The coaches who ran the two Nashua North and South co-op teams, including Jordan Sarracco, are expected to return to work togehter coaching the new Nashua North-South co-op. (File photo)

NASHUA – During the final Nashua North-Souhegan vs. South-Pelham hockey encounters back in late February, in between periods the coaching staffs of both teams were chatting in the area by the ice where the players walk to the locker rooms.

When do you ever see that a city hockey rivalry? But that’s the relationship the two coaching staffs have had the last couple of years, working together in other areas for the good of the sport.

Thus it was no surprise that Nashua Athletic Director Lisa Gingras, in a meeting with both staffs earlier this week, informed all the plan she would like is for them to join forces and coach newly NHIAA-approved Nashua North-South hockey co-op next winter.

Nothing is yet official, but that’s the preferred plan, which would keep continuity for the coaches of the former Saber-Titans Chris Zarlenga and his assistant Kieran Altieri, and coaches of the former South-Pelham co-op, Jordan Sarracco and assistant Jason Andersen.

“We are hoping as much as possible to retain all four coaches,” Gingras said. “We’re working on it. They have worked too long and too hard in both hockey programs, and they have worked very well together over the past year or so to drum up middle school support, middle school interest and things like that, so we’re really doing everything within our power to keep all four.”

The NHIAA at the Executive Council Meeting earlier this month approved a North-South co-op, as well as a Nashua-Souhegan girls hockey co-op.

Continuity is a key; Sarracco has been the South-Pelham coach the last few years while Zarlenga just finished his second season with the Saber-Titans.

When the move to have an all-Nashua co-op, their future was the question for both coaching staffs.

The coaching positions for the new Nashua co-op did not have to be advertised, “because all four coaches work for the Nashua School District,” Gingras said. “We were the lead (district) on both co-ops, so they worked for the school district so it’s just transferring them from their previous position into the new team.”

Gingras said there will be a hockey meeting for players, parents and coaches at Conway Arena on Monday, June 9 at 6 p.m.

North-Souhgean coach Chris Zarlenga is expected to help run the new Nashua North-South co-op hockey team. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

SOUHEGAN THE GIRLS LEAD

Meanwhile, those North and Sout high school girls who want to play hockey for a Nashua team will now be able to do so, co-oping with Souhegan. However, in that merger, Souhegan remains the lead school since it’s been a constant in NHIAA girls hockey.

“Souhegan will remain the lead on the girls side,” Gingras said, which means that the coaching staff is under the Amherst school district’s overall control, and the expectation is head coach Maggie Dix will return and Sabers AD Kelli Braley, the team’s former head coach, will continue as her assistant.

NORTH BASKETBALL SEARCH

Gingras said that interviews were expected to be conducted during this current week for the Nashua North head boys basketball position, left vacant after popular longtime coach Steve Lane stepped down.

Gingras said the timeline for naming a new coach is still uncertain but when Lane resigned in March she did say that she wanted it wrapped up certainly before the end of the school year so off-season plans could be made, etc.

WELCOME THOMAS PRENTICE

North has a new boys soccer coach after Jeremy Zelanes stepped down back in December, and that is Thomas Prentice, a former player at Saint Anselm College who after an injury a few years ago became a student assistant coach. He also was a standout at New Hampton, and coaches in the New Hampshire club soccer circuit.

He is familiar with South coach Tom Bellen in regional soccer circles and Gingras feels the two will work well together in promoting the sport despite coaching rival teams.

“It’s not only going to be good for North, but good for soccer in the city,” Gingras said.

Zelanes had the Titans in the semis two years ago and they upset Londonderry in the prelims last year but fell in the quarterfinals.

NEW NORTH ATHLETICS COORDINATOR

As has been reported, current North Athletics Coordinator Mike Soucy is leaving at the end of the school year to become the new Pelham High School athletic director, and Gingras has his replacement set: Brian Tesini, a tech-ed teacher at Fairgrounds Middle School.

Tesini, Gingras said, will transfer over the North for the next school year and will also teach there in their CTE department.

If the last name is familiar, his brother is Jason Tesini, currently an associate principal at Alvirne but who coached the one Nashua High School girls basketball team to the 2003-04 Class L state championship, and also coached South after the Split.