Boys track, hockey off to good starts

By Mike Stoller

Two-time Massachusetts and New England champion Andre Rolim, the state record holder in the 600 meter run, is the top returnee to the Somerville High Track and Field team this winter. Rolim is one of three Highlander captains along with Kevin Ma and Marcelo Brociner. Other top returnees include sprinter Anderson Jupiter and Ngawang Tsang.

Numbers are up for the Highlanders, after a subpar turnout last season.

“We have 30 freshman and sophomore athletes and 25 junior and senior athletes following a season in which our numbers were down,” Somerville head coach Dave Dickerson said. “So this season should provide an opportunity for development.”

The following Somerville athletes won their events in a scrimmage against Arlington Catholic and Lowell Catholic last week: Newcomer Francisco Fernandez Neto (1000m), Jupiter (dash and 300m), Brociner (600m), Rolim (mile), Joao Baptista (high jump), and Ma, Tseriing, Brociner, and Rolim of the mile relay team.

Dickerson also said, “We have a nice core group of underclassmen developing in the hurdles and a good group of football bigs competing in the shot put.”

The Highlanders will host the five-team Greater Boston League Somerville Invitational on Dec. 26.

Somerville will also compete in the MSTCA Holiday Challenge at the Reggie Lewis Center on Dec. 29. The Holiday Challenge will consist of teams from New England and New York.

“[It] should be a good opportunity to see how well our top guys are doing,” Dickerson said.

Off to a quick start with goals from Anthony Valleisio, Dan Camera, and Troy Martini, the Somerville High hockey team opened the winter with a solid 3-1 win over Revere last week. The highlanders also got two assists from Joe Desmond.

Somerville fell to Matignon, 6-1, in the following contest, its lone goal coming from CJ Albanese.