Exeter hockey’s Keaveney named POY
EXETER — Paul DiMarino just completed his fifth season as head coach of the Exeter High School boys hockey team. DiMarino replaced Jim Tufts, who was the head coach since 1977. In those 46 years, which included six state championship appearances and one title, no Blue Hawk had ever won New Hampshire Player of the Year honors.
Until now.
Exeter senior forward Cam Keaveney had 65 points this season, including 32 goals and 33 assists, and was named the Division I Player of the Year.
“Incredibly well-deserved, he earned it,” DiMarino said. “He is a very big reason why he we were able to make the playoffs and go on the run we did. He got us to the semifinals, and more than that, he's an unbelievable kid who carries himself incredibly well.”
Keaveney finished his four-year career with 48 goals and 88 assists for 136 points, which ranks him third all-time in Exeter's history. Keaveney is committed to attend and play baseball at Northeastern University.
“(This award) and a state championship were my two goals coming into season,” Keaveney said. “Unfortunately, we couldn't get the championship, but (Player of the Year) was definitely on my mind.”
Keaveney said he “surprised” to hear he was the first Blue Hawk to win the award.
“Exeter has had a lot of good players over the years,” Keaveney said. “All the hard work with my dad definitely paid off. I don't think I could've asked for a better way to end my career (individually) than with this.”
Exeter went 8-10 in the regular season and was the No. 11 seed going into the Division I state tournament. The Blue Hawks then upset No. 6 Bow (4-1) in the first round, and No. 3 Concord (4-3) in the quarterfinals to advance to semifinals. The season ended there with a 6-1 loss to No. 2 seed and eventual state champion Londonderry.
DiMarino said it's rare that a player from an 11th-seeded team receives this award.
“I think the big reason why coaches believe he was worthy of Player of the Year was that he was a tremendous player, and many would acknowlege that without him, we're not a playoff team," DiMarino said. "He carried us and he made everyone on our team better. All he cared about was helping the team and doing what he could to help us win games.”
DiMarino said another aspect of Keaveney's game that “stood out” was that in his four years playing varsity hockey, he only had one penalty. He was called for tripping, in a game this season, when a player stepped on Keaveney's stick and fell.
"He represents not just himself, but his family and this program to high standards,” DiMarino said.
NH Division I all-state hockey selections
Exeter had two representatives, Keaveney on the first team, and defenseman Matt Wallace on the second.
Maine all-state hockey selections
In Class A, Marshwood/Noble/Sanford/Traip had a handful of all-state selections, including senior Ayden Lockard, who led Maine Class A with 23 goals and was a first-team pick. Forward Bradley Wentworth, goalie Ben Ott and defensemen Zac Camp were all second-team picks.
York's Luke Douris and Aidan McQuaide were both Class B all-state first-team selections in Maine.