Baseball: Keleher has Blue Devils on a roll
Taking over the Salem baseball program a dozen years ago, Dan Keleher was looking to do a little more than coach. Establishing his own program as a perennial New Hampshire power was priority No. 1.
Mission accomplished.
After going 58-58 in his first six years, the Keleher Effect took full stride. His clubs have been the one constant in Class L baseball over the last six years, posting a 105-32 mark.
This spring did not deviate from the norm as the Blue Devils rolled to the No. 1 seed in Class L then continued on to the state title game vs. Goffstown.
"There's a lot of pride in this program, and most of that starts with coach Keleher," said senior Kyle Johnson.
The Blue Devils have now reached four state finals since 2003 (winning it all in 2003), feature unselfish ballplayers who treat the game with respect.
With a 19-4 record this spring, Salem won its second Fab 5 championship in the last six years.
A teacher at Salem High, Keleher is offensive coordinator for the Blue Devils' football team in the fall.
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Kevin Maloney, Greater Lawrence; 2006 — Frank Carey, North Reading; 2005 — Mark Rowe, Georgetown; 2004 — Brent Demas, Londonderry; 2003 — Eric Cyr, Methuen; 2002 — Scott Blaney, Greater Lawrence
Softball: Walsh still winning big
Taking over a program five years ago which was in critical condition, Bob Walsh gave Haverhill softball life.
For the fifth straight year, Haverhill improved or equalled the previous season's mark.
In his previous stint, the 61-year-old Walsh led Haverhill to the state tournament 12 times in 13 years, reaching the Division 1 state finals in 1988. After he prematurely left, Haverhill suffered seven straight losing seasons, a 30-110 record and didn't once reach the state tournament.
Since Walsh returned in 2004, the Hillies have steadily improved, from two wins his first year to five wins in 2005, nine victories in 2006 and 11 in both 2007 and this past spring. This year's 11-8 record was the best for Haverhill since 1996, when he was still coaching.
When Walsh took over in 2004, he stated that he would return to what had worked in the past.
"I'm going to go back to what was successful before, which is fundamentals," said Walsh, who, in the mid-'80s, similarly revived a struggling Haverhill boys basketball program. "Nothing fancy."
With help from assistant coach Mike Johnson, Walsh has gotten the players to come out and developed a sound work ethic while also making softball more fun than it had been in years. It's a formula that worked once before and is now working again.
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Rusty Russell, North Reading; 2006 — Brian Martin, North Andover; 2005 — Dan Carbone, Sanborn; 2004 — Terry Bailey, Pinkerton; 2003 — Mike Sorter, Timberlane; 2002 — Harold Sachs, Salem
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Boys tennis: Co-coaches lead Salem to historic season
Validating one cliche — "Two heads are better than one." — Salem High co-coaches Gary Duranko and Michael Jolicoeur continue to debunk the notion that in tennis: "Too many cooks spoil the broth."
Duranko and Jolicoeur continue to thrive in tandem at Salem as evidenced by the Blue Devils' first-ever state championship. That's first in 52 years!
It's been two years since the duo took over under trying circumstances with the passing of longtime coach Bob Rhoades just before the season began.
In 2006, Salem rolled to an 11-3 mark, falling in the state semis. Last year, it was 13-3, again with an early exit in the semis.
Salem needed to find a way to capture the big one and came together this time around.
In 2008, Jolicoeur and Duranko proved that Salem boys tennis, under their direction, would not only win. They would do it with class.
After the Blue Devils made it 17-0, winning the state final in thrilling 5-4 fashion over Londonderry, it might have been easy for the coaches to bask in the glory.
Not these two.
"We want to credit Bob Rhoades, he built the program," said Jolicoeur, deflecting the praise. "The seniors on this team were freshmen during his last season and they really went out there and did it for him."
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Dick Canepa, Pentucket; 2006 — Gary Duranko and Michael Jolicoeur, Salem; 2005 — Rob Mailey, North Andover; 2004 — Mark Bisognano, North Reading; 2003 — David Hughes, North Andover; 2002 — David Hughes, North Andover
Girls tennis: Milka is a master psychologist
As a long-time competitive player herself, Londonderry's Patty Milka has a thorough knowledge of skill development and strategy on the court.
Both were no doubt vital in helping the Lancers complete the regular season undefeated (14-0) as the state's No. 1 seed and advance to the championship match of the Class L tournament.
But our Coach of the Year considers her job as much psychologist as coach. The mental side of the game was instrumental in the Lancers' success.
"It is important to really get to know your players," said Milka, who was also Coach of the Year in 2005. "After awhile, you can see who might have a bad day just by the look on their face when they show up. When that happens, you have to be flexible. Always have a Plan B.
"So much of tennis is mental. I've been fortunate to have most of my players for four years. As their skills improved, the next hurdle was attitude, staying positive and staying focused. But, with this group, the biggest hurdle was to help them breathe, relax and play their game."
Milka's mental approach worked wonders. Not only did Londonderry enjoy its best season since the Eagle-Tribune began keeping records in 1988, but sophomore Kelli Murphy became the first local player (boy or girl) ever to win the N.H. state singles title.
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Jen Griffin, Andover; 2006 — David Hughes, Andover; 2005 — Patty Milka, Londonderry; 2004 — Curt Killion, Salem; 2003 — Curt Killion, Salem; 2002 — Tony Russo, Andover
Boys track: Nugent kept Knights together through adversity
To Steve Nugent and North Andover, the spring wasn't really about track. It was about perseverance.
When senior Alex Farese died on April 21, a week after collapsing on the track, everything changed. Nugent, a guidance counselor at North Andover High, worked double duty.
He helped his students grieve and coached his stunned team.
"The kids are front and center," he said shortly afterward.
He did the right thing, easing his team back into the swing of the season. He led the team on several memorial walks around the track. Students from rival schools joined in.
"It was pretty emotional," Nugent said at the time, "almost therapeutic."
As the spring progressed, the Scarlet Knights began to heat up. They finished 8-2 in dual meets. On May 24, they finished third overall at the Cape Ann League meet with 941/2 points.
If Nugent and his team have their way, Farese will never be forgotten. Last month's Walk for Alex, Nugent said, raised more than $10,700.
Previous Pete O'Sullivan Award winners
2007 — Mike Leal and Sully Grella, Central; 2006 — Roger Fuller, Methuen; 2005 — Steve Nugent, North Andover; 2004 — Joe Patrone, Lawrence; 2003 — Pete O'Sullivan, Central; 2002 — Pete O'Sullivan, Central
Girls track: Sullivan led Raiders to surprising season
Third-year coach Katie Sullivan, who graduated from University of Maryland five short years ago, got the most out of her athletes this spring.
Central Catholic won its second straight Merrimack Valley championship, finishing with 1401/2 points, nearly doubling second-place Lowell (78). They also won the Eastern Mass. Division 2 title with 76 points, topping second-place Mansfield by 12 points.
"We didn't think we were going to come out and dominate at all," she said at the time. "It was really surprising."
It was a sweet victory for the Raiders, who finished second to Tewksbury — by one point, 64-63 — at the EMass Division 2 meet last year.
This year, they only had one champion (Sara Missert), but put together an impressive team performance.
"We really had to chip away at it," Sullivan said after the meet. "We didn't have a lot of top seeds going into today, so we knew if it was going to happen, it was going to happen this way."
Sullivan's squad had no shortage of excellent performers. Missert was EMass Division 2 champ in the long jump and Lauren Berg finished second in the javelin.
Sullivan, a teacher at Central Catholic, graduated from Suffolk Law in 2006.
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Sotirios Pintzopoulos, North Reading; 2006 — Rick DelleChiaie, North Andover; 2005 — Peter Comeau, Andover; 2004 — Jodi Linnehan-Kriner, Central; 2003 — Peter Comeau, Andover; 2002 — Mike Maguire, Haverhill
Boys lacrosse: Connolly has built a powerhouse
Steve Connolly's name has become synonymous with North Andover lacrosse.
"He's been around forever," said senior Steve Collura. "He's very passionate about lacrosse and loves coaching."
In his 10th season, Connolly, who helped found the program, has continued to develop powerhouses. This season, the Scarlet Knights went 17-5 for the second straight season and advanced to the Eastern Mass. Division 2 quarterfinals. The 17 wins were the most for a local team this year.
"He is very intense," said Collura, a four-year player. "You can say that for sure. I was very intimidated going into my freshman season. But he reminds you he is on your side."
Under his tutelage, the Scarlet Knights have never finished below .500, have won at least 13 games in eight seasons, and even won 10 games in their first season. The 2003 Eagle-Tribune Coach of the Year, whose record is 147-62, has led North Andover to the tourney in every season.
The former UMass star, whose two sons were both brilliant players for the Scarlet and Black, has also made an impact on his players.
"Over four years I have learned a lot from him," said Collura, who will play at Queens (N.C.) University. "The strengths in my game come from what he taught me."
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Wayne Puglisi, Andover; 2006 — Wayne Puglisi, Andover; 2005 — Chuck Campobasso, North Reading; 2004 — Wayne Puglisi, Andover; 2003 — Steve Connolly, North Andover; 2002 — Tom Sawyer, Londonderry
Girls lacrosse: Hillies' Cripps demands excellence
Haverhill High coach Melinda Cripps isn't content to sit on the sidelines and bark out instructions.
"At practice she will be out there with her goggles and mouth guard doing line drills with us," said senior tri-captain Theresa Whittredge. "She just loves the game that much."
Cripps' coaching strategy certainly seemed to click this season.
After just one win in the program's first two seasons (1-37-1), the Hillies surged to an 8-9 record and an appearance in the Division 1 North tourney. Haverhill finished with a flair, winning five of its final six regular season games.
"In the first two years, coach was trying to get the program off the ground," said Whittredge. "But this season she was tougher. She got her point across we could win."
Win they did.
Cripps, who played at Beverly High and Bridgewater State, founded the Haverhill High program in 2006. And the Haverhill High guidance counselor, who was a first-year coach in the program's initial season, has become known for her intensity.
"I would be on the other side of the field and I could hear her screaming every game," said Whittredge with a laugh. "She is very spirited and she loves us. She is just strict."
Cripps, who has a master's degree from Assumption, is the mother of a 1-year-old boy, Jared.
Previous Coaches of the Year
2007 — Karen Lahey, North Andover; 2006 — Erin Carroll, Brooks; 2005 — Faith Wahlen, Salem; 2004 — Bryon Murphy, Pinkerton; 2003 — Alan McCarthy, Masconomet; 2002 — Ryan Polley, Andover
