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Siblings in the crease: Pettorutos excel in net for Prep, Andover

Friday, February, 15 By David Willis
Staff writer

Siblings Kyle and Megan Pettoruto admit that they don't talk about playing goalie too much anymore.

"I used to try to give her advice," said Kyle. "But she thinks I'm too harsh on her, so I had to lay off."

Retorted sister Megan with a laugh, "He would be mentioning every little thing I did wrong and I just had to say, 'That's enough.' I had to ask him to stop."

Sibling difference aside, big-time goaltending runs in the Pettoruto family.

Kyle, a senior, is the starting netminder and backbone of the St. John's Prep hockey team that appears headed for its second straight Super 8 appearance.

Meanwhile Megan, a junior, had stood out in net for the Andover High girls hockey team, leading the Warriors to their sixth straight appearance in the state tournament.

"(As a goalie) every game is a big game," said Kyle. "You have to play your best because if the goalie isn't playing well, then the team probably won't win."

Flying high For Kyle, motivation comes from one tough memory. It was the third round of the Super 8 tournament last season and Pettoruto had held superpower Boston College High to one goal for the better part of two periods.

But then disaster struck.

"The puck took a crazy bounce off the glass," he remembered. "And it went in the net."

The goal propelled BC High to a 3-1 victory, and the Eaglets went on to win their second straight Division 1A title, while the Prep was eliminated from the tourney.

"I really wanted to get BC High back for last season," said Pettoruto. "I knew that we could hang with them and beat them."

This season, Pettoruto has delivered on his promise. BC High, the No. 2-ranked team in Eastern Mass., has only three losses this season, and Pettoruto has been in the opposing net for two of them.

Prep head coach Kristian Hanson said, "He has really stood out in both. He has made key saves to hold them off."

In his first game against the Eaglets on Jan. 9, Pettoruto made 22 saves in a 3-1 win. On Jan. 26 he made 27 stops in a 3-2 victory.

"It was so great to get them back," he said. "Beating the defending state champions twice is amazing."

But that success is nothing new to Pettoruto this season. In nine starts, the 17-year-old has posted a dazzling 1.88 goals-against average and shutouts over St. John's of Shrewsbury and Essex High (Vt.).

He turned in another big-time performance on Saturday when he made 17 saves to give the Eagles a 3-1 win over Arlington Catholic, the No. 16 team in Eastern Mass.

Pettoruto is 6-2-1 for the 9-5-3 Eagles, who are ranked No. 6 in Eastern Mass. That record would put them in line for a return trip to the Super 8 tourney. They have already qualified for the state tourney.

"The Super 8 means everything to us," he said. Hanson feels good knowing his veteran backstop is there for him.

"He's a butterfly goalie that's aggressive and confident," said Hanson. "He's the kind of goalie that you want in net in a big-game situation."

Prepping for success Kyle does admit there is at least one negative to going to St John's.

"I have to drive 25 minutes," said Pettoruto, who also considered Central Catholic. "It's not so bad, but there are days after games that I just wish I could roll out of bed and drive two minutes to class. The Prep is great. I wanted the academic challenge, and we have great, passionate fans." Pettoruto plans to do a post-grad year at either the Kent School in South Kent, Conn., or Hotchkiss in Lakeville, Conn.

He hopes to play both hockey and baseball wherever he attends. He saw spot duty as an outfielder for the Eagles last spring.

He is joined on the Eagles by follow Andoverite Dan Haugh, the club's second leading scorer (6-11-17).

Following suit Megan admits that, early on, hockey was more of an inconvenience.

"Before I started it was pretty annoying going all over New England watching (Kyle)," she said. "But then I started to get into it and started to fall in love."

That love led Megan to the ice at the age of 8, and a year later she began playing goalie full time.

She and her brother went to Calgary and Minnesota to attend goalie camps.

"I still talk to him after games and we see each other's games when we get the chance."

All of that has paid off for the 16-year-old. After starting one game as a freshman and going 5-3-2 while splitting time a year ago, she has burst onto the scene this year.

Pettoruto has started every game for the Golden Warriors, going 8-4-2.

She has put together a stellar 1.79 goals-against average and recorded a whopping five shutouts, the most area for boys and girls.

"Its tough for her because she plays every minute so she knows she can't get hurt or sick," said Andover coach Bill McCarthy. "But she's maintained her focus and has made plenty of game-saving saves."

Her game of the year came on Jan. 12 when she made 18 saves to lead the Warriors to a 1-0 win over Greater Boston/MVC rival Billerica.

All in the family The challenge for parents Maria and Guy Pettoruto is to make sure someone is at each game. When the siblings are playing at the same time, the parents alternate which child's game they attend. And if the games are at different times, they will rush to attend both. And they will see one constant.

"We are very similar," said Megan. "We are both butterfly goalies that are very aggressive. ... I guess that comes from watching (Kyle) for so long."