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Who is Seacoast Preseason Boys Hockey Player of the Year?

12/9/24 Seacoast Online

The 2024-25 high school boys hockey season in Seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine is about to begin. Players and teams are poised to showcase their talents.

One player from each of the 10 Seacoast-area high schools has been nominated by their coaches for Seacoast Preseason Boys Hockey Player of the Year, presented by York County Community College as part of the Athletes of the Week program.

The nominees are Dover senior forward Carter Bell, Marshwood/Noble/Traip/Sanford senior defenseman Zac Camp, Portsmouth/Newmarket sophomore goalie Will Clark, Somersworth/Coe-Brown senior forward Mateo Damren, Spaulding senior forward Ryan Dube, Winnacunnet senior center Brayden Emery, Oyster River senior defenseman Sawyer Lesvesque, St. Thomas Aquinas senior forward Jackson Estes, York senior defenseman Bradley Carr and Exeter senior forward West Vaillant

Mateo Damren

24 Seacoast boys hockey players to watch in 2024-25

12/11/24 Seacoast Online

Mateo Damren, Somersworth/Coe-Brown, senior, forward

Damren has been named a captain this season or Somersworth/Coe-Brown. He had two goals and an assist for the Bearcats last season and was one of the team’s best players in the Division II preliminary round playoff game against Spaulding.

Coach Fred Strum said Damren has made positive strides as one of the team leaders and taken seriously his role as one of the captains.

Bryden Mercier, Somersworth/Coe-Brown, senior, forward/defense

Mercier is a versatile player and a team-first guy for Somersworth/Coe-Brown who is equally at home playing forward or defense for the Bearcats. He had a goal and an assist last season for a club that was offensively challenged and lost nine one-goal games.

“He’s a kid you can put anywhere,” said coach Fred Strum. “He doesn’t care. He just wants to play whether it’s forward or defense and right now he’s playing offense for us. The puck just stays with him. I don’t know how he does it. He reminds me a lot of (former Somersworth star) Jeff McCutcheon back in the day. The puck just stays with him. You think he’s going to lose it and somehow or another it stays with him. He likes to get to the puck and go to the net.”

Patrick Norris, Somersworth/Coe-Brown, junior, forward

Norris finished with three goals and four points last season for Somersworth/Coe-Brown and will be counted on to improve those offensive numbers this year.

“Patrick was one of our better players in that playoff game last year,” said coach Fred Strum. “He works hard. He goes to the net, gets to the dirty areas and will battle. I think we’re going to have to win a lot of games 2-1, 3-2. We want to be a hard team to play against.”

Seacoast high school boys hockey: What to know about every local team

12/11/24 Seacoast Online

SOMERSWORTH/COE-BROWN

Coach: Fred Strum, third season

2023-24 result: 8-11. Lost to Spaulding in Division II preliminary round

Key returning players: Bryden Mercier, sr. F/D; Mateo Damren, sr., F; Caleb Jobin, sr. G; Landon Midwood, jr., D; Kasey Siering, jr., D; Miles Messier, soph., F; Patrick Norris, jr., F

Other key players: Hunter Rohr, fr., F; Colby Strum, soph., G; Ryan Toussaint, soph., F

Outlook: With the graduation of nine seniors and the loss of three other players who transferred out, the Bearcats have some holes to plug if they hope to make a run at the playoffs. … The team, which lost nine one-goal games last season, will be led by co-captains Damren, Jobin and Siering. … Mercier, Damren and Norris are the only forwards returning with varsity experience. … The versatile Mercier can also play defense if needed. ... The BearCats are scheduled to open their Division II regular-season schedule on Monday, Dec. 16 at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Drew Ceppetelli Game shows family her life is remembered: 'We're so grateful'

12/12/24-Seacoast Online

ROCHESTER — Melissa Ceppetelli said one of her biggest worries is people are going to forget her daughter, Drew Ceppetelli, who died two years ago at age 21 in a car crash early Thanksgiving morning.

The Somersworth/Coe-Brown boys hockey program will not let that happen.

Wednesday night, for the third straight year, the Bearcats played the Drew Ceppetelli Game. It is held in honor of the Barrington resident and 2019 Coe-Brown Academy graduate. She was just two weeks away from her 22nd birthday when she died in the single-vehicle crash at the Portsmouth traffic circle.

Ceppetelli was home for Thanksgiving break from Salve Regina University, where she was a junior and member of the softball team.

"When the Bearcats are doing (games) like this, or other people are hosting events and showing up to things together, it's humbling, honestly," Melissa Ceppetelli said. 'It's just a lot, and we're really, really grateful for it."

On Wednesday, Somersworth/Coe-Brown played Laconia in a preseason scrimmage at Rochester Ice Arena. Melissa was joined by her son, Dante, friends, and other members of the Ceppetelli family for the ceremonial puck drop before the start of the game. Dante played hockey for Somersworth/Coe-Brown, graduating in 2022.

"We're just so appreciative and so grateful," Melissa said. "It really means a lot for folks to show us she's not forgotten; folks are still remembering her."

Darcy McKenney, an aunt of Drew, called Wednesday's event, the third annual game honoring her niece, "truly amazing. I'm just continuously impressed with the support and outpouring support from the community. It's just heartwarming."

Tyler Troy, now 24, the driver in the 2022 crash, was recently sentenced to six years in New Hampshire State Prison for for negligent homicide while under the influence and other criminal charges.

Somersworth/Coe-Brown head coach Fred Strum grew up playing against members of the Ceppetelli family "way back in the day."

"Anytime we can do something to help out the community, and help out a friend and someone who was a part of the team and in our Bearcats program, we're more than happy to do it," Strum said.

Somersworth/Coe-Brown senior Caleb Jobin has grown up in the same neighborhood as the Ceppetelli family, and spoke on what the game means to him.

"It was a really emotional game for me and the team," he said. "I grew up with Dante and his family in the neighborhood, and I remember seeing Drew. It was really hard when (she passed away). Every year, I try to think of this game as something for her and the family. It's really touching to see the family out there." Jobin said this year's Bearcats team is a fiery one, and playing for Drew provides extra motivation to win in her memory." It just helps push us through," Jobin said.

Melissa Ceppetelli said "there's so much" support for her family that the public may not see.

"It's been two years, we just had the anniversary," Melissa said. "I still consistently get text messages, phone calls and messages on social media from folks sharing memories, and from folks letting me know they are here and thinking about (the family)."

Ceppetelli said some of the messages contain emojis just to let the family know they are thinking about them.

"I've heard that other folks who have lost someone say that after the first few months, the (support) kind of (goes away)," Melissa said. "That hasn't happened for us. We've continued to have a lot of really amazing support.""I'll receive random texts on Drew's birthday and special days like that," McKenney said. "Just a heart emoji, or 'thinking of you.' (Texts from) people who understand the depths of grief of just continuously keeping her memory alive. (People reach) out saying, 'Hey I know time has lapsed, but she's still very here and present for us.'"

Recently, the Bostrom and Post families put on a 5K road race, hosted by the Barrington Youth Association, in Ceppetelli's honor on Thanksgiving morning. The race featured more than 600 runners and raised $47,000 for the Drew Ceppetelli Foundation.

Drew grew up playing softball with the BYA, and also played volleyball, gymnastics, and dabbled in hockey when she was young.

"Drew was a true competitor to the bone," McKenney said. "I loved her drive and grit, and her natural leadership of bringing out the best of all her teammates, and even competitors. She always wanted people to do their personal best. She had a lot of grace and humility."

What began as a scholarship fund has turned into the Drew Ceppetelli Foundation.

"(With all the support) it turned into a whole lot more," Melissa said. "We've decided to do more than just give a scholarship out every year. We've been donating to a number of different local sports teams that meant something to Drew. We still do the scholarship, too."

The foundation has donated to Girls on the Run, Salve Regina University, and the softball programs at Coe-Brown Academy and Oyster River High School.

For those looking to donate to the fund, please venmo @drewceppscholarshipfund.

Seacoast Wednesday Roundup: STA girls basketball wins, Exeter boys hockey rallies, more

12/19/24-Seacoast Online

Somersworth/Coe-Brown 6

Brady/Valley 1

ROCHESTER - Owen Coon had two goals and Mateo Damren had one goal and two assists for Somersworth/Coe-Brown in this Division II win at Rochester Ice Arena.

Miles Messier and Hunter Rohr both had one goal and one assist for the Bearcats, while Ryan Toussaint had a goal, and Patrick Norris, Isaiah Iliev and Chris Rogers all had one assist.

Saturday Seacoast roundup: Marshwood girls, York boys basketball remain undefeated, more

12/21/24-Seacoast Online