target on its back, but with a healthy host of returning players—and one of the top netminders in the state—the Tigers’ prospects are bright. But as the group gets set to defend their state title on the ice, they will need some contributions from a number of players eager to step up and compete on the varsity level.
Last March, the Tigers brought home Westchester County’s first-ever state title with a 1-0 win over West Genesee in the NYPHSAA ice hockey finals. This year, they enter their regular season campaign with a strong group of players who helped secure that championship, including goalie Tommy Spero, who made 27 saves against West Genesee to cap off a tremendous run that earned him both tournament MVP and All-State honors.
“Obviously we graduated a good group of kids, but we have a nice core back this year,” head coach Mike Chiapparelli said. “And of course, we bring back Tommy who could be the best player in the state.”
In front of Spero will be Nick Campbell, who enters the season as the team’s only returning defenseman, but Chiapparelli is confident that a handful of players who got time on Mamaroneck’s varsity B team last year will be able to step up and make immediate contributions.
Mamaroneck established its second varsity team last season, and the head coach believes that it will pay dividends in terms of providing players with valuable experience. “Every other program in the state, they’re retooling their team with modified players,” he said. “But I think our guys got that varsity experience last year and will be able to step right in.”
Offensively, the Tigers will rely on players like James Torre, Matt DiCicco, Will Payne and Michael Carducci, who all played major roles in last year’s state title run. Although the Tigers went four lines deep last year, Chiapparelli said they will initially start out with a three-line rotation, but that might change as the season progresses.
“We have a fourth line that is pretty good,” the head coach said. “We definitely have depth.”
The Tigers will open the season on Nov. 25, when they travel to Albany for a game against Bethlehem Central.
The Tigers will play a number of tough non-Section I teams in order to prepare them for stiff tests within their conference, which has been designated as the section’s power league this year. Their first league game will take place on Dec. 2, when they host league rival Rye at Hommocks.
“For us, it doesn’t make much of a difference because we were in a power league last year,” Chiapparelli said. “We still play against teams like Rye, Scarsdale and Pelham; the only new team is Suffern, and we played them twice last year anyway.”
Prior to their home-opener against the Garnets, Mamaroneck will raise its 2016 state championship banner.
