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The Gloucester girls hockey team put up a good fight on senior night at Talbot Rink last night, but the Fishermen came up a bit short.

Peabody was able to get a game-winner in the third period to knock off Gloucester 3-2 in a tight contest. Mia Cohen and Margaret Muniz tallied the goals for the Fishermen, while Andrea Rovedo was fantastic in the Gloucester net, stopping 42 shots.

With women's hockey continually growing in popularity and girls co-op programs sprouting locally at Masconomet, Beverly, and Marblehead, several interested parties have been putting together the initial steps for a River Rivals co-op varsity program of their own.

The River Rival Region may soon see a new sport that involves ice, skates, a puck and plenty of padding grace the region.

There is however one requisite: NO BOYS ALLOWED. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of the neighboring Northeastern Conference as well as the Cape Ann League, residents and family members alike have been pushing to create a girls cooperative hockey team for the Newburyport, Pentucket, Amesbury and Triton high schools.

Which teams (no matter what sport) have been the most surprising so far this season?

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Captain Colby Amor and the rest of the Peabody girls hockey team didn't just want Saturday night's game against Gloucester for themselves. More importantly, they wanted it for fallen teammate Courtney Corning, who was honored in a pregame ceremony commemorating the one year anniversary of her death. With Corning's No. 4 jersey hanging behind the Tanner bench, Amor notched five goals | including the game winner on a breakaway with just 15 seconds left in regulation | to will Peabody to an emotional 6-4 triumph.

What were you doing at 5:30 this morning?

Perhaps hitting the snooze button, putting on the day's first pot of coffee | or more than likely, you were still snoozing away on Dream Street.

The high school girls hockey players of the North Shore were probably not doing any of the above, however.

The youth movement has definitely taken over on the Beverly girls hockey team with 10 freshmen and two eighth-graders taking regular shifts. But while the Panther are very young with only two seniors, they are also very skilled.

Last year's record: 13-6

Coach: Tom Beaulieu (first season)

Key returnees: Sam Auiliso, Sr. center; Ally Kippen, Sr., wing; Caitlin Cole, Sr., defenseman.

Key departures: Brianna Gerrior, Carly Muniz, Iris Quesada.

Schedules are now available for the majority of high school ice hockey and basketball teams for the 2007-2008 winter season. Over the next couple of weeks, stories previewing what the winter holds for each team, rosters, and team and individual player photographs will begin to appear on RallyNorth. If your team has a schedule or roster that we do not have yet, please e-mail it to rallynorth @eagletribune.com.

Who will be the top girls ice hockey teams this year?

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