Five high school sports takeaways from a Thursday full of coaching hirings and college commitments
▪ In the span of three days, Braintree senior
Bella Duffy
became the girls' lacrosse program's all-time points leader and all-time leading scorer. Her latest record is the all-time goals mark, and she needed six to reach it in Thursday's game against Milton. She finished with seven goals, giving her 282 for her career to surpass Grace Reinhold's mark from 2018.
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Your New All-Time Leader in Goals! Congrats on another record, Bella!!! We L💙VE YOU!!!
— 20KMD (@20_kmd9967)
▪ Senior
Maggie Teahan
already was the program record-holder for goals at Brookline (242), and she became the first player in program history to reach 300 career points with a goal and an assist in a 9-8 win over Framingham.
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▪ Rockland boys' lacrosse coach
Dave Taylor
earned his 100th win, which also marked the 100th win for the program, which he started in 2014.
Varsity Boys Lacrosse Coach, Dave Taylor earns his (and the program's) 100th career win with a victory over Middleboro this afternoon. Coach Taylor introduced the town to lacrosse through a youth initiative in 2011 and started the Varsity program in 2014. Congrats Coach!!
— Rockland AD (@Rocklanddogs)
2. Daily lacrosse leaderboard
Goals
Bella Duffy
, Braintree, 7
Emma Finch
, Greater Lowell, 7
Gavan Biggins
, Rockland, 5
Isa Robinson
, North Andover, 5
Colin Carfagna
, Bridgewater-Raynham, 4
TJ DiMario
, Rockland, 4
Riley Gillis
, Pembroke, 4
Daniel Hanafin
, Burlington, 4
Jason Kane
, Burlington, 4
Jayson Kelleher
, Bridgewater-Raynham, 4
Mike Murphy
, Lynnfield, 4
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John Powers
, Lynnfield, 4
Mia Simuang
, Lowell, 4
Points
Duffy, Braintree, 7
Finch, Greater Lowell, 7
Carfagna, Bridgewater-Raynham, 6
Hanafin, Burlington, 6
Kane, Burlington, 6
Kelleher, Bridgewater-Raynham, 6
Robinson, North Andover, 6
Biggins, Rockland, 5
Meghan Daley
, North Andover, 5
Cam Shanahan
, Burlington, 5
Simuang, Lowell, 5
3. Coaching carousel
▪ Medford announced the hiring of
John Prestigiovanni
as its new boys' soccer coach. A Medford alum and lifelong resident, he has served as the school's JV coach for more than 10 years. 'John is a first-class person who will now join a long list of great Medford High School coaches,' AD
Robert Maloney
said in a statement.
New Story: Congratulations John Prestigiovanni our new Boys Varsity Soccer Coach
— MHS Athletics (@mhsathletics2)
▪ Dedham has pegged former Newton South coach
Steve Matthews
as its new boys' basketball coach. Matthews, who starred at Catholic Memorial before playing at Northeastern and Emerson, coached the Lions from 2018-23. After a knee injury ended his career in the British Basketball League, Matthews became an assistant under
Denis Tobin
at CM, was head coach at Matignon, and also served as an assistant at Brookline, New Mission, and Burke (now Holland). Matthews led the Lions to back-to-back Dual County League titles.
His vision for developing student-athletes both on and off the court aligns perfectly with the values of Dedham High. We are confident he will bring energy, integrity, and a sense of purpose to our program.
— DedhamAthletics (@DedhamAthletics)
▪ Bishop Fenwick has a new boys' hockey coach and
Craig Seabury
is familiar to hockey fans after serving as Winchester girls' hockey coach from 2014-23. The former UMass Lowell and Salem State player also was an assistant with the Somerville and Stoneham boys' teams. He was 115-40-20 at Winchester, making 10 consecutive playoff appearances and winning a Middlesex League title. Seabury has served as an assistant softball coach at Fenwick for the past three years, working under his brother,
Brian
. He takes over a Fenwick girls' hockey program that hasn't made the postseason in five years and is coming off a 2-18 season.
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▪ Triton hired
Ed Melanson
as its football coach. Melanson has served as an assistant at North Reading, Hamilton-Wenham, St. Mary's, Peabody, and Triton, where he has been since 2022. He replaces
Patrick Sheehan
, who led the Titans to a 7-4 record last fall.
4. Commitment central
Tri-county senior
Andrew Jennings
, a 6-foot-3-inch, 300-pound lineman, announced he will play football at Nichols College.
Congratulations Andrew Jennings '25 on your commitment to playing football at Nichols College!
— Tri-County RVTHS Athletics (@TriRvths)
Wakefield seniors
Cam Deprizio
and
Frankie Sullivan
made their commitments official, with Deprizio to play baseball at Salem State and Sullivan to compete in track and field at Trinity.
Congrats to our student athletes who will continue their Athletic careers at the college level:
Cam Deprizio: Baseball
Frankie Sullivan: Track & Field
— Wakefield Athletics (@WMHS_Warriors)
Haverhill seniors
Kevin McAninch
and
Michael Morris
announced they will be wrestling at Emmanuel.
Kevin McAninch has committed to the wrestling program at Emmanuel College. Congratulations Kevin!!!
— Haverhill Athletics (@GoHillies)
Michael Morris has committed to the wrestling program at Emmanuel College. Congratulations Michael!!!
— Haverhill Athletics (@GoHillies)
Sebastian Wilkins
, the No. 31 overall boys' basketball player in the Class of 2026 as ranked by 247Sports, will announce his decision between Duke and Maryland at 4 p.m. Friday on YouTube. Wilkins, a Canton native who began his high school career at Lawrence Academy before transferring to Brewster Academy, is a 6-foot-8-inch wing.
Brewster Academy and Mass Rivals' Sebastian Wilkins will announce his commitment tomorrow, live on the
Watch Live:
— Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein)
5. College corner
Senior goalie
Elizabeth Driscoll
, a Marblehead graduate, became the first Saint Anselm women's lacrosse player to be named to the IWLCA Division 2 All-America first team. She posted a .521 save percentage and allowed 10.06 goals per game, going 12-7 in 19 starts.
Congrats to Elizabeth Driscoll, Elyse Scales, and Lucy Mawn on being named to IWLCA All-Region Teams!
— Saint Anselm College Women's Lacrosse (@STAHawksWLax)
Named to the USA Lacrosse All-American third team were Saint Anselm junior
Colby Goodchild
and sophomore
Finn Granara
, both Reading High graduates. Freshman
Matt Lemay
(St. John's Shrewsbury/Westminster) and junior
Quinn Gannon
(Scituate) were chosen as honorable mentions.
Connecticut College senior
Nick McLaughlin
, a Wilbraham & Monson graduate, earned a spot on the USILA All-America second team, while junior
Liam Horkan
, a Belmont Hill graduate from Malden, garnered honorable mention status. McLaughlin, a short-stick defensive midfielder, recorded a career-best nine goals and five assists, finishing second on the team with 43 ground balls. Horkan scored 39 goals with eight assists.
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UMass Lowell graduate student
Garrett Murphy
, a Billerica graduate, was selected to play in the USILA Division 1/2 North/South Senior All-Star game, which will be held Friday at Roger Williams. Murphy, who was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team finished the season with 19 goals and 32 points, both career highs.
Hey now, you're an all-star 🌟
Congrats to Garrett Murphy on being selected for the USILA North/South All-Star Game! Best of luck tomorrow!
STORY:
— UMass Lowell Men's Lacrosse (@RiverHawkMLax)
UMass Dartmouth freshman
Ancil Alexander
, a Taunton High graduate, became the first Corsair to earn All-America honors in the discus after finishing sixth at the NCAA Division 3 Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Congratulations to Fr. DL Ancil Alexander (
— UMass Dartmouth Football (@CorsairFootball)
Saint Anselm senior
Michael Papamechail
, a Danvers High graduate, was named to the All-Northeast-10 third team, as was freshman
Brandon Vitarisi
, a Reading High graduate.
Saint Anselm track senior
Ava O'Donnell
, a Cardinal Spellman alumna from Raynham, was honored as a USTFCCCA Division 2 All-Region selection for her performance in the 1,500-meter run, while on the men's side sophomore
Andres Infante
, a St. John's (Shrewsbury) graduate from Marlborough, earned the same honor as part of the Hawks' 4x400 relay.
Brendan Kurie can be reached at
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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
With a second championship in sight and Bernie Sanders' support, Vermont is the US soccer state of the moment
A silence fell on Virtue Field. Owen O'Malley stepped up, kissed the ball, and prepared to take Vermont Green's fifth penalty in a shootout. The outcome of that spot kick could decide the winner of the USL League Two semi-final against Dothan United in the fourth tier of American soccer. The moment of quiet was in stark contrast to the buzz that has gathered around this team in 2025, but the silence was soon broken as O'Malley coolly rolled his spot-kick down the middle. The back of the net rippled, and the celebrations in the stands spilled on to the field. A sold-out crowd of 2,700 supporters had packed into Virtue Field at the University of Vermont in Burlington for the game. That was the official attendance, anyway. Many more found a perch wherever they could around the ground. Related: The Cosmos return – with a new home, new league and old ideals The club estimates that it could have sold at least 15,000 tickets, and demand is even greater for Saturday's final, which will be played at Virtue Field against Seattle's own gem of a lower league side, Ballard FC. As soon as tickets went on sale on Wednesday morning, the match sold out. The game is being shown on local TV as well as being streamed online, and there are numerous watch parties taking place across the state. Others might still find a way to be there in person. 'There's a grassy hill behind the north goal that's got hundreds, if not thousands, of fans on it now,' says Matthew Wolff, who founded the club alongside Sam Glickman and Patrick Infurna. 'Over the last two matches, we've had fans standing on the base of the scoreboard outside the stadium, fans that have brought ladders around the stadium, sitting on top of sheds and shipping containers, standing on top of porta-potties. Someone was sitting on top of a pull-up bar attached to the back of a garage to watch the penalty shootout in the last match!' During the semi-final, commentator Brian McLaughlin described Burlington as 'the soccer city of the moment.' It's a bold statement, but one that doesn't feel inaccurate, even though Vermont Green is a fourth-tier team that was only founded in 2021. It is an amateur side heavily linked to the college game, not least through its home stadium, but also its playing personnel and fan culture. The University of Vermont Catamounts men's team, who play at the same stadium, won the NCAA national championship against the odds and in thrilling fashion in 2024. The team can count Bernie Sanders among its supporters, and the US senator spoke of Vermont's newfound status as a soccer state. 'I think I speak for the whole state in congratulating the Vermont Green on the extraordinary season that they've had,' he said. 'It is really incredible that for a small state, we have now become one of the leading centers of soccer in the United States.' The ethos of Vermont Green, and other clubs like it at various levels in various leagues – Detroit City (USL Championship), Kingston Stockade (The League For Clubs), and New York International (APSL) are among those regularly mentioned in these conversations – shows that within the closed structure of US soccer, it is less about the division in which you play and more about what you do as a club, not just in a league, but in a community, too. 'We're really happy with USL League Two,' says Infurna. 'We really love our league and the people that run it. Our relationship with them is fantastic, but ultimately, you're only in your league when you're playing soccer, and these clubs exist a lot outside of those 90 minutes. 'We believe in focusing on your community and your club, what and who you are. Nobody in Vermont thinks of Vermont Green as a fourth division club in a small town. Everyone thinks of us as the biggest club in Vermont. In a non-merit-based system, you can't really have a hierarchy of leagues; you've just got to be what you are, and you have to be full-throated about that. It's shedding that hierarchy.' Related: Does US soccer really need four first divisions? The answer isn't necessarily 'no' When encountering a team like Vermont Green, it's difficult to ignore the topic of promotion and relegation. This is one of the most well-run and keenly supported teams in the country; one with an identity that has grown organically with the club, and which is intertwined with the community that supports it. Ever-increasing support has seen the club outgrow its current home to the point where it will consider possible next steps, which might include working with the University to expand Virtue Field or finding a new stadium. It feels like a club that would be primed for promotion. USL has put forward plans for promotion and relegation between its Championship and League One divisions, and a proposed new first division pencilled in for 2027, but as of yet, there are no plans to open up this to its League Two semi-pro/amateur level. So what does progress look like for a soccer club in this situation?. 'For me, the metrics for growth and progress have been seeing how many people in the community are aware of the club,' says Tyler Littwin, who runs the club's Green Mountain Bhoys supporters' group. 'How many people queued up for tickets, how many people are disappointed when they can't get them and are reaching out on social media asking if anybody has a spare. 'I would love for the team to jump up to a higher division and play more games, expand the stadium, or have our own stadium at some point, but these are all really big jumps. So the big thing for me in the supporters group is that every year, we just want this to be a bigger, louder, and more widespread experience.' Vermont Green is also converting non-sports fans into supporters of the club on the back of what it stands for. 'Folks who had no interest in soccer are excited by the team,' adds Littwin. 'They're people who were attracted to the club because of the focus on non-sports issues, and felt like this is something they want to be part of. 'You get to hang out with your friends and neighbors and feel part of something bigger for a couple of hours. I've not encountered such a significant portion of fans in any sport, at any club, who are like, 'I was never into soccer, never into sports, and now I'm a diehard supporter.' It's a pretty impressive conversion.' Judith Altneu, who has reported on the team's end-of-season run for the Burlington Free Press, said, 'covering the Green games has made me feel like I'm part of something bigger for the first time since covering Maryland college basketball games as a student. There's nothing like being part of a sold-out crowd.' Josh Nash, senior vice-president at USL, commented that 'Vermont Green has created something powerful – a club that reflects the spirit and identity of its community … Ballard FC comes in from Seattle with a championship pedigree, a relentless style of play, and one of the strongest followings in the league. It's only fitting that the final features two clubs with the most engaged and enthusiastic fans in League Two.' It also helps that the soccer being played is good. On the field, Vermont Green went unbeaten in the regular season, which is a testament to the players and the work of Chris Taylor, the head coach from Liverpool who has impressed in his first season in the role. 'Taylorball has completely changed the way Vermonters are enjoying the game,' enthuses Wolff. 'He plays such a fun style, and we've had the privilege of having such good players and such depth that he can really execute what he wants to. His ability to use his subs at the right time has changed games.' The end of the season has been littered with dramatic moments, from two goals in added time to maintain an unbeaten record and win the Northeast Division, to Niklas Herceg's saves and O'Malley's winning goal in the penalty shootout against Dothan. It is entertaining soccer featuring moments of real drama. Everyone involved with Vermont Green is now focused on Saturday's final, but looking in from the outside, it's impossible not to wonder what the future holds for the soccer city of the moment, and how it can grow. 'I think it's a remarkable story, whether we win the final or not,' concludes Infurna. 'I hope that the world will put its eyes on this, because it's something really special, and the people of Vermont deserve the spotlight.'
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Massachusetts school district nearly doubles athletic fees to $600 per sport
Parents everywhere know it costs an arm and a leg to feed teenagers, and for Bridgewater-Raynham families, if their teens play a sport, they're about to spend almost double. "Both towns went out for an override and unfortunately failed in both communities. These are some of the unfortunate consequences now of a failed override we're having to face as a reality," explained Superintendent Ryan Powers. It's now going to cost $600 per student per sport - up from $360 before. The family cap has been eliminated, meaning it'll cost families thousands if siblings play multiple sports. "She's played volleyball, she's played soccer, she's played all different sports. It's going to discouraging if we don't get to see her play this year. I guess they're just going to have to cut back and decide which is their most important sport to play," one mother said. Students who play sports aren't the only ones impacted; these changes to the athletic fees are in addition to big cuts inside the classroom. "We're down about 20 positions at the high school. We're down about 40 electives from the past year. We essentially wiped out our entire business department, really preparing them not just for college and career but basic life skills about personal finance," Powers added. Powers said recent enrollment has increased by about 100 every year, filling middle and high school classrooms with up to 35 students. Parents worry these changes could mean less attention from teachers, and less time being physically active. "A lot of this is an outlet for kids, which is huge. Whether it be socially, mentally. That hurts a lot of kids hoping to get scholarships for college," a father said. Powers explained middle and high school sports and extracurriculars cost the district almost a million dollars. That breaks down to about $900 per student per sport, but the agreed upon $600 is to try to keep kids on teams without taking more resources from classrooms.
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6 days ago
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Lakers jersey history No. 1 — Wes Matthews
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary. As the Lakers approach their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years. This article takes a look at Wes Matthews, a guard who played for the Lakers during the Showtime era. Matthews played three years of college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was taken with the No. 14 pick in the 1980 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. As a rookie, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks and averaged 12.4 points and 5.2 assists a game. He ended up bouncing around the league, mostly as a reserve, over the next several years. In October 1986, the Lakers, needing some backcourt depth, signed Matthews as a free agent. The Lakers already had Hall of Famer Michael Cooper, who played both guard spots and small forward, but they also needed some added insurance at the point guard spot. Matthews didn't play much, but he averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 assists in 12.3 minutes a game during two seasons with the team. He was very lucky with his timing, as Los Angeles won the NBA championship during both of those seasons. Matthews moved on to the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association, where he won a league championship with the Tulsa Fast Breakers during the 1988-89 campaign. In the fourth and final game of the championship series, he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Tulsa the title. That meant Matthews had won championships in three straight seasons of pro basketball. Meanwhile, the Lakers went after a third straight title that same year, only to get swept by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals after Byron Scott and Magic Johnson injured their hamstrings. Matthews would appear in one game with the Hawks during the 1989-90 season to close out his NBA career. His son Wesley would play 15 seasons in the league, including one with the Lakers.
