EAST PROVIDENCE — Hockey players from East Providence High School and Providence Country Day opened up their respective 2023-24 seasons last weekend competing for area co-operatives, including boys who once again join their peers from Mt. Hope to form the East Bay Huskies this winter.

Seniors Lucas Saveory and Ryan Travassos return to the club from the Townies as do junior Ryan Jancef and sophomore Keigan Grant. Logan Amaral is new to the club.

Mt. Hope is the host school with a handful of representatives of EPHS. The Huskies went winless a year ago in the Division II-A ranks, finishing with a 0-16-0 record.

East Bay began its '23-24 slate with a 9-0 loss last weekend to Portsmouth. The victorious Patriots were the top side in Division II last winter, going 13-2-1 during the regular season before being topped by second-place and playoff No. 2 seed 2) Rogers/Middletown/Tiverton co-op (12-2-2) 3-1 in the league title game.

As well, a couple of local female skaters are on the roster of the East Bay Eagles co-op. Barrington serves as the host school for the program, which also includes players from Portsmouth, Mt. Hope, East Providence and Providence Country Day.

Freshman Sydney Olson represents the Townies while sophomore Charlotte Pudloski represents PCD. Both are forwards.

The Eagles started their 2023-24 slate with a 5-2 win over the Warwick (Toll Gate/Pilgrim) co-op last weekend. Olson had an impressive high school debut contributing three points to East Bay's victory on a goal and two assists.

There are eight teams competing in Interscholastic League girls' hockey for the '23-24 season. The Smithfield/Coventry/Moses Brown co-op is the defending champs. That side finished second to unbeaten LaSalle during the regular season, but upended the Rams in the championship game 3-2 in overtime. The Eagles missed the six-team playoff field, finishing seventh during the regular season with a 3-10-1 record and seven points.