Our 2024 Boys Hockey Player of the Year, Super Team & All-Stars
It was another solid winter season for SouthCoast boys hockey teams with three — Bishop Stang, Dartmouth and ORR/Fairhaven — qualifying for the state tournament and each finishing the year with 10 or more wins.
ORR/Fairhaven had the deepest run, reaching the Div. 4 Sweet 16 while Bishop Stang lost in the Div. 3 Round of 32 and Dartmouth came up short in the Div. 2 Round of 32.
Here's a look at The Standard-Times' top boys ice hockey players from the 2023-24 season.
BOYS HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Caleb Bousquet, Old Rochester/Fairhaven, Junior
Caleb Bousquet has been playing ice hockey for as long as he can remember.
“I started skating right when I could walk,” the 18-year-old recalled. “My dad (Justin) is from Canada so he kind of tossed me on stakes when I was born basically. It was in my blood I guess.
“My dad played college hockey at New England College. Growing up, he always pushed me to work hard and try hard when I touched the ice.”
Bousquet took that to heart this year on an Old Rochester team that exceeded expectations.
“As a team it was really big for us,” Bousquet said. “A lot of us thought it was going to be a rebuilding year, but it was the first time in seven years we had the second round of the playoffs. We had a lot of guys that stepped up that were not really role players last year. They really surprised us, which was good.
“Personally I had a pretty good year. I was scoring a lot more than I did last year. I was one of the captains this year as a junior so it made me want it more, want it more for the team and try harder and work harder.”
WHY HE WAS SELECTED
A junior forward, Bousquet was the SouthCoast’s most prolific hockey player this winter, helping the Old Rochester/Fairhaven team make its deepest playoff run since 2017 as the Bulldogs reached the Div. 4 Sweet 16.
“He’s one of those guys we relied on every single game,” said ORR/Fairhaven head coach Zach Ledogar. “He’s got a very hard shot and a very accurate shot. He’s always where the puck is. He’s someone who cares about the sport outside of the season.”
Bousquet grew up playing club hockey for the Boston Terriers and Bridgewater Bandits. He also worked on his skating, stickhandling and shooting with Garry Hebert Hockey.
“He really made me the skater I am today and a step ahead of most people,” Bousquet said.
KEY STATS
Bousquet, a two-time South Coast Conference All-Star, led the area in scoring this year with 39 points — 19 goals and 20 assists.
“I’m pretty well-known for my shot I guess,” Bousquet said. “My vision, my shot and my skating all go together.”
MVP MOMENT
Bousquet always seemed to deliver against the best competition and he scored his team’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Hanover in the Div. 4 Sweet 16.
“Every tough game we’re in, he’s got game winners and overtime game winners,” Ledogar said. “In our playoff loss, he had our only goal and he had our only goal in last year’s playoff loss.”
WHAT’S NEXT
Bousquet is currently playing boys lacrosse at Old Rochester. The two-sport athlete is considering playing a sport in college. “I would definitely love to play at the next level,” he said. “After high school there is a lot of work I’d need to do, playing juniors if I want to make the next jump.”
NOTES
Bousquet has a younger sister, Emily, a freshman at Old Rochester. His mother is Anne Bousquet. … Caleb Bousquet praised the play of teammates Connor Galligan and Tucker Roy. “Connor Galligan knows how to pass the puck. A lot of my goals came from him,” Bousquet said. “A big thanks to our goalie Tucker Roy. He’s been lights out the past two years. We all worked together very well this year and I think that’s what made us go further.”
SUPER TEAM
Barrett Becotte, ORR/Fairhaven, Senior
The versatile Becotte was instrumental in ORR/Fairhaven’s success this year as the Bulldogs had their deepest playoff run since 2017. “He’s somebody that could do anything on the ice,” said ORR/Fairhaven head coach Zach Ledogar of his three-year player. “You could move him up to forward or keep him on defense. He probably averaged the most minutes on the team.” The senior defenseman finished the year with 29 points — 10 goals and 19 assists — to earn South Coast Conference All-Star honors.
Aidan Cousineau, Bishop Stang, Senior
Cousineau had an impact across the ice and was named co-MVP of the team as a strong senior year at center. He finished the season with 26 points — 12 goals and 14 assists. “Aidan was a good playmaker,” said Bishop Stang head coach Ken Gouveia. “He was a good two-way player and good on faceoffs. He more than doubled his offensive production from last year.”
Kyle Cousineau, Bishop Stang, Senior
Cousineau, a left wing, made major strides over his four-year career and wrapped up his senior season as Bishop Stang’s leading scorer with 28 points. He finished with 13 goals and 15 assists to earn Catholic Central League All-Star honors and co-MVP honors on the team. “Kyle steadily got better. He was probably the most improved player over four years,” said Bishop Stang head coach Ken Gouveia. “The improvement that he showed, he blossomed into our top scorer this year and more than doubled his offensive production from junior to senior year.”
Aidan Cruz, Dartmouth, Junior
Cruz’s playmaking ability was a driving force behind Dartmouth’s success this winter. The junior not only scored nine goals, but also dished out 23 assists. He surpassed 100 career points in just two varsity seasons. “His awareness on the ice is second to none,” said Dartmouth head coach Mark Rossi. “He can always find the open guy.”
Will Gibson, Dartmouth, Junior
Gibson was a force on Dartmouth’s defense this year and also had an impact on the offensive end with 10 goals and five assists. “He’s the best defender in the area,” said Dartmouth head coach Mark Rossi. “He has a presence on the ice. He logs a lot of time. He can do everything. He’s one of the most important pieces on the team.”
Tucker Roy, ORR/Fairhaven, Sophomore
Roy was a force in net as a second-year starting goalie, He finished the year with a .924 save percentage with a 2.62 goals against average with three shutouts. “He gives 100 percent on and off the ice,” said ORR/Fairhaven head coach Zach Ledogar. “On the ice, he’s just locked in. He's a leader in the locker room. His worth ethic is unbelievable.” Roy was instrumental in helping the Bulldogs qualify for the playoffs and have their deepest run in seven years, reaching the Div. 4 Sweet 16. Roy has 46 saves in a Round of 32 win over Cohasset.
ALL-STAR TEAM
John Bicho, Dartmouth, Senior
To fill a void on the team, an unselfish Bicho switched from forward to defense and solidified Dartmouth’s defense in doing so. He still had an impact offensively, finishing the season with four goals and five assists.
Lucas DeSousa, Dartmouth, Sophomore
DeSousa enjoyed a breakthrough sophomore campaign as a winger for Dartmouth. He finished the season with 20 points — 16 goals and four assists. “The sky's the limit for this kid,” said Dartmouth head coach Mark Rossi. “He has the ability to find the back of the net. He can shoot from anywhere.”
Connor Galligan, ORR/Fairhaven, Junior
Galligan was a big playmaker this year as a junior forward. He finished the season with 14 goals, 24 assists for 38 points, earning South Coast Conference All-Star honor honors. “He sees the ice better than anyone else on the team,” said ORR/Fairhaven head coach Zach Ledogar. “He’s a great facilitator. He’s got patience and poise, and that sets him apart from everyone else.”
Eli Ikkela, Bishop Stang, Junior
The junior right wing recorded 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points to help the Spartans capture a Div. 3 playoff berth. “He was the heart and soul of the team,” said Bishop Stang head coach Ken Gouveia. “The grinder; the hard worker; he got the character award for the team.”
Ashton Machado, Dartmouth, Senior
The 2023 Standard-Times Boys Hockey Player of the Year, Machado was solid in net for Dartmouth. After a slow start, the senior finished with a 2.69 goals against average in his final season. “He stepped it up in the second half of the season,” said Dartmouth head coach Mark Rossi. “We won some big games and he put us in position to win.”
Nate Moniz, Bishop Stang, Junior
The junior not only had a presence on the defensive end for Bishop Stang, he also finished the year with 14 points — five goals and nine assists. “He really had a breakout year,” said Bishop Stang head coach Ken Gouveia. “He played well defensively.”
HONORABLE MENTION
Tyler Preveti, Apponequet, Senior; Jack Sanford, Apponequet, Sophomore; Ryan Vincent, Apponequet, Junior; Nick Anderson, Bishop Stang, Senior; Devon Beck, Bishop Stang, Junior; Matt Burt, Bishop Stang, Junior; Seth Lebreux, Bishop Stang, Senior; Will Sanders, Bishop Stang, Sophomore; Carter Vane, Bishop Stang, Junior; Charlie Camisa, Dartmouth, Senior; Drew Spirlet, Dartmouth, Sophomore; Cameron Francisco, GNB Voc-Tech, Junior; Noah Tavares, GNB Voc-Tech, Freshman; Jarrod Frates, ORR/Fairhaven, Junior; Justin Marques, ORR/Fairhaven, Junior.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 2024 Boys Hockey Player of the Year and Super Team
