HOCKEY
RMHS boys: After battling it out with Middlesex League crossover opponent Melrose on Dec. 14, only to come away from the 2011-12 season opener with a 0-0 draw, the Rockets were looking to right the ship against Burlington (2-0) on Dec. 17. It was not to be, however, as the Red Devils handed Reading its firs loss of the season, a lopsided 6-0 hammering. The Rockets (0-1-1) will face one more road test that, mercifully, also won’t count against them in the league standings, as they travel to face tough Catholic Conference foe Xaverian on Dec. 19.
RMHS girls: The Lady Rockets haven’t fared much better than their male counterparts in the early stages of the winter campaign, having dropped a pair of non-league encounters by a combined 8-1 goal differential. Reading opened up the term on Dec. 12 against Arlington Catholic, and fell 3-1 in Arlington, while powerful St. Mary’s of Lynn swamped them, 5-0, at Burbank Ice Arena on Dec. 14. The Spartans, who had their impressive 100-game unbeaten streak snapped last March, are relying on a pair of transfers to replace the loss of two-time Boston Globe All-Scholastic Sabrina Iannetta. Both newcomers—Brittani Lanzilli and Kaleigh Finigan—are Medford natives, with Lanzilli coming in as the reigning Greater Boston League scoring champ and Finigan, a dangerous forward, switching from Austin Prep.
Austin Prep girls: The Lady Cougars have yet to find the winning formula this winter, and currently sit at 0-2 overall and 0-1 in Catholic Central competition. Austin Prep fell to Ursuline Academy in the road, 1-0, on Dec. 13 in a non-league tilt, and dropped another 1-0 nail-biter at the hands of current CCL table-toppers Arlington Catholic on Dec. 17 at Burbank Arena. The AP girls skate next away against Notre Dame (Hingham) on Dec. 20.
BASKETBALL
RMHS boys: The Rockets opened the season on Dec. 16, and came tantalizingly close to picking up a win on the road against ML crossover rival Melrose, losing 60-59.
RMHS Girls: The defending Middlesex Large Champions (21-2 last year) return with a couple of all too familiar faces—for the opposition, that is. Reigning league MVP Olivia Healy returns, after averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the 5-10 forward is joined by Morgan O’Brien as the Lady Rockets look to mount a successful defense of their crown.
A road showdown with ML crossover opponent Melrose was the first test, on Dec. 16, and it’s fair to say that Reading’s girls basketball team aced it. The Lady Rockets ran the Lady Raiders off their own court, flattening them, 71-35, and serving notice to the rest of the league that little has changed on Oakland Road.
Austin Prep boys: The Cougars have played a pair of CCL contests, and so far, have yet to record a victory. Austin Prep faced Archbishop Williams on Dec. 13, falling 48-21, and lost at St. Mary’s of Lynn, 61-16, on Dec. 16.
Austin Prep girls: On the girls side of the equation, Austin Prep fared little better. The Lady Cougars also opened up with a pair of losses against Archbishop Williams on Dec. 13 and St. Mary’s of Lynn on Dec. 16, by scores of 53-30 and 69-47 respectively.
INDOOR TRACK
RMHS boys: The Rockets outpaced the Melrose High track squad on Dec. 13 at the Reggie Lewis Track Center in Boston, 72-13. Check out how the Rockets harriers fared, here.
RMHS girls: Melrose won against Reading for the first time in over 30 years, downing the Lady Rockets 49.5 to 36.5 on Dec. 13. See the Lady Rockets’ highlights, here.
WRESTLING
RMHS: The Rockets have hit the mat four times so far this year, and, so far, compiled a record of 3-1. Reading downed Pentucket and Whittier, before losing to Lawrence in a season-opening quad meet at Lawrence High on Dec. 12. The Rockets then defeated Wakefield 47-26 on Dec. 14, before beginning play at Wakefield’s Anthony Lisitano Memorial Tournament, where they placed sixth out of 15 teams, with 126.5 points. Brian Ford placed first in his weight class, while Jimmy King was second in his. Everett Roscoe collected a fourth place finish and Nick Makrys took fifth. Mike Rallo, David Graham and Tommy Beucler all placed sixth in their respective weight classes.
SWIMMING
RMHS: The Reading High boys swim team won a pair of meets last week, after beginning the season with a 88-68 triumph over Burlington on Dec. 10. The Rockets (3-0) took a pair of non-league meets last week, downing Newton North 96-82 and handling Wellesley, 103-80.