In order to play high school hockey, Evan Simmons has to make some sacrifices.
The Easthampton resident drives 20 minutes to school at Smith Academy in Hatfield each day, then makes another 15 to 20-minute jaunt to Greenfield for practice at Collins-Moylan Arena. That makes for long days and late nights, but the junior made the most of his opportunities this winter.
Simmons finished atop the Franklin County scoring list this season, as the Greenfield first liner amassed 40 points in 19 games for a Green Wave team that finished just one point out of a postseason berth. Simmons showcased a balanced offensive attack with 20 goals and 20 assists.
“Speed is definitely my best friend,” Simmons said. “Usually I’m able to blow by defensemen, usually I rely on that. To be honest, breakaways were a little tough early in the year for me. But as I worked on it, I gained a lot more confidence as I went along through the season. Once I finished a few (goals), I was able to use that to make me better.”
Growing up playing in the rinks of Western Massachusetts and beyond, Simmons is no stranger to the travel involved with the sport. That’s why he doesn’t complain about the situation playing for Greenfield, which causes some chaotic coordinating in the winter months.
“It’s pretty much like playing an away game every day between going up for practices and then games wherever we are, but it’s all worth it,” he said. “I’ve been doing it my whole life. I’ve played with the Junior Falcons down in Enfield. We’ve played tournaments in Buffalo and places like that. So I’m used to that kind of thing. I just like to be able to play hockey wherever I can.”
Simmons, who scored 16 goals and added eight assists last year as a sophomore, spent most of this season paired with Tyler Miner and Tyler Townsley on the top line, as the trio combined for 105 points. Simmons notched a hat trick in a 5-4 loss to Belchertown and dished out six assists in a 10-0 win over Gardner. He had 11 multi-point games on the year, and notched two or more goals on 6 different occasions.
“After three years of playing with (Miner/Townsley), the chemistry has really developed over time,” Simmons said. “We got through some rough scoring spells in the middle of the season but then clicked at the end and were able to rack up points.”
Greenfield made a late-season push to try and reach the Division 3A Tournament, winning four straight games at one point to get within striking distance. The postseason berth came down to the final game of the year for the Wave. Needing a win against Saint Mary’s, Greenfield fell just short in a 2-2 tie that capped the winter with an 8-9-3 overall record.
Simmons wasn’t at 100 percent down the stretch. He missed the team’s loss two games earlier to Chicopee because of illness, and struggled to get his skating legs back under him.
“It was tough late in the season not being able to play as well as I had wanted to, but I really tried to focus up and find myself in that last game (against St. Mary’s),” he said. “I don’t really have any regrets about that game. I played hard, the team played hard. We just came up a bit short.”
Simmons said his most memorable moment this winter came in the team’s Feb. 10 win over Turners Falls. It was Greenfield’s third win in the season series, and he scored a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory that kept the team’s slim postseason hopes alive.
“It was a must-win,” he said. “The fact that it was our third game against Turners, our coach gave us some crazy stat that like 15 percent of teams, or something like that, are only able to beat a team three times in a row. In the past, we’ve had problems with them the third game in a row. We really needed that win to continue our playoff push.”
Despite coming from Smith Academy, Simmons has immersed himself in the Greenfield-Turners rivalry.
“I love playing against (Turners),’” he said. “It’s always physical and tough, always the most important game of our season it seems. You just have to beat Turners Falls.”
Despite falling short of the postseason, Simmons said it was another positive season for the Wave.
“Yeah, it’s heartbreaking to miss the playoffs by that one point, but you have to look at it as a glass half full and be happy with what you were able to accomplish,” Simmons offered. “I had fun. It’s always a fun time on our team. We’re definitely more laid-back and like to have fun, but when we had to be serious, especially the last five or six games, we really dug deep.”
The Wave roster will look a bit different next year. Three of the team’s top five scorers will graduate, meaning Simmons will be counted on to carry a large chunk of the scoring load yet again.
“I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I’m going to have to work that much harder in the offseason. I definitely want to make getting to the playoffs a goal. Even though we’re losing some big guys, we have some younger kids ready to step up.”
It’ll take a big commitment from Simmons to accomplish those goals. Based on his hockey history however, that shouldn’t pose a problem.