Crossroads fifth grade student, Caroline Warrington and fourth grade student Max Melzer were back at it this winter, this time on the ice rink rather than the baseball diamond. Their Hanover Wild hockey team wrapped up a fabulous season in which they tied for first place in the Granite State League, earned a state championship in the year-end tournament, and finished in the top half of the New England regional tournament. Caroline distinguished herself with unselfish, two-way play from the center position. She played hard in both the offensive and defensive zones and led the team in assists. Her signature play was an effective forecheck followed by a slick pass through traffic to a teammate in front of the goal. She starred during the final weekend, scoring 7 goals and assisting on many others. Max was a blueliner who prided himself on defense, always staying in position and turning away counter rushes from opposing forwards. His confidence and aggressiveness grew throughout the year to match his game awareness. His highlight came during the state tournament, when he broke up a last-minute, two-on-one rush to preserve a 3-2 victory. The coaching staff, which included Caroline’s father Chris, served as great mentors and leaders. The lessons they taught about teamwork, courage, and perseverance will pay off outside the rink just as they did inside.
