Greater Boston’s LoNigro Has Veteran Presence
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Former St. Mary’s Star Heads Off To Tilton By Kevin Doyle - HNIB
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hen the time came for Kyle LoNigro to decide about prep school, the former St. Mary’s of Lynn (MA) scoring leader settled on The Tilton School in New Hampshire pretty quickly. “After the unusual year we had with COVID-19, I felt another year of education and hockey would be very beneficial to me. I’m familiar with the Lakes Region and the strong level of Prep Hockey up that way. I had heard great things about Coach (Brooks) McQuade and the school. After speaking with coach and touring, I definitely knew this was the right fit for me,” LoNigro said.
Kyle loNigro waits for the pucK duriNg regular seasoN actioN agaiNst Massachusetts hs power pope fraNcis. the saugus, Ma Native heads off for a pg year at tiltoN.
Kyle loNigro greater BostoN forward
LoNigro will work to make up for lost time at Tilton. A serious leg injury cost the 6-0, 175-pound forward his entire sophomore season and he was dogged by injuries during his junior year as well. Nevertheless, he accumulated 21 goals and 37 points in his final two seasons, leading the Spartans in scoring as a senior captain. St. Mary’s coach Mark Lee described LoNigro as “a great leader, a natural goalscorer with a heavy shot, and a very high hockey IQ to go with his high skill level.” For his part, McQuade is eager to see what LoNigro brings to the Rams’ program and thinks his high school injuries could prove to be a motivating factor. “Kyle should adjust to the prep level well. He is good-sized, uses his body to
the puck effectively, is not afraid to go to the net and competes at a high level in every 50/50 battle. He has been plagued by injuries, so we know how excited he is to get the extra year both academically and athletically. He is a high-character young man from a good family. We look forward to welcoming him to Tilton,” he said. LoNigro has been working his on- and off-ice programs diligently in preparation for the pace of play at the prep school level and is hopeful of making a relatively smooth transition. “I would say my strengths on the ice is my ability to be in the right place at the right time and being able to put the puck in the back of the net. Working hard and leading by example is also an important part of my game. I’m always looking to improve my skating which is my main focus this off-season,” LoNigro said of his own game. He has been a fan of is a fan of Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby since childhood because “he is the hardest working player on his team and he makes everyone around him better. He has proven that he is one of the best players to ever play.” When Massachusetts scrapped state post-season tournaments this past season, winning the Catholic Central League Cup Championship became a point of focus. The Spartans handled previously unbeaten Archbishop Williams in the title game, 4-1, after having lost both regular-season contests to the Bishops. LoNigro scored twice, including the GWG. “It’s my favorite memory at St. Mary’s because we had a great group of seniors that all came together when it mattered,” LoNigro said. Lessons learned from his grandfather and father have been crucial in his growth as a person and player. “They both have an incredible work ethic and are always teaching me to be a smarter and better hockey player on the ice,” LoNigro said. LoNigro will be skating for Greater Boston this week – his fourth HNIB Summer Showcase – and knows full well what to expect.
