As the holiday season comes to an end with the dawn of a new year, it is natural to think ahead on what the possibilities are for 2022. I know I’m looking forward to writing about all the great student-athletes and coaches during the winter and spring high school sports seasons throughout Central Mass for Town Square. As we kickoff the winter season, here is what some of our local high school student-athletes are hoping for in the new year.

Raegan Peck is the senior captain for the Shepherd Hill Regional High School girls’ varsity basketball team. She hopes to attend Plymouth State University for

Raegan Peck

basketball next year. 

Peck said, “I want to keep my fitness up and put that into basketball and be overall the best athlete and player and person that I can be. I’m excited to become stronger and happier with myself … Just staying fit and healthy.

Emery Mullen

Emery Mullen is a junior and Shepherd Hill’s leading scorer at forward. She is looking forward to playing well in basketball and, as a member of both the Rams spring track and cross-country teams, she wants to run faster, as well. She finished 30th overall in states during the fall season. 

Mullen said, “I run cross country, too. Getting a PR [personal record] in cross country, that would be my goal. I want to get sub nineteen minutes for a 5K. My PR is 19:07.”

Zylas Abney is a senior captain for the West Boylston High School boys’ varsity basketball team. 

Abney said, “I’m looking forward to graduation then college. Division 1,2, or 3, it doesn’t matter what division to me. I’m going to play

Zylas Abney

football. I haven’t picked out a college yet. I’m still researching.”

 

Cody Gosselin

Cody Gosselin is a senior captain for West Boylston basketball. He also played football this past fall. 

Gosselin said, “Well, in 2022, I’m looking forward to going to college and graduating high school. I do not know yet what school I’m going to, but I’m looking for a bigger school, like a D-1 kind of football school. Just the big school where there’s fun sports to go watch and that’s just beautiful. I don’t think playing football there will be in the cards. I don’t know if I’ll be playing basketball, but I’ll probably be doing club sports and intramural sports.”

Jaiden Bonilla is also a senior captain for West Boylston basketball. 

Bonilla said, “College is something I’m looking forward to. It’s going to be very different from high school. I’m excited to explore on my

Jaiden Bonilla

way to becoming an adult. I’m excited to have more freedom but also just thinking about having all that responsibility by yourself. It’s very different, but I’m excited as long as I just stay focused and get what I have to get done … I applied to Bridgewater, Worcester State, and Fitchburg and Westfield. I don’t know yet if I’m playing basketball, so to be determined. I am interested in studying criminal justice.” 

Will Palmi

 Will Palmi is a senior captain for West Boylston. 

 Palmi said, “I’m just hoping to get these masks off. At the beginning of last summer, it looked like everything was going back to normal and of course the new variant got out and we had to put these things back on. So, I’m hoping that by 2022 we can take these off in schools and on the court and just live the lives we want.

Eile Purdy is the senior captain of the Shrewsbury High School girls’ swim team. She was born in Ireland and moved to the United States at the age six. She wants to attend either Trinity College or University College Cork in Ireland. 

Purdy said, “probably what I’m most excited for is graduating high school. I’m kind of looking forward to getting a little more freedom. I’ll

Eile Purdy

be 18 so I want to travel with my friends and I’m going back to Ireland for school. I’m very excited to go back home for school.”

Brian Alperson is a senior captain for the Shrewsbury High School boys’ swim team. He has a simple outlook for 2022. 

Alperson said, “What I’m looking forward to is new experiences and changes. Basically, just getting my independence.” 

 

Aidan LePoer

Aiden LePoer is a senior captain and plays center on the top line for the Worcester High School boys’ hockey team. He already scored four goals in three games this season. 

LePoer said, “On the ice, I really want to go far this season. I’m really hoping to go to states, win a lot and do well this year. Off the ice, I want to graduate and get out of high school … I’m planning on being a crane operator or go to National Grid and be a lineman. This is it for hockey. Unless next year I’m going to play in a men’s league.” 

Nick Michaelian is a senior captain and the top defensemen for the Worcester Hockey team.

Nick Michaelian

Michaelian said, “Hopefully, we can get deep in the playoffs.  Off the ice, college I guess, maybe community college, I’ll add that in there. Unless something arises, I’m not planning on playing hockey, but maybe officiating.”

Luke Evers is a senior captain and a winger for the Worcester hockey team. He is also the team’s top scorer with four goals and three assists in the three games this season.

Luke Evers

Evers said, “In 2022, we’re definitely making the playoffs and having a winning record this year. We’re definitely capable of that. Off the ice, I’m probably looking forward to graduating high school. I’m not going to college to play hockey. I might play in juniors next year. I might play with the junior Bruins or in the EHL [The Eastern Hockey League].” The EHL is an American Tier III Junior ice hockey league. The Boston Junior Bruins is an American junior ice hockey club that plays in Marlborough. 

Josh Lemieux is a senior captain and starting goaltender for the Worcester hockey team. In 2022, he just wants people to enjoy watching his team play and make a deep run in the postseason.

Lemieux said, “I’m looking forward to my senior season. I think there’s definitely something good in store for me and the other seniors. So, I’m looking forward to all the activities we get to do as seniors. On the ice, I just want to try to get people in the stands and put on a show for them.”

Josh Lemieux