Put on the spot, Reading High’s Parrelli is spot-on

“In front of everyone I said, ‘Allan needs to step up. He has to be our leading scorer. If he does that, he can make it to the league’s Top 5 (scorers),’ ’’ recalled McGrath.

His player’s response was a surprise.

“And all of a sudden he stands up and yells, ‘Top 3, coach, Top 3.’ That showed me something about his confidence and how it’s grown. It’s a great trait to have; he knows he’s a marked man every single game and he takes that as a challenge.’’

Utilizing his fierce speed, he has scored 15 goals in one of the most competitive leagues in the state, the Middlesex, placing the Rockets in prime position for a postseason run.

“No defender can run with Allan,’’ said McGrath of the two-season track athlete. “He’s just too fast. His speed allows him to do so many things and score in so many ways.’’

One of 12 seniors, Parrelli has helped power the Rockets’ to an 11-2-2 record, good for second place, behind Lexington, in the league standings. On Monday, the two teams played to a 1-1 tie.

Parrelli, who runs winter track and plays club soccer in the spring, credits an experience off the field with helping to build his confidence on the pitch.

This past summer, he spent three months shadowing a pediatric surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital, working with Dr. Daniel Doody, observing surgeries and interacting with young patients.

“Seeing it up close was great, and it’s something I can see myself committing to,’’ said Parrelli. “Seeing the way Dr. Doody handled himself all the time helped. He was always so busy, but he stayed relaxed and confident all the time. I tried to take that away and be relaxed and confident on the field.’’

Parrelli said his success, and the team’s, could owes much to senior captain Peter Finigan. A 5-foot-9, 155-pound defender, Finigan is a four-year varsity starter and serves as the absolute anchor of the defense.

“We call him The Robot because he never gets hurt and he’s always in the right place at the right time,’’ said Parrelli. “He’s saved some shots and some games for us just because he always knows where to be. It’s going to be hard to replace him next year.’’

McGrath agreed, calling Finigan “the undeniable leader on this team.’’ The coach continued: “We’ve got a ton of seniors starting and I’m thinking we won’t just be graduating seniors, but kids you can’t replace.’’

A pair of other seniors, Steve Cool and Danny Pomerleau, alternate starts in net. Senior Ryan Nelson, a three-year varsity starter on defense, teams up with Finigan. Senior captain Josh Gosselin and senior Graham Flynn provide the skills at center/midfield, while McGrath calls senior James Harvey “the heart and soul of this team.’’

Sapna Pathak can be reached at sportsgalsp@gmail.com.