Canton Citizen recognizes 2022 Winter Sports All-Stars

Junior AJ Thomas was Canton’s leading scorer in the regular season and postseason. (Mike Tureski photo)

The Canton Citizen is pleased to announce its 2021-22 winter all-star selections. A partial list is included below. The full list, complete with write-ups for each athlete, appears in the April 21 print edition as part of the Citizen’s annual winter sports wrap-up section.

Boys MVP

AJ Thomas (Hockey)

Of all the storylines in this year’s historic winter season, few were as impressive, or as pleasantly surprising, as the sudden star turn of junior winger AJ Thomas. A solid role player in his varsity debut last season, Thomas broke out in a big way in 2022, becoming the Bulldogs’ top goal scorer and earning a well-deserved league all-star nod. As if his 15 regular-season goals weren’t impressive enough, he then went out and added six more during Canton’s run to the state title game, scoring in all five tournament games — including the OT clincher in their quarterfinal win over Walpole. “AJ has really developed into an all-around great player, and I don’t think he gets enough appreciation for that,” noted head coach Brian Shuman. “He is someone you felt comfortable having on the ice at the end of a tight game, and he’s certainly someone you could count on if you needed a goal — with an ability to finish like no one else I’ve seen in a long time.”

Girls Co-MVP

Fay Gallery (Basketball)

A senior captain and HockomockSports.com’s Player of the Year for 2022, Gallery took another leap this season into ‘alpha dog’ status as she powered the Bulldogs to a historic finish with a team-leading 18.6 points per game to go along with 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals per game. Not only was she the best player down the stretch on a team that advanced to the state quarterfinals; she also made history of her own — becoming just the third CHS girls basketball player ever to top 1,000 points for her career. And with the season on the line against Westwood in the second round of the playoffs, it was Gallery who came through in the clutch, drilling a three with just seconds remaining to seal the OT win.

Girls Co-MVP

Allie McCabe (Hockey)

A four-year varsity player and this year’s league MVP winner, McCabe solidified her standing among the program greats with another brilliant campaign that culminated in a trip to the D2 state final. With a rare blend of athleticism, smarts, and fearlessness, McCabe impacted games in all three zones while logging a ton of ice time and serving as the Bulldogs’ defensive anchor and overall tone setter. She led the entire league in blocked shots and was a key source of points on the back end, finishing with six goals and 11 assists. “Allie was our best skater and very often was the best player on the ice in our games,” said head coach Dennis Aldrich. “She came into the year with high expectations and it’s safe to say she exceeded all of them.”

Boys Basketball

Lanse Dorcelus

A senior captain and league all-star, Dorcelus was the Bulldogs’ offensive engine, averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game and proving he could score in a variety of ways. “As Lanse hit his offensive rhythm, his three-point shooting improved,” noted head coach Eric MacKinnon. “He really had a good year and had multiple games with more than 20 points.” He also was a strong rebounder (6.4 rpg) and improved significantly as a defender, averaging 1.5 steals per contest.

Matt Chafin

A budding talent at the guard position, Chafin was another key piece of the Canton offense and was recognized as an All-Hockomock honorable mention. Able to score from both inside and out, he averaged 9.3 points per game while connecting on 37 percent of his three-point attempts. He also chipped in with 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Girls Basketball

Kiara Cerruti

A four-year starter and CHS hoops legend, Cerruti went out with a bang in her final year in a Bulldog uniform, earning league MVP honors and surpassing former Canton great Eileen Morneau to became the program’s new all-time leading scorer. Averaging 17.2 points per game, Cerruti will long be remembered for her impressive shooting range and her array of moves to the basket. An accomplished distance runner as well, she plans to continue her athletic career next fall at UMass Dartmouth.

Sydney Gallery

A senior captain and the other key piece of Canton’s “big three” along with Cerruti and twin sister Fay Gallery, Sydney turned in an all-star-worthy campaign of her own with her all-around contributions, team-first mindset, and phenomenal leadership skills. In addition to providing value as a rebounder and defender, she was a talented scorer in her own right, finishing 16th in the Hockomock League this year (10.7 ppg) and totaling 816 points for her career.

Boys Hockey

Brennen Pecararo

Joining his hometown team for his senior season after three years with the Boston Advantage, Pecararo proved to be a major difference maker in the Bulldogs’ road to the Garden. “To say that Brennen was a huge addition to this team this year would be an understatement,” noted head coach Brian Shuman. In addition to solidifying Canton’s end of the ice as a top defenseman, Pecararo also made a big impact as both a playmaker and a scoring threat, tallying eight goals and a team-high 18 assists.

Eamon Kelly

A senior captain and league all-star, Kelly was the “heartbeat” of this year’s Bulldog team, according to Coach Shuman. “He battled through injuries all year long, inspiring his teammates with his toughness and elevating his game when we needed it most,” Shuman said. In addition to providing point-per-game production on the top forward line, Kelly was named MVP of the Ed Burns tournament and delivered one of the season’s most memorable performances in an overtime win over D1 Reading.

Sean Connolly

A fellow captain and league all-star, Connolly wrapped up a stellar four-year career with another outstanding season. As the team’s top defenseman, he anchored a unit that allowed just 1.4 goals per game — and only 25 total during their 22-game winning streak. “Sean was our defensive rock this past season, playing huge minutes and always bringing his best in the biggest games,” said Coach Shuman. He also chipped in offensively with five goals and 11 assists.

Brendan Tourgee

Only a sophomore, Tourgee enjoyed a breakout season for the Bulldogs and emerged as one of their top offensive weapons, finishing second on the team with 27 total points (11g, 16a) and earning an all-league honorable mention. “Brendan is a gifted offensive talent,” said Coach Shuman. “He has excellent speed and a real knack for scoring big goals …

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=85909