Canalmen battle back over .500 in Mara’s first season
Coaching transitions are always difficult, but Bourne seems to have weathered the storm very well. After a tough early season start going 0-2-1, Bourne has won its last two to climb to a 4-3-1 record, and is looking like one of the top teams in Division III heading into the heart of the schedule.
“It has been a learning experience for both myself and the players,” says first-year head coach Paul Mara. “They’ve had the same coach for so long that it is going to be a tough transition. It has been a learning experience for everyone involved, but we are starting to become successful.”
Mara, who comes to Bourne with NHL playing experience, replaced long-time head coach Chuck Jancaterino, who is now an assistant with Barnstable.
Bourne started the season 2-1 before hosting the Big Ham Cup. The Canalmen lost to Medfield in the opening round and tied Plymouth South in the consolation game. “That didn’t go very well,” says Mara.
The experience of a lifetime came next however with two scrimmages vs. Brookline and Newton at the outdoor arena in Fenway Park. “It was an awesome experience getting a chance to play in a place with so much history and tradition,” says Mara. “They played happy, they played loose, and they had fun. That’s the way the game is supposed to be played all the time.” Bourne won both scrimmages.
After a loss to Old Rochester following the Fenway trip, Bourne convincingly beat Apponoquet 7-1 and won a 5-1 slugfest victory over rival Wareham.
“It has been like a roller coaster ride,” says Mara. “You have highs and lows, and you try to stay even keel throughout the whole process, but it has been a crazy year. I have loved every minute of it.”
Leading the way on the score sheet have been Will Hymfryes, Beau LaFlamme and Connor Hanley. Hymfryes has had hat tricks against Dighton-Rehoboth and Apponoquet and had four of Bourne’s five goals vs. Wareham. “The typical guys are doing most of the scoring,” says Mara. “When they are producing, we are at our best.”
Brandon Butler and Chad Marsh have started to come on in the middle of the season according to Mara. “They have played their roles and improved significantly since the start of the season,” he says. “I’m really impressed with those guys. They give their heart, soul and body to the game. They might not be leading scorers who don’t get all the glory, but they are the ones who work hard in practice and do all the grunt work.” Marsh scored his first goal of the season in the first meeting vs. Apponoquet.
Others who have found the score sheet are Spencer Andrews, Harrison Eddy, John Connolly, Tommy Davis and Jim Comesso.
The Canalmen are in the meat of their schedule. This week opens with a game at Cape Tech Wednesday followed by a home game vs. New Bedford Tech Saturday night. After games with Dighton-Rehoboth and Old Rochester the next two weeks, the biggest game of the year for the fans, the Canal Cup vs. Sandwich awaits. But that is not something Mara is willing to look forward to just yet. “Every game is important,” he says. “Our philosophy right now is that every game we have is a must win. We have to go out there every game and improve on our mistakes.”
Even if they aren’t ready to look ahead to Sandwich, Bourne has started to head in the right direction, and hopes to peak heading into the postseason. “We have things that we need to work on,” says Mara. “And we work hard every day. We are working to improve so when March first roles around, we will be ready to make a tournament run.”
