By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

Last winter, the Holliston boys’ hockey team formed a co-op with Ashland, and the newly developed team played much better than they had in previous years. The Holliston-Ashland co-op went 9-10-1, earning themselves a 26 seed in the Division 3 State Tournament. Unfortunately, they fell to Melrose, a seven seed, in the first round 3-2 in overtime, despite playing very competitively.

Leading the team are two Ashland athletes in Oliver Lareau, a senior captain winger, and Tim Duane. Lareau was a 20-plus goal scorer for Holliston last season, and coach Derek Bedard is looking for him to take on a leadership role this season. Duane will also be looked upon to take his game to the next level as a leader as well as a goal scorer. According to the coach, the players love him in the locker room.

In addition to the Ashland players taking a lead, the coach will also be looking to senior defenseman Grady Lukis and Cullen Forde, both from Holliston. Both players are entering their third season with the team and bring leadership as well as energy to the ice. They will anchor the team’s defense, and Holliston will have one of them on the ice at all times. 

“Having graduated three top defensemen from last year’s team, we are more forward heavy this year,” Bedard said. “However, we will be looking for Grady and Cullen to take more of a role in helping the younger defenseman step up their game.”

In addition to his four leaders, Bedard is also excited about a trio of sophomore players, all from Holliston, taking the leap this season. Colin Grant, last year’s Junior Varsity MVP; Ollie Sanford, who played alongside Grant, and EJ Georgelis. 

Bedard noted that Grant and Sanford took the next step with their development and put on some size in terms of weight and muscle while bringing a quickness to the ice; something that the team lacked in the past. While the duo played a lot together last winter, the Coach is looking to separate them to spread their speed out, but he is sure that at some point during the year they may play on the same line for a game or two. 

Georgelis, on the other hand, played club hockey last year and will be playing varsity hockey for Holliston for the first year, so Bedard doesn’t know much about him except for what he has seen in the early stages of tryouts. Thus far, the Holliston coach is hoping for production from all three athletes when the season begins.

Last season, Holliston had three senior goalies on their squad, but with all of them having graduated, Bedard will be going with two sophomores this winter. Will Ward from Holliston and Liam Maki from Ashland have been playing together on the same team for years as a tandem. Bedard is hoping to keep the two alternating throughout the season but will go with the goalie who has the hot hand at any point during the season. Being that the two have played together in the past, neither is worried about who is number one.

Junior Mac Roberts is another player that is definitely one who is well liked in the locker room . He is the glue of the team and brings an energy while playing the entire ice. Bedard is hoping that his goal scoring and veteran presence add to the speed the younger athletes bring to the ice.

Senior captain Brogan Roche, who began playing for Holliston years ago as a defenseman, was moved into a forward position, and this year, the center will be playing in the top six for Holliston. He is a playmaker with a high hockey IQ and sees the ice really well, allowing him to find that open guy.

As the season gets underway, Bedard is hoping that his squad can accomplish at least 10 wins, allowing them to get into the playoffs. Once there, anything can happen.

“I am really excited about this year,” Bedard said. “It is the first time in a few years where the lineup choices will be difficult. It is something that a coach fears but actually wants. We should have three solid lines, and the fourth will be one that I am confident in as well.”