The 2023-24 Roxbury Hockey season has been anticipated for months now. With football ending, all eyes are on the Roxbury hockey team. Kicking off the season with a 7-3 win against Mountain Lakes, the team has set the bar high for the 23-24 season.
The team consists of 6 seniors, 7 juniors, 3 sophomores, and 5 freshmen. Leading the team are seniors, Sean Hardy (#4), Connor Stark (#7), Christian Sokolowski (#19), Gavin Barooah (#21), A.J. Mancuso (#23), and Nick Pieper (#29). Hardy and Barooah are returning for their 4th varsity seasons, Sokolowski and Mancuso with their 2nd varsity years, and following them, Stark and Pieper, with their first varsity hockey season. Following a 11-8 record from the 22-23 season, the team has a lot to prove: accumulating 200 points (85 goals, 115 assists). This is a great improvement from the 21-22 season, with a 1-13-2 record. After the loss of 9 talented seniors from this previous season, the team is bringing their A-game with new skills and techniques to contribute to their current success. Roxbury Hockey Coach Benbow has been coaching over 20 years, and will hopefully lead the team to another great season. The Roxbury Varsity Hockey team consists of 18 boys and 3 girls. I had the pleasure of interviewing 2 of the talented girls pregame, where we were able to discuss them as well as their involvement in the sport.
Alexis Oliveira
Being the oldest girl, and a role model for younger female players, junior Alexis Oliveira is an inspiration for generations to come. Oliveira has been playing hockey since she was 8, and is currently being scouted by multiple D1 schools, hoping to continue her athletic and academic career at one of the top schools in the country. She explained, “When I started hockey I had always played with boys, and never had a girl to stand next to me. To be that someone for younger girls is really special to me because I want to be able to give them the opportunity and support that I didn’t have when I was younger, so I can remind them that they can do anything the boys can do.”
Amanda Katz
Freshman Amanda Katz, has been skating alongside her siblings from her earliest days in the rink. Katz currently plays with her brother on varsity, Junior Justin Katz, and has played club hockey, as well as synchronized skating, with her sister, Junior Julia Katz. (Fun fact: the author skated for Precisely Right, a synchronized skating team, with both girls in 2016 and 2017 – See attached photo.) Katz is a goalie, and is kicking off her first varsity season with a .700 save percentage. After talking with this player, she explained that being a goalie is “largely a mental game, and it’s definitely a hard position.” She added that trusting her teammates to protect her is really important when it comes to playing such a critical position. Amanda started hockey back in August, unknowingly preparing herself to make Varsity as a freshman only 4 months later. Katz plans to spend this season growing as a player, and is excited to spend the next few months learning, playing, and having a great time with her hockey family.
Additionally, the team is currently preparing to prove themselves with their tough upcoming match-ups. I had the opportunity to speak to 2 more players, Senior Gavin Barooah, and Junior Griffin Warsaw.
Griffin Warsaw
Griffin Warsaw, a junior at Roxbury High School, is once again playing defense for his 3rd varsity season. As a defense, Griffin’s job is to “protect the goalie and get the puck out of the defensive zone.” Warsaw’s favorite part of the sport is being able to check people in game, and get assists. He has been playing hockey for 14 years, and loves the fast pace of the game. Griffin hopes to make it to the HAAS cup finals, and to individually lead the team in assists and blocked shots. Teammate Alexis Oliveira describe Warsaw as, “A great player, teammate, and an individual that you can rely on to step up when needed.” Griffin is a talented individual on and off the ice so we’re excited for what he has to bring this season.
Gavin Barooah
Gavin Barooah has been playing for Roxbury Varsity Hockey since his freshman days, starting his high school career during the 2020-2021 season. Barooah plays defense and has been playing hockey for 12 years. He explained, “As a defense your job is basically to stop anything from getting to your goalie. I love it because you’re able to hit the other team and basically be the quarterback for your offense. Constantly making plays and dictating how each play works.” He originally started hockey at the age of 6, and has stuck with the sport into his senior year. Barooah says, “I love how much team bonding and discipline I’ve learned over the years.” He accumulated 7 goals and 11 assists in the 22-23 season and hopes to win the HAAS cup this year. Additionally, Barooah hopes to spend his last season “having fun and enjoying my last year of hockey as much as I possibly can.” As a captain and a senior, there is a lot of responsibility he holds. Barooah explained, “It feels way different from when I was a freshman, honestly it’s a lot better and you gain a lot more respect as you get older. Being a leader is kind of pressuring as you’re supposed to lead the team while playing your part at the same time.” And speaking on his title of captain this year, “As a captain you have a bunch of responsibilities, but it shows that you’re capable of being a leader and being able to steer your team in the right direction.” Look out for #21 this season, because Gavin Barooah is ready to take the ice for his his final season.
Roxbury Hockey has an exciting season awaiting them, so come out and support the team when you can! The team has so many assets, with new and many talented players to watch, coming together for hopefully their best season yet. Roxbury Hockey is lucky to be able to host all of the talented seniors playing for their last season, and we hope the best for the team for what’s to come this year! Good luck Roxbury Hockey!
