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ESSEX – Taylor Senecal dazzles on the ice for the Essex High School girls hockey team, whether it's her speed or her ability to see plays develop ahead on the ice.
"It was always kind of a feeling like, 'Hey, we've got this in our back pocket' if things really go south, Taylor will do something to jump start us," Hornets coach Jerry Gernander said. "There was definitely a few games she did."
Other times, Senecal provided scoring when Essex did not need a little jolt like in the D-I championship game. The Hornets had already built a lead when Senecal used her magic to find the back of the net. The senior scored two coast-to-coast goals, whipping her away around defenders and finding open ice before scoring. Senecal also added a pair of assists to teammate Calleigh Bruyns, finishing with four points in the championship game.
Even with Senecal's advanced skills, she still prides Essex's triumph as a team effort.
"We definitely grew as a team throughout the season," Senecal said. "I definitely don't think it was just me going out there and scoring a bunch of goals, it was a definitely a team thing."
Yet Senecal was by far the most productive player on the ice for Essex. Besides adding a Vermont high school championship to her trophy case, Senecal earned the coveted title of the Free Press' Miss Hockey following a 30-goal, eight-assist season from the blue line. The Colgate University commit is the sixth Essex player to be named Miss Hockey and the first since Abigail Robbins earned the honor in 2021.
"She's a very good student of the game," BFA-St. Albans coach Luke Cioffi said. "She's making and thinking of plays faster than a lot of the kids are. Just a real pleasure to see out there. I've enjoyed watching her."
Senecal isn't your typical public high school hockey player. After all, Senecal already has won a gold medal with Team USA at last year's IIHF world championship in Zug, Switzerland and has played with some of the best hockey players in the world. Going from elite to high school hockey was an adjustment for Senecal between the culture and pace of play.
"In high school (the attitude was) that we're here to have fun. Not everyone's as serious about it," Senecal said. "(In the beginning) I feel like I was almost doing too much and I would corner myself."
Even with a Division I college commit on the roster, Essex didn't steamroll through its entire schedule. The Hornets hovered around .500 for the vast majority of the season and entered the postseason as the 4-seed.
For a while many of the Hornets on the ice got distracted watching Senecal make plays rather than get into position to help her. During the week leading up to the quarterfinals, the coaches and players got everything to click together.
"It just took some time for them to realize that (Senecal's) not looking to add her own stats, she's looking for the team to be successful," Gernander said. "Once they figured that out and were able to go to the net and be an option for her it made everybody's life a little easier."
The team's seed provided motivation.
"I feel like there was the need and want to win so everyone bought into and did everything they could to help the team," Senecal said.
The ice opened up for everyone with everyone on the same page. The players felt confident that Senecal would see them if they were open. The Hornets scored 12 goals in the playoffs, with Senecal accounting for five of those tallies. Senecal left her mark on the Essex hockey community becoming a role model and building the confidence for her younger teammates.
"The younger ones looked up to me, but even some of the juniors looked up to me," Senecal said. "It was kind of humbling almost getting to see how other kids perceive the sport and helping them find joy and love."
Contact Judith Altneu at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
2025: Taylor Senecal, Essex
2024:Bri Jarvis, BFA-St. Albans
2023:Rebecca McKelvey, Spaulding
2022: Sophie Zemianek, BFA-St. Albans
2021: Abigail Robbins, Essex
2020: Madison Chagnon, Burlington/Colchester
2019: Olivia Miller-Johnson, Essex
2018: Meghan Hamilton, Rutland
2017: Jess Scott, Spaulding
2016: Aggie Bisselle, Burr and Burton
2015: Kathleen Young, Essex
2014: Victoria Gibson, Essex
2013: Shanley Howrigan, BFA-St. Albans
2012: Hayley Arnold, Spaulding
2011: Sophia Steinhoff, CVU
2010: Julie Pearl, Essex
2009: Julie Pearl, Essex
2008: Caitlin Manahan, BFA-St. Albans
2007: Maggie DiMasi, Burlington
2006: Chelsea Furlani, Colchester
2005: Sophie Leclerc, Spaulding
2004: Alessandra LaFiandra, Middlebury
2003: Ellen Sargent, BFA-St. Albans
2002: Kristine Dodd, BFA-St. Albans
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont Free Press Miss Hockey: Essex senior Taylor Senecal
Continue reading...
"It was always kind of a feeling like, 'Hey, we've got this in our back pocket' if things really go south, Taylor will do something to jump start us," Hornets coach Jerry Gernander said. "There was definitely a few games she did."
Other times, Senecal provided scoring when Essex did not need a little jolt like in the D-I championship game. The Hornets had already built a lead when Senecal used her magic to find the back of the net. The senior scored two coast-to-coast goals, whipping her away around defenders and finding open ice before scoring. Senecal also added a pair of assists to teammate Calleigh Bruyns, finishing with four points in the championship game.
Even with Senecal's advanced skills, she still prides Essex's triumph as a team effort.
"We definitely grew as a team throughout the season," Senecal said. "I definitely don't think it was just me going out there and scoring a bunch of goals, it was a definitely a team thing."
Yet Senecal was by far the most productive player on the ice for Essex. Besides adding a Vermont high school championship to her trophy case, Senecal earned the coveted title of the Free Press' Miss Hockey following a 30-goal, eight-assist season from the blue line. The Colgate University commit is the sixth Essex player to be named Miss Hockey and the first since Abigail Robbins earned the honor in 2021.
"She's a very good student of the game," BFA-St. Albans coach Luke Cioffi said. "She's making and thinking of plays faster than a lot of the kids are. Just a real pleasure to see out there. I've enjoyed watching her."
Senecal isn't your typical public high school hockey player. After all, Senecal already has won a gold medal with Team USA at last year's IIHF world championship in Zug, Switzerland and has played with some of the best hockey players in the world. Going from elite to high school hockey was an adjustment for Senecal between the culture and pace of play.
"In high school (the attitude was) that we're here to have fun. Not everyone's as serious about it," Senecal said. "(In the beginning) I feel like I was almost doing too much and I would corner myself."
Even with a Division I college commit on the roster, Essex didn't steamroll through its entire schedule. The Hornets hovered around .500 for the vast majority of the season and entered the postseason as the 4-seed.
For a while many of the Hornets on the ice got distracted watching Senecal make plays rather than get into position to help her. During the week leading up to the quarterfinals, the coaches and players got everything to click together.
"It just took some time for them to realize that (Senecal's) not looking to add her own stats, she's looking for the team to be successful," Gernander said. "Once they figured that out and were able to go to the net and be an option for her it made everybody's life a little easier."
The team's seed provided motivation.
"I feel like there was the need and want to win so everyone bought into and did everything they could to help the team," Senecal said.
The ice opened up for everyone with everyone on the same page. The players felt confident that Senecal would see them if they were open. The Hornets scored 12 goals in the playoffs, with Senecal accounting for five of those tallies. Senecal left her mark on the Essex hockey community becoming a role model and building the confidence for her younger teammates.
"The younger ones looked up to me, but even some of the juniors looked up to me," Senecal said. "It was kind of humbling almost getting to see how other kids perceive the sport and helping them find joy and love."
Contact Judith Altneu at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
MISS HOCKEYS
2025: Taylor Senecal, Essex
2024:Bri Jarvis, BFA-St. Albans
2023:Rebecca McKelvey, Spaulding
2022: Sophie Zemianek, BFA-St. Albans
2021: Abigail Robbins, Essex
2020: Madison Chagnon, Burlington/Colchester
2019: Olivia Miller-Johnson, Essex
2018: Meghan Hamilton, Rutland
2017: Jess Scott, Spaulding
2016: Aggie Bisselle, Burr and Burton
2015: Kathleen Young, Essex
2014: Victoria Gibson, Essex
2013: Shanley Howrigan, BFA-St. Albans
2012: Hayley Arnold, Spaulding
2011: Sophia Steinhoff, CVU
2010: Julie Pearl, Essex
2009: Julie Pearl, Essex
2008: Caitlin Manahan, BFA-St. Albans
2007: Maggie DiMasi, Burlington
2006: Chelsea Furlani, Colchester
2005: Sophie Leclerc, Spaulding
2004: Alessandra LaFiandra, Middlebury
2003: Ellen Sargent, BFA-St. Albans
2002: Kristine Dodd, BFA-St. Albans
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont Free Press Miss Hockey: Essex senior Taylor Senecal
Continue reading...
