Young Gulls Take To The Ice

Oct. 8, 2004

Endicott College hockey coach Brian Wylie hopes youth - and young legs - will be served as the Gulls enter their third full season with a talented, energetic squad that features 14 freshmen. But if the team hopes to build on the success of last year's edition (7-10-2) that made the playoffs with a torrid, final-week run in the regular season, it will need a strong, consistent effort from its 14 returning lettermen.

"Our team this year consists of experienced older players as well as a good mix of quality freshman," said Wylie. "Entering our third official year in the NorthEast Collegiate Hockey Association, this is a good time to establish the quality of the hockey program we're building."

Leading the charge will be tri-captains Adam Partaledis, a no-nonsense junior with a nose for the corners, scrappy sniper Joe Dudek (co-team leader in points last year), and gritty senior defenseman Derek Gagnon. Returning offensive weapons also include shifty senior Jason Fall, who scored several clutch goals last year, co-team scoring leader Mark Vaughn (19 points), relentless winger Kenny Dargon, speedy center Mike Tonucci, grinding winger Casey Marini (11 goals), imposing power forward Mike Manfredi, and wiry sophomore forward Tim Murphy. New to the offensive mix is: Chris Garafolo, a skilled power forward with a nice scoring touch (second point total in Massachusetts last year); Nick Turczak, who won the Western Massachusetts scoring title last year; Bryan Caccamo, a creative playmaker with good hockey sense; Joel Orlando, a digger with quick hands and great character; Jack Storti, a good skater with a knack for finding the net; Dennis Uhlman, a very versatile player and a natural leader; and Darcy Wiart, a reliable playmaker with size.

On the blueline, the Gulls will have a new look as well, with Gagnon, feisty junior Scott Vaughn and converted forward Brendan Mack joined by a group of capable freshmen, including: Mike Ripley, a 6-foot-2 bruiser with good awareness; Brendan Donnelly, who captained his Vermont team his junior and senior years; Jeff Lallier, a rugged worker who played on back-to-back Vermont championships teams; Brian Sullivan, a big, highly skilled player with the versatility to play either forward or defense; and Mike Feeheley, a strong, 6-foot defenseman who earned All-Conference honors his junior and senior years.

Fortunately, a key position - goaltending - figures to be a strong suit for the Gulls, with rock-solid, two-year starter Jeff Pardue of Maine and Dan Rudy, a quietly combative sophomore from Fitchburg, being challenged for ice time by promising freshmen Josh Provost, a classic butterfly goalie from Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Vermont, and Chris Gulino, a local product from Triton Regional High School who recorded the lowest goals-against average in Cape Ann League during his senior year.