Winter to Remember

Ryan Nolte solidified his place among the CHS all-time hockey greats with an unforgettable senior season. (Mike Barucci photo)

The Canton Citizen is pleased to announce its 2018-19 winter all-star selections. The full list appears in this week’s print edition as part of the Citizen’s annual winter sports wrap-up.

Boys Co-MVP

Devin Foster (Basketball)

A generational talent who redefined basketball excellence over a brilliant four-year career, Foster went from great player to all-time legend in a senior season with too many accomplishments to count. Not only did he set a new career scoring mark with 1,306 points — shattering the previous program record set nearly two decades earlier; he did so while facing constant double and triple teams. He could shoot, pass, and guard multiple positions, and he excelled on the boards while setting a new record for rebounding average. “Devin helped change the culture of Canton basketball,” said head coach Ryan Gordy. “His humble approach, character and work ethic forced everyone else in our program to fall in line with those values. There is no replacing him or replicating what Devin Foster has done or what he’s meant to our program.”

Boys Co-MVP (Hockey)

Ryan Nolte

A senior captain and an offensive force unlike any that Canton has ever seen, Nolte sailed past the 100-point mark for his career with a 71-point season that was tops in the state. He was equally as prolific as both a scorer (32g) and a playmaker (39a), and he was the clear top dog on a team that went 25-0-1 and cruised to the Division 2 state championship. While improbably snubbed for the Hockomock League MVP award, Nolte shares the rarified air that Foster occupies in basketball as an all-time great, and if CHS hockey had a Hall of Fame he’d be a first-ballot lock. “I would absolutely put him as one of the greatest players not only that I’ve ever coached but to ever put on a Bulldog uniform,” said head coach Brian Shuman.

Girls MVP (Hockey)

Maggie Malloy

A senior captain and one of the most accomplished CHS girls hockey players of all time, Malloy wrapped up her career with an MVP season, earning the official league award to go along with countless other honors. A 100-point scorer for her career, she finished the 2019 campaign with a league-leading 23 goals while placing second on the team with 12 assists. “When you watch her play you can’t tell if it’s a game or a practice because she works the same no matter what,” said head coach Dennis Aldrich. “She is simply the hardest worker and most dedicated player I’ve ever coached.”

Boys Hockey

Johnny Hagan

A Bulldog legend in multiple sports and still only a junior, Hagan teamed with linemate Ryan Nolte to form one of the most formidable one-two punches in Massachusetts high school hockey history — a fact that was never more evident than in the state championship game where they had a hand in five of the Bulldogs’ six goals (three of which were scored by Hagan). Head coach Brian Shuman said that Hagan is arguably the fiercest competitor he has ever coached, not to mention one of the team’s top defensive players. He finished the season with an astounding 52 points and now has 111 for his career with another full season to go.

Michael Staffiere

One of the greatest single-season goalies in recent memory, Staffiere stepped between the pipes as a senior and immediately became a star, showing absolutely no fear as he led the Bulldogs to an undefeated record and a Division 2 state championship. He seemed to be at his best when the stakes were highest and finished the season with eye-popping numbers (0.89 GAA) while earning All-Hockomock and Boston Globe All-Scholastic honors.

Owen Lehane

A junior defenseman and an All-Hockomock selection, Lehane was a force for the state champion Bulldogs on the blue line all season, anchoring a defense that allowed just 23 total goals. Tough, smart and skilled, Lehane consistently shut down the opposing teams’ best offensive players and also contributed himself offensively with four goals and 10 assists, including the opening goal in the Division 2 south final.

Jack Connolly

A junior defenseman, Connolly was another key part of one of the most dominant defensive units in recent memory, and his impact was felt on nearly every shift he skated. But what made Connolly a special player this season was his offensive output, as he placed fourth overall on the team with 25 points. He also had a huge early goal in the state championship to cap off what Coach Shuman called the best offensive season for a defenseman he has ever seen …

See this week’s Canton Citizen for the full list of all stars as well as summaries of every CHS winter sports team. Click here to subscribe today.

Share This Post

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=54178