West Haven Girls' Hockey Team Earns Player, Coach Honors

By Susan Misur

WEST HAVEN, CT — It could have been a year of growing pains for the West Haven High School girls’ hockey team, as Westies joined forces with Sacred Heart Academy for a co-op arrangement and a new coach took the reins.

But by the end of the season, players had become a cohesive and spirited group, new coach Erin Blake was named SCC Division II Coach of the Year, and WHHS junior Gabriella Prisco earned all-state honors as well as the SCC Division II Player of the Year title.

Safe to say it was a pretty successful year.

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“They made a name for themselves, and the team really improved over the season,” said Blake, who started the WHHS girls’ hockey team when she was a sophomore at the school. “I got the award, but it’s a clear reflection of the girls because they’re the ones out there playing. And the assistant coach, Jocey Morrell, deserves a lot of credit, too.”

Blake said it was a good year to implement the co-op set-up and have a new coach at the same time because it meant everyone was getting a fresh start. But she admitted she had big shoes to fill, given the way previous coach Carol Franco had built the program over the past several years.

The team finished with a 10-10-2 record and made it to the SCC Division II championship in February.

The Westies weren’t victorious in the championship, but still had plenty to celebrate after the game when Blake and Prisco received their awards, both of which are voted on by SCC Division II coaches.

“I was shocked about mine, and proud of Gabi and her player of the year award. She’s been a player to watch since her first season,” Blake said.

Prisco, who has played soccer, hockey and lacrosse every year since she was a WHHS freshman and is captain of all three this year, was also selected this season for the 2016 Connecticut High School Girls Hockey Association All-State Team. She earned the honor last year as well on the inaugural girls hockey all-state team, and has been named to the 2nd team All-SCC two years in a row.

She’s earned All-SCC and All-Area honors in soccer and lacrosse too.

Prisco started ice skating when she was little and joined a hockey youth league, before concentrating more on soccer and lacrosse. She committed to all three sports when she got to WHHS.

“I was pretty excited when I heard about getting the award. I think it was a very good season and the co-op team was a good idea. The girls got along really well, and we have a great coach,” said Prisco, who is already considering various colleges and hopes to play soccer and lacrosse at the collegiate level. She plans to study exercise physiology and have a career as an athletic trainer.

Blake described Prisco as “a born athlete” who displays a strong work ethic and improves every season.

WHHS Athletic Director Jon Capone said both Blake and Prisco are great team leaders.

“Gabi did a fantastic job for us this year and made everyone around her a better player,” Capone said. “Erin made this coaching transition a smooth one. She did a tremendous job of molding the two schools together as one team. We’re very excited about the whole team’s progress this year.”

Contributed photo