Boston, MA

Boston Herald boys wrestling All-Scholastics and league All-Stars

Published

2 years ago

April 26, 2024

Press Room

Boston Herald boys wrestling All-Scholastics and league All-Stars

Alexander Bajoras (St. John’s Prep)

Nate Blanchette (Central Catholic)

Michael Boulanger (Milford)

Thomas Brown (Chelmsford)

Luke Connolly (Bishop Fenwick/Northeast)

Jayden D’Ambrosio (St. John’s Prep)

Vinny DeMaio (Methuen)

Nick Desisto (Tewksbury)

Dominic Gangi (Methuen)

Cole Glynn (Central Catholic)

Cyrus Jones (Sharon)

Emmett Logan (Lowell)

Charlie Lussier (Whitman-Hanson)

Brent Von Magnus (Bridgewater-Raynham)

Yandel Morales (Andover)

Brent Nicolosi (Haverhill)

Jonah Paulino (Monty Tech)

Mason Pellegri (Milton)

Peter Rincan (Billerica)

James Tildsley (Shawsheen)

Sidney Tildsley (Shawsheen)

Michael Toppan (Gloucester)

ALEXANDER BAJORAS

ST. JOHN’S PREP

The junior heavyweight was the Div. 1 North sectional, then took second at the Div. 1 State, All-State and New England tournaments. A two-time Div. 1 State finalist, Bajoras was seventh in the All-States as a sophomore. The NHSCA All-American is an honor roll student who also plays football and competes in spring track. In the offseason, Bajoras trains at Smitty’s Wrestling Barn.

NATE BLANCHETTE

CENTRAL CATHOLIC

The senior went undefeated on the season, winning all 48 matches, including the Div. 1 North, Div. 1 State, All-State and New England titles. The Merrimack Valley Conference Wrestler of the Year ended his career with an 188-3 record, three New England titles and two All-State titles. Blanchette will continue his wrestling career at Rutgers.

MICHAEL BOULANGER

MILFORD

The Div. 2 Central and Div. 2 State champion at 138 pounds, the junior went on to post a 36-3 record on the season. An All-State finalist and New England place-winner, the Hockomock League MVP earned his 100th career win on Jan. 10. A member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society, Boulanger has a career record of 130-23.

THOMAS BROWN

CHELMSFORD

Unstoppable in the heavyweight class, the junior standout went 55-0 with 52 of those victories coming via pin. Brown won the Div. 1 Central/West sectional, Div. 1 State, All-State and New England title. Brown went on to take a third at the Nationals, earning All-American honors in the process once again. A three-time sectional, state and All-State champion, Brown has a career mark of 161-3 with 138 pins.

LUKE CONNOLLY

BISHOP FENWICK/NORTHEAST

Wrestling between 157 and 165 pounds during the season, Connolly was 20-0 in dual meets and posted an overall record of 41-2, giving him a career mark of 131-12. A two-time State Vocational and North Sectional champion, Connolly is a member of the National Honor Society. A three-sport captain, Connolly will play football at RPI.

JAYDEN D’AMBROSIO

ST. JOHN’S PREP

The 157-pound senior went 61-0, winning the Div. 1 North, Div. 1 State, All-State and New England titles. In three years at the varsity level, D’Ambrosio amassed an overall record of 160-10. The honor roll student will continue his wrestling career at Edinboro University.

VINNY DEMAIO

METHUEN

An all-Merrimack Valley Conference performer, the sophomore was 48-4 and advanced to the 157-pound finals at the Div. 1 North, Div. 1 State, All-State and New Englands. A three-time state-place finisher, DeMaio has a career mark of 130-16. A four-time honor roll student with a 4.0 GPA, DeMaio was second team all-MVC in football. In the offseason, DeMaio trains at Doughboy Wrestling Club.

NICK DESISTO

TEWKSBURY

The sophomore was rock-solid at 113 pounds, winning the Div. 3 Sectional and Div. 3 State titles. He placed second at both the All-State and New Englands, ending the season with a 46-5 record. The three-time sectional champion has a career record of 106-17. A member of the football team, Desisto is an honor roll student.

DOMINIC GANGI

METHUEN

The 113-pound senior was the Div. 1 North Sectional, Div. 1 State and All-State champion while placing in the New Englands. A first-team all-Merrimack Valley Conference performer, Gangi surpassed the 100-win mark this past season. A 2023 NHSCA Junior All-American, Gangi trains in the offseason at Doughboy Wrestling Club.

COLE GLYNN

CENTRAL CATHOLIC

The 106-pound junior was the Div. 1 State and All-State champion on his way to a 49-win season. A high honors student, Glynn is a two-time State and All-State place-winner. A member of the varsity soccer team, Glynn works out at Smitty’s Wrestling Barn in the offseason.

CYRUS JONES

SHARON

Jones had a terrific sophomore season for the Eagles, posting a 43-3 record at 150 pounds with 32 of the victories coming via pin. The Div. 2 Central Sectional champion was the runner-up at the Div. 2 State and All-State tournaments. The Marshfield Holiday Tournament champion and an honor roll student, Jones was the MVP in the Davenport Division of the Hockomock League.

EMMETT LOGAN

LOWELL

The 126-pound sophomore was a model of consistency, reaching the finals of the Div. 1 North, Div. 1 State and All-State tournaments, while placing sixth at the New Englands. Logan also won the Wayland Holiday and Timberlane Tournaments, ending the season with a 51-8 record, including 41 pins. A two-time sectional, state and All-State finalist, Logan has 105 wins in his career. In the offseason, Logan trains at Doughboy Wrestling Club in Lowell.

CHARLIE LUSSIER

WHITMAN-HANSON

A two-time Patriot League MVP, the 120-pound junior was the Div. 2 State champion and went on to take second in both the All-State and New England tournaments. A 2023 New England place-winner, Lussier is a member of the National Honor Society. In the offseason, Lussier trains at both the Metrowest and CBC wrestling clubs.

BRENT VON MAGNUS

BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM

The 132-pound junior won the Div. 2 South sectional and Div. 2 State titles, placed second in the All-States and sixth at the New Englands. For his career, Von Magnus is a two-time state champion and a three-time All-State place-finisher. An honor roll student, Von Magnus trains at Metrowest United Wrestling.

YANDEL MORALES

ANDOVER

A two-time Boston Herald All-Scholastic, the sophomore captured the 126-pound title at the Div. 1 North, Div. 1 State and All-State title, while taking a second at the New Englands. The Outstanding Wrestler at the Woburn Invitational, Morales ended the season with a 54-5. record. A two-time Sectional, State and All-State champion, Morales has a career record of 151-12.

BRENT NICOLOSI

HAVERHILL

Nicolosi had a great senior season at 165 pounds, winning the Lowell Holidays, The Div. 1 North Sectionals, Div. 1 State, All-State and New England titles. A two-time state champion and a three-time state place-winner, the NHSCA All-American ended his career with 208 wins. In the offseason, Nicolosi trains at Smitty’s Barn.

JONAH PAULINO

MONTY TECH

The 132-pound senior turned in an impressive 49-1 season. Paulino captured the Lowell Holiday title, the Div. 1 Central/West Sectional, Div. 1 State and All-State title, then took second at the New Englands. A four-time state champion and three-time New England place-finisher, Paulino ended his career with a 144-4 record. In the offseason, Paulino trains at Doughboy Wrestling.

MASON PELLEGRI

MILTON

The senior captain went 52-1 on the season, winning the Wayland Holiday, Bob Gay Invitational and George Bossi Lowell Holiday titles. Pellegri was equally as good in the postseason, capturing the Div. 2 Central Sectional, Div. 2 State and All-State titles, while taking a third at the New Englands. Pellegri ended his career with school records for wins (147) and pins (108). A member of the National Honor Society, Pellegri will wrestle at Harvard and major in both business and engineering.

PETER RINCAN

BILLERICA

The 120-pound sophomore was the Div. 2 North sectional, Div. 2 State and All-State champion, then took third in the New Englands to finish off a 55-1 season. As a freshman at Bedford High in New Hampshire, Rincan was a perfect 53-0 and won the New England title. Rincan trains in the offseason at Prophecy RTC.

JAMES TILDSLEY

SHAWSHEEN

A three-time Boston Herald All-Scholastic, the sophomore was a perfect 57-0, winning the Div. 1 North, Div. 1 State, All-State and New England titles. A three-time Lowell Holiday Champion, Tildsley was voted the Outstanding Wrestler at the All-State meet. He was an all-Commonwealth Athletic Conference linebacker for a Shawsheen team which went 11-1.

SIDNEY TILDSLEY

SHAWSHEEN

The junior is well on his way to becoming one of the most decorated wrestlers in state history. The 138-pounder captured his third straight Div. 1 North Sectional, Div. 1 State and All-State title to go along with his third George Bossi Lowell Holiday title. A three-time NHSCA All-American, Tildsley has a career record of 181-2. He was also the MVP of the CAC in football, earning All-Scholastic honors in the process.

MICHAEL TOPPAN

GLOUCESTER

The Northeastern Conference Wrestler of the Year, the 190-pound senior was the Div. 3 North, Div. 3 State and All-State champion, while placing sixth in the New Englands on his way to a 54-5 season. A two-time New England place-winner, Toppan ended his career with a stellar 181-29 record. A two-time track captain and honor roll student, Toppan will wrestle and study Construction Management at Roger Williams University .

LEAGUE ALL-STARS

BAY STATE CONFERENCE

Michael Nigro, Thomas Nguyen (Braintree); Jamie Evarts, Gabriel Thomas (Brookline); Dan Sullivan, Philip Watson, Kizen Semprum, Ben Lincoln, Adriana DeGroat (Framingham); Mason Pellegri, Kenny Hiraldo (Milton); Michael Mortarelli, Matthew Pini, Joseph Linton, Jake Ashman, Mike Whalen (Natick); Alex Rutley (Needham); Jon Jauregui (Newton North); Logan Murphy (Walpole); Jonah Ginsberg, Oliver Knight (Wellesley); Michael Brooks, Kevin Mackin, Jake Thompson, Naheem Ridore (Weymouth)

MVP: Mason Pellegri, Gabriel Thomas

BOSTON CITY LEAGUE

Samuel Guan, Nomar Kelly, Brian Lau, Anjue Liang (Latin Academy/O’Bryant)

CAPE ANN LEAGUE

Nathan Barstow, Jakob Hulett, James Fodera, Jason Kouyoumdjian, David Glynn, Gavin Iby (Lynnfield/North Reading); Miles Darling (Essex Tech/Masconomet); Trevor Kamuda, James Cordro, Aidan Burrier (Pentucket/Newburyport); Amir Alami, Nolan Merrill, Douglas Aylward, Lucas Bistany (Triton)

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Miles Darling, Douglas Aylward

CATHOLIC CONFERENCE

Braedon Goes, Jimmy Lally, Will LaValley, Ryan DeSouza, Jayden D’Ambrosio, Vincent Bilotti, Rani Haddad, Marc Pineiro, Alex Bajoras (St. John’s Prep); Issac Sydnor, Jack Gill, Rik Orup, Kazuki Goode, Jackson Carlo (Catholic Memorial); Elijah Cincotti, Jake Scanzillo, Matt Thorley, Peter Foley (BC High); Theodore Cardarelli, Jonathan McMahon, Landan Gray, Noah Miles (St. John’s Shrewsbury); Nate Sayers, George McAteer (Xaverian); Marcus Rojas (Malden Catholic)

MVP: Jayden D’Ambrosio

COMMONWEALTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Antoine Jackman, Garrett Ayotte, Gabriel Stickney (Greater Lowell); Dante Graziano, Dante Giusti, Brayton Carbone, Aiden Pimentel, Caleb Caceres, Sidney Tildsley, James Tildsley, Jake Metcalf, Ryan Murphy, Dominic Chaffee (Shawsheen); Anthony Midolo, Aiden Fogarty, Matheus Binda, Logan Hauck (Whittier); Jackson Cody, Ray Kochanski, Luke Connolly, Anthony Nichols (Northeast Metro Tech/Bishop Fenwick); Joshua Matos, Justin Toglia, Kaelib Reynolds, Michael Pena (Greater Lawrence)

MVP: Sidney Tildsley, Luke Connolly

DUAL COUNTY LEAGUE

THORPE: Penn Boger, Eddie Myles, Miles Mattaliano, Kian Amouzgar (Concord-Carlisle); James Snape, Eric Power, Quinn Bowles, Ronan Miller, Alex Greene-Barrios, Graeme Dierks, Henry Seo (Boston Latin); Elijah Colon, Nate Garozzo (Lincoln-Sudbury); Nathan Tobe, Nathan Hartunian (Wayland)

FOLEY: Drew Unger, Oliver Weiss, Dylan Kadish, Alex Rhein, Vincent Flemming, Nick Genin (Newton South); Anthony Ohanian, Josh Shin (Weston); Theodore Santos, James Agostino, Joey Agostino (Waltham); Nathaniel McCullagh (Cambridge); Eric Kantorovich, Andrew Livshin (Bedford/Acton-Boxboro)

MVP: Kian Amouzgar, Julia Vuckovic, Dylan Kadish, Suvi Talvitie

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE

Cyrus Jones, Nick Varvak, Meghan Wiebe, Ashmith Yeruva (Sharon); Michael Boulanger, Aidan Baum, Tony Dew, Derek Marcolini, Robby Lyons, Owen Matthews (Milford); Adam Addeche (Foxboro); William Buffington, Kingston DeCosta, Ethan Harris, Elijah Prophete, John Mandeville, Michael Leskoski, Gabriel Leskoski (Taunton); Riley Carlucci, Jack Sauer (Franklin); Colby Cloutier (King Philip); Max Kupferman, Ruairi Ritson (Canton); Jaden Mendes (North Attleboro); Willer Rossow (Oliver Ames)

MVP: Cyrus Jones, Michael Boulanger

MAYFLOWER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Griffin Machie, Luis Garcia, Brennan Chisholm, Ryan Moitoso, Josh Hoskins, Brady Benfeito, Johnathan Borges, Malakai Risotti (Bristol Aggie/Dighton-Rehoboth); Matthew Keefe, Drew Daley, Daniel Keefe, Jacob Bettencourt, Colby Grenon, Nathan Hicks, Jack Ramondetta (Bristol-Plymouth); Giovanni Viola, Charles Graham, Jason Comeau (South Shore); Mason Green, Brandon Allen, Anthony Gagne, Jack Disharoon, Jace Silva (Tri-County); Jason Dorce (Southeastern)
MVP: Jacob Bettencourt, Luis Garcia

MERRIMACK VALLEY CONFERENCE

ALL-CONFERENCE: Brent Nicolosi, Cale Wood, Michael Morris, Shea Morris, Matthew Harrold (Haverhill); Jose Bethel, Thomas Brown (Chelmsford); Nate Blanchette, Cole Glynn, Caden Smith (Central Catholic); Jack Lightfoot, Nicholas Desisto, Manny Mengata (Tewksbury); Vincent Demaio, Joseph Bolduc, Dominic Gangi (Methuen); Peter Rincan (Billerica); Yandel Morales, Nicholas Archambault (Andover); Emmett Logan, Hussein Alobaidi, Chris Dubey (Lowell)

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Thomas Brown, Nate Blanchette, Brent Nicolosi

MIDDLESEX LEAGUE

ALL-CONFERENCE: Aryav Pimrale (Lexington); Jack Shea, Mikey Thomas, Jonny Moraes (Melrose); Aydin Lamb, Sean Callanan, Joe Lamonica, Jaden Fullerton, Zach Arria (Wakefield); Andre Sweet (Belmont); William Merkle (Reading); Dan Carreira, Brady Bekkenhuis (Arlington); Tommy Dicker (Watertown); Mohamed Said (Wilmington)
MVP: Aydin Lamb, Brady Bekkenhuis

PATRIOT LEAGUE

ALL-STARS

Noah Price, Jack Mahoney, Freddie Mahoney, Phoenix Soares, Cole Bonner, Matt Walsh, Jack Johnson, Will Marani, Jonny Radzevich, Noah Edwards (Duxbury); Conlan Geary, Matt Costello, Anthony Mann, Emma Leonido (Hanover); Aidan Chan, Jakub Wozny, Tucker Burke, Mia Dineen (Hingham); Liam Dillon (Marshfield), Nate Rosas, Decklan McDevitt, Logan Schipper (Pembroke); Max Sturtevant (Plymouth North); Brendan Nunley (Plymouth South); Edwin Vino, Nathan Doyle, Matthew Nellany (Quincy/North Quincy); Connor McLaughlin, David Murphy, Paul Cheverie (Scituate); Jacob Opachinski, Robert Lewis, Justin Vincenti, Talan Rondeau (Silver Lake); Charlie Lussier, PJ Katz (Whitman-Hanson)
MVP: Charlie Lussier, Anthony Mann

SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE
Olivia Polansky, Kennedie Davis, Lucas Santos, Brent Von Magnus, Jack Alves, Brenton Allain, Luke Driscoll, Fletcher Rinke, Jackson Rinke (Bridgewater-Raynham); Toril Patel, Walter Rodrigues, Aman Khalil, Jailen Jackson (Brockton); Seth Chuon, Kayden Chaney, Thomas Louisme, Josh Yentz (Durfee); Anthony Bojorquez, Anderson Dinis, Tayel Guzman, Prince Wright (New Bedford)
MVP: Brent Von Magnus, Aman Khalil

SOUTH SHORE LEAGUE

Josh Gonsalves, Iain Lindvall, Matt Patterson, Leo Pike, Ken Mentee, Tristian Sybertz (Middleboro); Mike Shannon, Dean Livermore, Ollie Buckley, Cooper Richards, Matt Badia (Cohasset); Luke Steele, Liam Hallet, William Fitzgerald-Klemp (Sandwich); Coleson Tully, Aaron Reed, Elena Thomas, Jack Reed, Michael Brennan (Carver); Keegan Butler (Rockland)

MVP: Matt Patterson

TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Logan Costello, Kevin Ozulumba, Adrian Guzman, Anton Puhach, Cam Antoniuk, Cauan Amaral, Matt Terry (Ashland); Landry Fitzgerald, Tyler Campbell (Bellingham); Manuel Garcia, Ryan Talon-Kelly, Matthew Garcia (Dedham); Baly Mikhail, Zak Robinson, Henry McElligott, Quinn Polny (Holliston); Aaron Butkus (Hopkinton); Dillan Mueller (Norton); TJ Wyman, Jared Tinlin, Nate Hsu (Norwood)

MVP: Anton Puhach

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Boston, MA

Celtics reportedly trading Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George, picks

Published

1 hour ago

July 1, 2026

Press Room

Celtics reportedly trading Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George, picks

In a stunning, franchise-shaking move, the Celtics reached an agreement Wednesday to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.

In return, Boston reportedly will receive nine-time All-Star wing Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

Brown had been the subject of rampant trade rumors in recent weeks, with Charania reporting earlier Wednesday that the Celtics were “strongly shopping” their longest-tenured player following a failed attempt to trade him and two draft picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

But the 76ers, who ended the Celtics’ 2022-26 season by upsetting them in the first round of the NBA playoffs, had not been mentioned as a potential suitor for Brown. He’ll now join the likes of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe on a talented Philadelphia roster, while the oft-injured George heads to Boston.

Shipping out Brown splits up one of the NBA’s most talented and successful duos. The tandem of Jayson Tatum and Brown led Boston to five Eastern Conference finals, two NBA Finals and one championship since they joined forces in 2017.

Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, played most of this season without his longtime co-star, and he thrived, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists — a stat line matched in Celtics history only by Larry Bird and John Havlicek — while Tatum recovered from Achilles surgery. Brown made second-team All-NBA and finished sixth in MVP voting, and the underdog Celtics far exceeded preseason expectations, posting the second-best record in the East (56-26) and the league’s fourth-best net rating.

But questions about Brown’s future began swirling after Boston blew a 3-1 series lead against seventh-seeded Philly, losing three straight — including Game 7 at home, which Tatum missed due to knee stiffness — to suffer their earliest postseason exit since 2021.

Brown, who was a minus-57 over the final three losses, made headlines after the series when he insisted that this was his “favorite season” despite Boston’s poor finish. Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady, a mentor of Brown’s, did the same when he said on his podcast that Brown had “frustration (that) lies deeply within the (Celtics) organization.”

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in his end-of-season news conference that Brown had expressed no such feelings to him. But Stevens admitted Boston needed to improve its roster to compete with the NBA’s elite teams (New York, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, etc.). A month later, after the Milwaukee Bucks rejected Boston’s bid for Antetokounmpo, Stevens said he wouldn’t “predict the future” when asked whether Brown would remain with the Celtics.

“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said last Tuesday. “I’m never going to predict the future, but every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys, right? So obviously, you never know.

“But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been. He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate, a great person to be around. And whether that run ends 10 years from now when he retires, or before, there’s a lot to celebrate. We have a great relationship, an open relationship where we talk about everything. But I don’t want to predict the future.”

George has enjoyed a long and decorated career across stints with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and 76ers. Over his 16 seasons, he’s averaged 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 44.0% from the field and 38.4% from 3-point range.

The 36-year-old is well past his prime, however, and has struggled to stay on the court, suiting up for more than 60 games just once in the last seven seasons. He played in 37 games this season, missing time for both injuries and a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.

George did give the Sixers strong minutes during their playoff series against Boston, making 55.0% of his 3-pointers across the seven games. Still, he’s a substantial downgrade from both the Celtics’ original target, two-time NBA MVP Antetokounmpo, and Brown, who is six years younger.

The Celtics will inherit the final two years of George’s contract. He’s set to make $54.1 million this coming season, then has a $56.6 million player option for 2026-27. It was not immediately clear whether Boston plans to move forward with George or flip him in a subsequent trade.

This trade marks the third time in the last four offseasons that the Celtics made major changes to their roster. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, they shipped out Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon in trades for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday — deals that helped push their Tatum/Brown-led core over the championship hump after years of near misses. Last summer, the Celtics traded Porzingis and Holiday and lost Al Horford and Luke Kornet in free agency to escape the prohibitive second apron of the NBA’s luxury tax. (A subsequent series of in-season trades pushed Boston out of the tax entirely.)

Parting ways with Brown is the boldest swing yet for Stevens.

The 29-year-old (30 in October) was Boston’s longest-tenured player, having joined the C’s as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He ranks 10th on the franchise’s all-time scoring list — one spot behind Tatum and two behind Bill Russell — and is coming off the best season of his career. Among active players, only Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Devin Booker, Nikola Jokic and Antetokounmpo have appeared in more games without changing teams.

Brown, whose No. 7 likely will hang in the TD Garden rafters one day, also built a strong connection with the Boston community through his 7uice Foundation, Boston XChange initiative and other philanthropic efforts.

“I love Boston,” he said in a May 6 Twitch stream. “If it were up to me, I would play in Boston for the next 10 years.”

Brown was set to become eligible for a two-year, $140 million contract extension with the Celtics next month. His current deal, which runs through the 2028-29 season, was the richest in NBA history when he signed it in 2023 (five years, $304 million). He is set to make $57.1 million this coming season.

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Boston, MA

Looking for a lodging adventure? Beat the heat at a floating B&B. – The Boston Globe

Published

12 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Press Room

Looking for a lodging adventure? Beat the heat at a floating B&B. – The Boston Globe

Afloat is an ideal option if you’ve ever had dreams of owning your own boat but have been told that boat ownership requires endless reserves of cash. Or if you’ve ever wanted to experience a houseboat, although I’d describe my houseboat as more of a floating hotel room.

I’ve made no secret of my dislike of the word “staycation,” but I’ll admit that booking at Afloat is as close as you can get to a staycation in Boston. Depending on your sea legs and your tolerance of motion, of course.

This is also one of the best lodging deals in Boston. My petite houseboat with a queen bed (although it looked more like a double) was $260 a night; two-bedroom yachts were $350. Moored at Constitution Marina in Charlestown, with views of the Zakim Bridge, the only way to get better water views would be to jump into the harbor.

The interior of the Casita houseboat at Bed and Breakfast Afloat Boston, the city’s only floating B&B.Christopher Muther/Globe Staff

There were some downsides to my houseboat, named Casita, which I believe translates into “little house with a touch of saltwater corrosion that bobs gently in a marina.” The interior was small, as in, I wouldn’t recommend this houseboat for anyone over 230 pounds or over 6 feet 2 inches, give or take. If you’re a hotel snob, it might not be a fit for your high-falutin’ tastes. The room is spartan, but it had everything I needed. There was a full bathroom, a coffee maker, a refrigerator, a hair dryer, an iron, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, heat, and a television.

The pool at Bed and Breakfast Afloat Boston. It's open to B&B guests. — The pool at Bed and Breakfast Afloat Boston. It’s open to B&B guests.Christopher Muther/Globe Staff

Wait, but there’s more! There are plenty of moored boats and houseboats that you can rent on Airbnb or VRBO, but how many of them include a pool where you can splash your cares away? Or communal barbecues where you can BYOB (that’s bring your own beef) and grill your dinner? These are marina extras included in my stay that I was not expecting. I spent time by the pool with a soccer-crazed family from Norway. I tried to change the topic from soccer to my favorite Norwegian pop stars. The family hastily grabbed their towels and left the pool area.

There are people to escort you to your boat and carry your luggage. They also explained the room’s features. I assume if I were staying on a yacht, the orientation would be more detailed, including “do not untie this boat and start sailing to Bermuda.” There was a paper bag on the bed of my room filled with houseboat essentials: lip balm, a tin of mints, a blueberry Nutri-Grain bar, a bag of mini rice cakes, and a postcard of the marina.

A view of the Boston skyline at night as seen from Bed and Breakfast Afloat Boston. The B&B is located at Constitution Wharf.Christopher Muther/Globe Staff

Afloat has another advantage that I hadn’t anticipated. It gave me entrance to the rarified world of marina life. At one point or another, we’ve all walked by a marina and looked down as sun-kissed boat owners sipped beer on the decks of their yachts or hosed down their sailboats after a day at sea. We walk by, green in the gills with envy, trying to justify our feelings by saying that buying a boat is about as solid an investment as encasing cash in concrete and throwing it to the bottom of the ocean. But really, we want to be a part of it.

Finally, I had an entree into the marina universe. I walked around and checked out the other boats, my bare feet on the warm wooden planks. I casually waved or said, “How’s it going?” in a tone that indicated that I was also a part of marina culture, my imaginary yacht sitting nearby. I’m sure my jaunty nautical ensembles helped solidify my place there.

I generally avoid bed-and-breakfasts in the same way I avoid smiling folks on the sidewalk holding a clipboard who say, “Excuse me, sir, do you have a minute…” But Afloat is a different kind of B&B. I didn’t have to talk to other guests or sit awkwardly at a table with strangers in the morning. There’s also no hard and fast rule that breakfast ends at 9 a.m., which, coincidentally, is the time I normally wake up.

Instead, when you check in, you’re given $10 vouchers for Emmi Bakery & Cafe, which is a fish’s throw from the marina. Here, I could get whatever I liked, whenever I liked (the cafe closes at 4 p.m.), without feeling obligated to make small talk with strangers. The advantage of staying in a houseboat over a yacht is that it has a small, private deck adjacent to it, surrounded by herbs and flowers. I invited friends over, some of whom did not appreciate the charms of Casita as much as I did.

The author (left) entertains a friend on the deck of his houseboat at Bed and Breakfast Afloat Boston.Thomas McHale/Globe Staff

My husband was the first visitor. He entered with a look of horror and declared, “This place is terrible. I thought you only stayed at nice hotels.” Within five minutes, he grew seasick and quickly exited, never to return.

“I’m going to call you in the morning to make sure you haven’t floated out to sea,” he said as I rolled my eyes.

Other friends were kinder, but not much. I broke out a bottle of wine on the deck at sunset while my friends popped open the Dramamine. I barely noticed the sway, but the more delicate among you might blanch quickly.

Being at Constitution Marina gave me an excuse to explore Charlestown, a part of the city that I rarely see. Not because I don’t like it, but because parking can be a bear. I had dinner outside at Monument Restaurant and Tavern, looked around at Boston National Historic Park, and took the MBTA ferry from Charlestown to Long Wharf. For $3.75, I had a quick scenic spin in the harbor.

I’ll give the houseboat at Bed and Breakfast Afloat Boston a rating of four anchors out of five. I think much of my good vibes had to do with the perfect weather and the views, but I also loved the feeling of adventure and the way the water rocked me to sleep. That’s a feature you can’t find at any other B&B in the city.

28 Constitution Road, www.bedandbreakfastafloat.com. 617-241-9640.

Christopher Muther can be reached at christopher.muther@globe.com. Follow him @Chris_Muther and Instagram @chris_muther.

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Boston, MA

Boston Pops gearing up for major July 4th celebration: ‘You only turn 250 once’ – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

Published

22 hours ago

June 30, 2026

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Boston Pops gearing up for major July 4th celebration: ‘You only turn 250 once’ – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

BOSTON (WHDH) – The Boston Pops are preparing for their Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular this weekend with half a million people expected to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday on the Charles River Esplanade.

The President and CEO of Boston Symphony Orchestra said an even bigger celebration is being prepared at the hatch-shell this year.

“Everything is bigger. You only turn 250 once!” said Chad Smith, President and CEO of Boston Symphony. “We recognize that Massachusetts has been a center of revolution, not just in the Revolutionary War, but through the last 250 years. That spirit, sense of innovation, the sense of pushing our country forward is going to be on display as well.”

Organizers are bringing in lighting, sound equipment, extra stages, and of course – the fireworks.

“Planning to bring in new details and amplify the experience on the Fourth of July with a bigger firework show. They’re going to have drones for the first time, amazing talent,” said Kate Fox, Executive Director at the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.

This year’s spectacular is being hosted by actress Jane Lynch, and will feature performances by country star Lainey Wilson, Chance the Rapper, Trombone Shorty, and Broadway star Megan Hilty.

“We’re going to have remarkable artists that represent the vast diversity and breadth of American music,” Smith said.

The Boston Pops have been performing on the Esplanade for the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular for 52 years, and organizers said this year’s show will highlight the history of Massachusetts.

“The history of the Pops is so closely tied to the Massachusetts story on the Fourth of July,” Fox said.

The fireworks show will begin at 9:15 p.m., and will be set to live music from the Pops.

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