By BRENDAN McGAIR
Sports writer
WOONSOCKET – For legendary coach Bill Belisle and his top assistant, son Dave, the challenge last season was to restore the Mount St. Charles hockey program to championship glory. Mission accomplished, for MSC wrestled the crown away from Bishop Hendricken to earn Title No. 27.
As the puck is dropped on a fresh season tonight, the Belisles find themselves once again in the role of teacher, the players the eager pupils. Climbing the top of the mountain is one thing, but to firmly remain in the winners’ circle is, putting it mildly, a challenge.
Bill and Dave Belisle know all about taking on all comers. For 26 consecutive winters (1978-2003), MSC took everyone’s best shot only to emerge victorious at the end of the day. Winning was contagious at Adelard Arena, for one cycle of Mounties eagerly awaited the torch to be passed from their predecessors.

While the current lot of MSC icemen finally grasps the true understanding of “Mount Pride,” they are still novices when it comes to upholding the tradition on a yearly basis. Winning a state championship is not a once-in-four-years occurrence; it’s a frequent happening.
That’s where the Belisle’s past knowledge of repeating and defending comes in handy. The father-son combo has firsthand knowledge about what awaits the Mounties. Dave Belisle, however, prefers to keep his players grounded, focusing only on the present.
And if you believe the following words from Belisle, the Mounties have all the ingredients to take another victory lap around Providence College’s Schneider Arena. From snipers on the blue-line to gritty forwards to a solid 1-2 punch between the pipes, Belisle is supremely confident about MSC’s chances to repeat.
“We’re very excited to duplicate the efforts from last season,” Belisle said on Thursday. “Every year is different, but everyone has worked hard. Now it’s a matter of going out there.”
Mount went through a dry run last weekend, demolishing Toll Gate, 7-0, in an Injury Fund contest that was two 20-minute periods long. The crispness and effectiveness the Mounties displayed was a pleasant turn of events given practice was not even a week old.
“We played extremely well,” said Belisle. “I was surprised how good we looked since we had been practicing for five or six days.”
MSC is seasoned in goal with seniors Zach Leduc and Jason San Antonio. A first team all-state pick, San Antonio led all Division I netminders in shutouts (five) and goals against average (1.41). Belisle plans to divide the minutes in the early on with the idea someone emerges as the top guy.
“Zach and Jason will battle one another,” said Belisle. “Both are capable and both will be given an equal look.”
The top defensive pairing is junior Shane Dunphy and senior John Lace. “They are big and strong and good puck movers,” said Belisle.  Also in the mix are junior Scott Potter, senior Sean Cornell, senior Dustin Picard and junior James Golden.
Up front the Mounties must find a way to replace all-state performers John Guay and James Fuoroli (both graduated) and Peter DeAngelo, currently playing for Boston Advantage. Fortunately for Belisle, junior Evan Hoffman is still in the fold. Belisle went as far to say that Hoffman is “one of the best, if not the best player in the state.
“He’s very strong and has good instincts,” continued Belisle about Hoffman, who tallied nine goals and 10 assists last season.
Skating alongside Hoffman on the top-line is senior captain Kyle Beauchamp, a producer of 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 2008. “He’s a good leader, playmaker and finisher,” said Belisle.
Other Mountie forwards to keep an eye on are junior Tim Coffey and sophomores Trevor Plante Tim Doyle.
Belisle believes the stiffest challenges will come from the usual suspects, namely runner-up Hendricken and La Salle, who MSC meets tonight. Don’t be surprised if Moses Brown makes some noise. “The league is well-balanced,” says Belisle.
The schedule is dotted with Mass. perennial power Catholic Memorial (Feb. 11 at Adelard) and a trip to Minnesota over Martin Luther King weekend. Those non-league tests will serve the Mounties well as the drive for yet another banner intensifies.
“They love playing for (Bill), and with that everything falls into place,” said Belisle.