RallyNorth.net

Finding someone who could help complete the team's second line and add a scoring presence is something the Danvers High hockey team has been looking for all season.

They may have found that person in Chris Kontos. A sophomore winger, Kontos had his first varsity goal last night and also dished out his first assist as the Falcons knocked off Haverhill, 4-2, in the first round of the 13th annual Newburyport Bank Classic.

Tom Murray scored off assists from A.J. Scalese and Leif Sorenson with 2:26 left to give Haverhill a 4-3 victory over Boston Latin. Sorenson added a goal of his own while Ken Perkins and Brandon Fredette each scored once for the Hillies.

Andrew Panella had a goal and an assist for Masco, but it wasn't enough in Haverhill. Senior center A.J. Rothwell also played well for the Chieftains (10-6), while Brendan Dahlgren notched his first varsity goal.

Andover juniors George Flanagan and Cam Smith scored two goals each as the Golden Warriors dominated Haverhill 6-0 last night at the Valley Forum in front of an animated crowd of students and parents.

Haverhill broke out of its scoring drought with a 6-3 win over Boston Latin | its first victory of the year. Kevin O'Brien scored his first two goals of the year and Dave Edmondson also scored twice. Latin scored two goals in the first four minutes, but then it was all Haverhill.

And this is still only the beginning.

After a sophomore campaign where he scored a team-high 40 points and earned Cape Ann League All-Star honors, North Andover's Ryan Sifferlen continues to improve his game without specializing in it.

It's not the kind of message that Masconomet Regional hockey coach Bill Blackwell would otherwise advice in this, the season of gift giving.

But when it comes to his hockey team, he doesn't mind that his team stole one last night.

2006-07 record: 10-9-2, lost in Division 2 North first round

Returning starters (10): Tom Murray, Sr., defense; Hal Duggan, Sr., defense; Kyle Burke, Jr., defense; Dan Bly, Jr., defense; Brandon Fredette, Sr., forward; Ken Perkins, Sr., forward; Kevin O'Brien, Jr., forward; A.J. Scalese, Sr., forward; Dave Edmonson, Sr., forward; Leif Sorenson, Sr., forward

Spike Sprague is rested and ready to go for another round as Haverhill High's head hockey coach.

Sprague, 49, replaces Chris Laganas in this, his third stint as the Hillies' head man, having coached the Brown and Gold from 1980-1986 and then again | after a memorable 11-year tenure at Newburyport High | from 1998-2000.