Boston, MA
Airtight defense carries Agawam to Div. 2 boys volleyball championship
SHREWSBURY – For Agawam boys volleyball star setter David Dzhenzherukha, the joy of a Div. 2 state title in 2023 was a bit overshadowed by the feeling he didn’t carry his weight as much as former superstar Dan Yovenko, who dominated in every big moment that season.
Twice in three years strikes a different tune, though, especially against the program that reverse-swept the Brownies in last year’s state semifinals.
In a well-balanced showing paced by Dzhenzherukha’s 46 assists and four kills, as well as a phenomenal defensive performance to dominate the third and fourth sets, top-seeded Agawam (24-1) defeated No. 3 Wayland in the Div. 2 state final, 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-13, 25-16) at Shrewsbury High School.
“In 2023, we won a state championship, but I feel like I didn’t win a state championship – Dan (Yovenko) won a state championship,” Dzhenzherukha said. “That’s been my fuel to win another one. Last year, in the semifinals against Wayland, we got reverse swept. That just added to the motivation to play the best we could for this season. … This is the (thing) I’ve (wanted most) I think ever. This is the best feeling I think I’ve ever had.”
Yovenko erupted for 22 kills to finally take down Westfield in the last state title. Depth was at the heart of this one.
The Warriors (16-9) struggled to effectively block Agawam’s attack, primarily because Dzhenzherukha used all of his weapons in different critical moments.
In the third set, junior Tim Karcha – who didn’t commit an error en route to 16 kills – touched down six in a major momentum shift. Senior Joe Culhane (15 kills) caught fire for eight in the fourth set to seal the match, all while right-side Dennis Nesen (nine kills) found his moments to strike, and middles Chase Gerani (seven kills, two blocks) and John Cote (three kills, two blocks) made a lasting mark on offense and defense.
“This one hit really different because we didn’t have a Dan Yovenko to lean on … this was a team win,” said Agawam head coach Kevin Pender. “Our team is so balanced, that we can find any guy. (Dzhenzherukha) is incredible, he’s able to run the offense. He’s Tom Brady-level.”
“I think we have the most well-rounded team in the whole state,” Dzhenzherukha added. “Most teams have that one guy that just shines. … You have to try to stop all of us.”
Wayland was in great shape in the first two sets, playing strong defensively while star junior Finn Bell (25 kills) caught fire early. Bell’s seven kills and three aces in the first set couldn’t edge out a win in a 25-22 loss, but he and Cooper Szeremeta (eight kills) teamed up to lead the attack in a 25-23 win to even up the match.

But a vicious rally to nearly force extra points lit a spark for the Brownies, which they rolled into a 7-1 start to the third set.
“It helped energize that we’re still in this, we can do it,” Pender said.
Karcha dominated in pockets as Agawam built a 21-9 lead, complemented by kills from Culhane, Nesen and Gerani. Culhane did the same with five kills in a 6-1 run to separate from a 6-6 tie to start the fourth.
The team’s defense perhaps made the biggest impact, though, as Agawam’s blocking gave Bell and Wayland’s fellow hitters fits. And when it didn’t, the back row extended rallies with signature digs.
“That was the winner – I think we kept balls alive, we put pressure on them to score, and we didn’t make it easy,” Pender said. “We were able to turn on a defensive skill set that we really didn’t have to most of the year. … The true story is the display of defense.”
Zach O’Donnell had 35 assists for Wayland, which was making its second straight state finals appearance after making just one trip in program history prior.
“When I’m able to zoom out, I’m really proud of the trajectory of the program and the growth of the players in it,” said Wayland head coach Phil George. “It’s a deep team, we’ll be very excited about next season, but I’m also really proud of the seniors, who kind of ushered in the most successful era we’ve had in this program’s history.”
Boston, MA
Boston Signs Big Blueliner Rylind MacKinnon To One-Year Extension
The Boston Fleet have signed defender Rylind MacKinnon to a one-year contract bringing back the 5-foot-10 defender.
Last season was MacKinnon’s first with the Fleet, whhere she recorded one assist in 28 appearances, and also played in three games.
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According to the Fleet MacKinnon added “grit and physicality to the team’s blue line.”
The 26-year-old British Columbia product signed as a free agent with the Toronto Sceptres after going unselected in the 2024 PWHL Draft playing 22 games for the Sceptres as a rookie.
Collegiately, MacKinnon was the University of British Columbia’s all-time leading scorer by a defender.
Boston now has 13 players signed including MacKinnon, Loren Gabel, Ella Huber, Laura Kluge, Shay Maloney, Olivia Mobley, Jill Saulnier, Liz Schepers, Sophie Shirley Susanna Tapani Amanda Thiele, Megan Keller, Haley Winn, and Aerin Frankel.
Boston, MA
Duck parades, outdoor drinking, and Gronk in a kilt. Here’s how Friday’s World Cup festivities unfolded. – The Boston Globe
Despite concerns about transportation and crowd management, the region’s biggest World Cup day yet appeared to unfold largely without major problems.
Morocco fans, many of whom celebrated on Shirley Avenue in Revere, rejoiced after their win against Scotland.
“We’re going to go very far in this World Cup,” predicted David Lalou, a Moroccan fan from Casablanca who saw the game live.
Here’s how Friday’s festivities unfolded.
The drinks continued flowing
Mayor Michelle Wu announced Thursday that in two zones in the city – the Temple Place Social District and the Union-Marshall Street district – it would be legal for patrons to consume alcohol outdoors.
The measure took effect Friday, and by game time the two zones had quickly become lively block parties, complete with live music and hearty Scottish accents.
Zachary Lobel, 22, of Newton, and Ruairidh Davidson, 24, of Inverness, Scotland, independently brought their bagpipes to Union Street. The pair found each other, and a crowd of people gathered to watch them play.
George Comeau, a senior event manager with the Downtown Boston Alliance, organized the outdoor alcohol consumption zone on Temple Place. He estimated at 6:30 p.m. that 4,000 fans were watching the Scotland-Morocco game from the party there.
On the Common, a free watch party attracted fans of every competing team.
Stan Abraham, 38, of Jamaica Plain, came with friends to support Haiti in its match against Brazil.
“I just got to be around my people, around the energy,” he said.

Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, who is up for reelection this year, shook hands and posed for pictures with gleeful Scottish fans outside The Dubliner, the popular Government Center bar.
“I would’ve said it was impossible to drink Boston dry, but clearly [the Scots] are here and they are testing the capacity of the city to serve them,” Markey said. “It’s just a happy week.”

In the Boston Public Market, which extended its hours for FIFA Fan Fest, thirsty Scottish fans did just that, lining up through the narrow Boston Beer Alley, their arms filled with as much alcohol as they could carry.
“I don’t think we’ll last all night,” said owner Dawa Sangpo.
Also in the Public Market were Moroccan fans, many of whom frequented Mo’Rockin Fusion, a fast-casual restaurant where the food is inspired by owner Morad Bouzidi’s childhood in Morocco.
“It’s 100 percent the Moroccan experience,” Bouzidi said.
Yes, the World Cup is in Boston, but, like, not actually in Boston.
As was the case before last week’s game, South Station was packed, but some fans reported an easier commuting experience this time and Globe reporters observed a quick-moving queue.
“I had a pretty smooth experience,” said James Pennie, who is visiting from Vancouver but is originally from Scotland.
Near 3 p.m., as a final few fans jogged through the queue to enter South Station, MBTA employees yelled out encouragement.
“No Scotland, no party!” they said.
Richard Sullivan, the Transit Police superintendent, said the fans were “a very orderly crew.” The MBTA sold over 19,000 tickets to and from Foxborough as of 3 p.m. Friday.
“The queues were very minimal,” said Phil Eng, the MBTA’s general manager. “We got everyone through.”
But not everyone took the commuter rail. A Globe photographer witnessed a convoy of 12 school buses, packed to the brim with Scottish fans, pulling into South Bay to pick up online alcohol orders, before going on to Foxborough.
A duck ? Leading a parade? And what was that about Gronk?
Patriots legends Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman appeared on Fox’s pregame show wearing kilts, accompanied by a man playing bagpipes.
Edelman and Gronkowski applauded the Scots’ drinking prowess after they drank some Boston bars out of beer over the last week.
“The last time it happened was after we won the Super Bowl in 2015 against the Seattle Seahawks,” quipped Gronkowski.
And in Providence, a famous duck named Dawn led Scottish fans on a very orderly march. In a video shared on Dawn’s Tiktok page, the little creatures waddles forwards, a small Scottish flag on its back, while leagues of kilted men with bagpipes march behind it.
Jessica Rinaldi, Omar Mohammed, and Amin Touri of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Globe correspondents Ariela Lopez, Aayushi Datta, Lauren Albano, Audrey Tomlin, Jaden Perry, and Emily Spatz also contributed.
Truman Dickerson can be reached at truman.dickerson@globe.com.
Boston, MA
MBTA, state transportation chief apologizes for ‘insensitive’ employee hair-pulling incident
Gov. Maura Healey’s Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said he has apologized “fully” to the subordinate T employee he’s been accused of pulling the hair of at a work dinner two years ago.
Eng has come under fire for the late 2024 incident this week and admits that it was a “mistake” that has forced him to reflect upon his actions.
“My goal is always to lead with respect and inclusivity,” Eng said in a statement. “I know that this was a mistake, and I own that. I have apologized to this employee fully and have reflected on my actions.
“I am committed to learning from this experience and upholding the highest standards of professionalism in all my interactions as secretary and general manager,” Eng added.
The MBTA said the incident, first reported by Contrarian Boston, occurred in November 2024 at a restaurant where T employees and their spouses were having a team dinner.
WCVB-TV reported that the MBTA employee has told people the interaction with Eng was not welcome and highly inappropriate.
The station described Eng as being accused of committing the hair-pulling faux pas while saying good-bye to the T employee after a work function at a brewery.
The MBTA confirmed that an “insensitive” interaction occurred between Eng and an employee, but downplayed the incident as occurring in the context of a larger conversation about hair from earlier in the evening that included multiple people.
Eng was poking fun at his own baldness when the alleged interaction occurred, according to the MBTA.
“The MBTA is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace environment,” MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in a statement. “Leadership plays a critical role in that. Two years ago, General Manager Eng had an insensitive interaction with one of his direct reports. He subsequently apologized directly to this employee.
“Any claims of harassment, discrimination or retaliatory behavior are completely without merit,” Pesaturo added.
Sources have told WCVB-TV that the T employee is involved in negotiations to leave their job with the agency.
Eng is the state’s top transportation official. Healey appointed him as general manager of the MBTA in 2023, and interim transportation secretary in late 2025.
He was paid $509,114 last year, which includes a $30,000 retention payment he is eligible for each year he remains with the T, per his contract and state payroll records. He does not get additional pay for working dual roles in Massachusetts, but continues to take in a roughly $185,000 pension from New York.
Eng, former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road, came out of retirement to work for the MBTA, but remains retired with the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, which is paying him a gross monthly pension of $15,357.39, according to the New York State Comptroller’s office.
Eng, who stepped down from his MTA post in February 2022, retired from New York’s ERS the following month, March 31, 2022, the comptroller’s office said. His monthly pension equates to $184,288 in annual compensation, which he can continue to collect while working at the MBTA, where he is one of the highest-paid transit leaders in the country.
Eng has been credited by state officials for helping to get the MBTA back on track following a federal probe for a number of safety lapses that culminated with a fatality, when a 39-year-old man was dragged to death by a Red Line train in April 2022.
He is under contract with the T through April 10, 2028, with an option for a one-year extension. His base pay for 2026 is $484,206, per state payroll records.
By comparison, Eng was paid $285,254 in his final year leading the Long Island Rail Road, per the New York State Comptroller’s office.
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